Sharing is caring!

Peppermint Chocolate Swiss Roll is the perfect holiday dessert made with dark chocolate cake, cream cheese frosting, chocolate icing, and topped with crushed candy canes. This cake looks hard to make, but it’s actually very easy! You’ll impress all your friends and family with this one-of-a-kind dessert.

Peppermint Chocolate Swiss Roll

This chocolate peppermint cake roll is a fancy-looking dessert that you can make in just a couple of hours. After making the cake using a jelly roll pan, you’ll roll up the cake while it’s still warm and let it cool completely. Then, you unroll the cake and spread cream cheese frosting over the inside. Roll it back up and refrigerate until it’s set. Before serving, pour the melted chocolate chips over the top and sprinkle it with crushed peppermint candies.

And there you have it! A simple but beautiful dessert you can serve at any holiday dinner party. 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a 15×10 jelly roll pan with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder, baking powder, and salt.

Set aside.

In a separate bowl, beat together 1/3 cup sugar and egg whites for around give minutes, until stiff peaks form.

In another bowl, beat together the egg yolks, remaining sugar, vegetable oil, and peppermint extract until pale and creamy, around two minutes.

Pour the egg yolk mixture over the flour mixture and beat until well combined.

Carefully fold in the egg whites.

Spread the mixture evenly over the prepared pan and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the top of the cake springs back when touched.

Allow the cake to cool for a few minutes in the pan, then carefully lift it off the pan with the parchment paper and flip it onto a towel sprinkled with cocoa powder.

Carefully roll up the cake around the towel and place it on a wire rack to cool completely.

While the cake is cooling, prepare the filling by beating together the cream cheese, powdered sugar, butter, and vanilla extract.

When the cake is completely cooled, unroll it and spread the icing in an even layer.

Top with the crushed peppermint candy.

Carefully re-roll the cake around the filling and tightly wrap it in plastic wrap.

Chill the cake for at least one hour.

After the cake is finished chilling, heat the heavy cream in the microwave for one minute.

Pour the hot cream over the top of the chocolate and allow it to sit for one to two minutes, until the chocolate has softened.

Stir the ingredients together and pour the mixture over the top of the cake.

Sprinkle remaining crushed peppermint candy over the top.

Allow the ganache to cool and set before slicing and serving.

Expert Tips/Variations 

These tips and tricks will help you make the best peppermint chocolate Swiss roll you’ve ever tasted.

• Spread a thin layer of frosting over the cake so it rolls up nicely. 
• Tightly wrap the roll after adding the frosting and rolling it back up so it maintains its shape. 
• Do the initial roll when the cake is still warm and allow it to cool completely before adding the frosting so it doesn’t melt. 
• Finely crush the peppermint candy, so you don’t get big chunks when you’re eating the cake.
• Use peppermint extract instead of crushed candy. 

How To Serve 

This beautiful peppermint chocolate roll cake can be served after Christmas dinner or any time during the holiday season.

Serve it at a party with other desserts like No Bake Marshmallow Pumpkin Pie, Crescent Roll Cinnamon Rolls, Strawberry Cake Roll, or Carrot Cake Roll.

How To Store 

Refrigerate: If you have leftover cake, store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days.

Freeze: You can freeze this cake and save it for later as well. Cover it tightly with plastic wrap and aluminum foil and keep it in the freezer for up to three months.

Reheat: After freezing the cake, you can thaw it by leaving it in the refrigerator overnight. Once it’s completely thawed, set it on the counter for a few minutes to let it warm up slightly. You may want to pour more of the rich chocolate glaze over the top to freshen it up. 

FAQs 

How do you roll a cake without it falling apart? 

The cake needs to be warm when you roll it initially, so it doesn’t crack. 

What is a Swiss roll topped with? 

After the roll has cooled, you’ll cover it with chocolate ganache icing and sprinkle it with crushed peppermint candies.

Why is my Swiss roll rubbery?

If your roll turns out rubbery, this is most likely because it didn’t cool completely before you put on the frosting in the middle or the icing over the top.