Red Velvet Swiss Roll with Cream Cheese Frosting

There’s something magical about slicing into a red velvet cake roll and seeing that perfect spiral! I’ve been making this classic dessert for years, and it never fails to impress at holiday gatherings. The combination of tender red velvet cake with tangy cream cheese frosting is timeless—and rolling it into a Swiss roll makes it even more elegant. Trust me, this red velvet swiss roll looks way harder to make than it actually is!

Prep Time	25 minutes
Cook Time	12 minutes
Total Time	50 minutes (includes cooling)
Servings	12-14 slices
Difficulty	Medium
Calories	~245 per slice (est.)

How To Make Red Velvet Cake Roll Recipe

A. Essential Equipment

Here’s what you’ll need to create this stunning dessert:

• 15×10-inch jelly roll pan
• Parchment paper
• Clean kitchen towel
• Stand mixer or hand mixer
• Fine-mesh sieve for dusting

B. Ingredients (with Substitution Table)

For the Red Velvet Cake:

• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 4 large eggs, room temperature
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon white vinegar
• 1 tablespoon red gel food coloring
• Powdered sugar for dusting

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:

• 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste (or vanilla extract)
• Pinch of salt

Ingredient	Substitution	Note
Buttermilk	2 tbsp milk + 1/4 tsp lemon juice	Let sit 5 minutes
Red gel food coloring	Liquid food coloring	May need more for vibrant color
Vanilla bean paste	Vanilla extract	Use same amount
All-purpose flour	Cake flour	Makes slightly softer texture
White vinegar	Apple cider vinegar	Works perfectly

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C. Instructions

Prepare the Pan:

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F and line your jelly roll pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang on the sides. This makes removal so much easier—I learned that the hard way!

Mix the Dry Ingredients: 2. Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Set this aside while you work on the eggs.

Make the Batter: 3. In your stand mixer, beat the eggs on high speed for about 3-4 minutes until they’re thick and pale yellow. You’ll know they’re ready when the mixture falls in ribbons from the beater.

4. Gradually add the granulated sugar while continuing to beat. The mixture should become fluffy and voluminous—this takes about 2 minutes.
5. Gently fold in the vanilla extract, buttermilk, vinegar, and red food coloring. Now here’s where patience becomes your best friend—carefully fold in the dry ingredients using a spatula until just combined. Don’t overmix or you’ll deflate those precious air bubbles!

Bake the Cake: 6. Pour the batter into your prepared pan and spread it evenly to all corners. Bake for 10-12 minutes until the cake springs back when lightly touched. I always set my timer for 10 minutes and check—overbaking makes rolling difficult!

The Rolling Trick: 7. While the cake bakes, lay out a clean kitchen towel and dust it generously with powdered sugar. This prevents sticking and makes your life so much easier.

8. The moment your cake comes out of the oven, run a knife around the edges and flip it onto the prepared towel. Carefully peel off the parchment paper.
9. Starting from the short end, roll the cake up with the towel inside. This step is crucial—rolling while warm prevents cracking! Let it cool completely in this rolled position for about 30 minutes.

Make the Frosting: 10. Beat the softened cream cheese and butter together until smooth and creamy—about 2 minutes. I like to make sure there are absolutely no lumps here.

11. Add the powdered sugar gradually, then mix in the vanilla bean paste and salt. Beat until light and fluffy. The frosting should be spreadable but hold its shape.

Assemble: 12. Carefully unroll your cooled cake (it’s okay if it wants to stay curved—that’s normal!). Spread the cream cheese frosting evenly over the surface, leaving about 1/2 inch at the edges.

13. Roll the cake back up without the towel this time, using gentle but firm pressure. Wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before slicing. This helps everything set beautifully.

Tips & Notes for Success

Baking Tips

• Room temperature eggs create more volume when beaten—take them out 30 minutes before baking
• Don’t skip the rolling-while-warm step! I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen cracks happen when people wait too long
• Use gel food coloring for the most vibrant red without adding extra liquid to your batter
• A fine-mesh sieve works perfectly for dusting powdered sugar evenly on your towel

Troubleshooting

• Cake cracked while rolling? It might have been overbaked or cooled too much. Next time, roll it sooner and bake 1-2 minutes less
• Frosting too soft? Pop it in the fridge for 15 minutes to firm up before spreading
• Color not vibrant enough? Gel food coloring is much more concentrated than liquid—you might need more if using liquid
• Cake sticking to towel? You didn’t use enough powdered sugar. Be generous with that dusting!

Variations

• Add white chocolate chips to the frosting for extra decadence
• Sprinkle mini chocolate chips over the frosting before rolling for surprise pockets of chocolate
• Try adding 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract to the frosting for a holiday twist
• Make it extra festive by dusting the outside with more powdered sugar and fresh cranberries

Storage & Make-Ahead

• This red velvet dessert recipe keeps perfectly in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap
• You can freeze the unfrosted cake rolled in the towel for up to 2 months—just thaw, fill, and serve
• For best results, let it come to room temperature for about 15 minutes before slicing

More Related Recipes

If you loved this classic red velvet roll, you’ll want to try these:

• 12 Best Swiss Roll Recipes
• Chocolate Swiss Roll
• Pumpkin Roll with Cream Cheese Filling
• Halloween Ghost Swiss Roll Recipe

Conclusion

This red velvet cream cheese cake roll is my secret weapon for impressing guests without spending all day in the kitchen! The classic flavor combination never goes out of style, and the presentation is absolutely showstopping. Give it a try for your next holiday cake roll or Valentine’s celebration—I promise you’ll be amazed at how restaurant-worthy it looks!

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