Mocha Roll Cake: A Soft and Fluffy Coffee Chocolate Swiss Roll

Name: Mocha Roll Cake
Prep time: 1 h 10 min
Cook time: 14 min
Total time: 4 h 24 min
Ingredients: 100 g cake flour; 50 g natural cocoa powder; 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder; 6 large eggs, room temperature; 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar; 150 g granulated sugar, divided into 100g + 50g; 70 g milk, dairy or non-dairy; 60 g neutral oil, e.g. canola oil, avocado oil; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 400 g whipping cream or heavy cream; 40 g powdered sugar; 1 1/2 teaspoons instant espresso powder; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; coffee beans

By:

Ruby Bennett

Published:

October 21, 2026

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Mocha Roll Cake

This mocha roll cake pairs a soft, fluffy mocha chiffon sponge with a coffee whipped cream filling. The cake itself is light and airy, and it is not overly sweet, so the cocoa and espresso come through clearly in every slice.

It is shaped as a Swiss roll style log and yields 8 slices, which makes it a good choice for a weekend bake or a holiday table.

The project takes a little patience because the filled roll needs time to chill, but each stage is short and simple. Here is the timing at a glance.

Detail	Amount
Servings	8 slices
Prep time	1 hour 10 minutes
Cook time	14 minutes
Chilling time	3 hours
Total time	4 hours 24 minutes
Oven temperature	350 degrees F

Each slice works out to about 444 calories, 39 g carbohydrates, 9 g protein, and 30 g fat, including 14 g saturated fat, plus 3 g fiber, 26 g sugar, 66 mg sodium, and 180 mg cholesterol.

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Notes from the baker

This mocha roll cake is one of the baker’s favorites among all the roll cakes on the original blog, which is saying something, because fruity flavors are usually the preference. This one was made for chocolate and coffee lovers, and it delivers deep mocha and espresso flavor in both the cake and the cream.

The cocoa powder and espresso powder add that deep flavor without changing the light, fluffy chiffon texture used in the baker’s other Swiss roll recipes. That matters, because the texture is what makes a roll cake easy to work with.

It is a good fit for fall or winter baking and for holiday celebrations, when a dessert that looks special but still tastes light is welcome. The cake is a dessert with Japanese influence, and it comes from the original mocha roll cake recipe.

Why you’ll love this recipe

There are three reasons this cake keeps coming back.

A soft, spongey base. The chiffon cake sheet is light, soft, and spongey, similar to the cakes sold in Asian bakeries.
Rich mocha and coffee flavor. The flavor is deep, creamy, and fragrant without being overly chocolatey, so the coffee stays in front.
It rolls without cracking. The cake is soft and pliable enough to roll without cracking or rippling, which is why this is the method the baker reaches for again and again.

If you have ever fought with a cake that splits as you roll it, that last point is the one you will appreciate most.

Tools

You do not need much special equipment, but a few items make the process smoother.

12×17 inch baking tray. This is the size the cake sheet is baked in, and it is the same kind of tray used for cookies. A similarly sized pan or a jelly roll pan works as well, as long as the walls are at least 1 inch tall.
Electric hand mixer or stand mixer. This is essential for whipping the egg whites and the cream to stiff peaks.
Offset spatula. Optional, but it helps you spread the batter evenly, smooth the whipped cream, and clean up the edges of the roll.
Piping bag. Optional, and only needed if you want to pipe a rosette on top. A closed star piping tip was used for that rosette.
Parchment paper, a wire rack, plastic wrap, and a serrated knife. The parchment lines the tray and helps you roll the warm cake, the rack is for cooling and flipping, the plastic wrap holds the finished roll in the fridge, and the serrated knife gives you clean slices.

Ingredient notes

Every ingredient here has a job, and a few of them are worth explaining before you start.

Cake flour (100 g). Cake flour contains less gluten than all purpose flour, which produces a lighter, fluffier cake. This is the main reason the sponge stays tender.
Natural cocoa powder (50 g). Natural cocoa is the common, lighter colored and milder type. It is chosen over Dutch processed cocoa because it does not overwhelm the coffee flavor.
Instant espresso powder (1 teaspoon in the cake, 1 1/2 teaspoons in the cream). This is the flavor source for both components. It dissolves fully in water and it is not ground coffee beans. Instant coffee can be used instead, but espresso powder gives a more intense flavor in a small amount.
Large eggs (6, room temperature). Room temperature eggs whip faster, and they are separated into egg whites and egg yolks.
Cream of tartar (1/4 teaspoon). An acidic powder that stabilizes the egg whites and helps them whip into a stable meringue. A splash of vinegar or lemon juice can be used instead, or you can leave it out.
Granulated sugar (150 g, divided). It is split into 100 g for the meringue and 50 g for the yolks, so you are not measuring in the middle of mixing.
Milk (70 g). Any dairy or plant based milk works, such as oat milk or almond milk, because only a small amount is used.
Neutral oil (60 g). Use a light tasting oil such as canola, avocado, or grapeseed.
Whipping cream or heavy cream (400 g). Either works for the filling, but heavy cream gives a richer, thicker result.
Powdered sugar (40 g). This sweetens the cream without adding graininess.
Vanilla extract (1 teaspoon in the cake, 1 teaspoon in the cream). It rounds out both the sponge and the filling.
Coffee beans. Optional, used as a garnish on the finished slices.

How to make a mocha roll cake

There are two parts to this cake: the mocha chiffon sheet and the espresso whipped cream. Make the sheet first, let it cool in a rolled shape, then fill, roll, and chill.

Make the mocha chiffon cake sheet

Preheat and line. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 12×17 inch baking tray with parchment paper cut to size and set it aside.
Combine the dry ingredients. In a small bowl, stir together 100 g cake flour, 50 g natural cocoa powder, and 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder. Set aside.
Separate the eggs. Separate the egg whites and egg yolks into two large mixing bowls, being careful not to get any yolk in the egg whites. Set the bowl of egg yolks aside.
Whip the egg whites. Add 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar to the egg whites. Use an electric hand mixer to beat them on low to medium speed until they become frothy, like cappuccino foam. Add 100 g of sugar, one spoonful at a time, mixing between each addition. Once all the sugar is in, continue beating on medium high speed until the meringue holds stiff peaks. Set aside.
Mix the yolks. Add the remaining 50 g of sugar to the egg yolks and mix with the same hand mixer until combined. Add 70 g milk, 60 g neutral oil, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and mix until combined. Sift the flour mixture into the yolk mixture through a fine mesh sieve. Mix on low speed until the flour has just combined.
Fold in the meringue. Add about one third of the meringue to the yolk mixture and fold with a spatula, scraping the bottom of the bowl. Add the rest of the meringue and fold until no streaks remain. Scrape the bottom and sides again, where thicker batter tends to stick. Do not overmix.
Fill the tray. Pour the batter into the lined tray. Use an offset spatula to spread it into the corners and edges and smooth it into an even layer.
Bake. Bake for 13 to 14 minutes, until the edges are lightly browned and the top of the cake sheet is puffed up.
Cool and flip. Let the cake cool on a wire rack for only about 5 minutes, then run an offset spatula around the edges of the pan to release it. Place a wire rack on top of the pan, grip both sides of the pan and rack with oven mitts, and flip the cake onto the rack. Peel the parchment paper off the cake, place a fresh sheet of parchment on top, and flip the cake onto that parchment.
Roll while warm. While the cake is still warm, roll it up with the parchment paper starting from a short end. Let it cool completely in this rolled up log shape.

Make the espresso whipped cream

Whip the cream. To a mixing bowl, add 400 g whipping cream or heavy cream, 40 g powdered sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoons instant espresso powder, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Use a hand mixer to whip until stiff peaks form.
Fill the cake. Unroll the cooled cake sheet. Add dollops of whipped cream on top and use an offset spatula to spread it into a thick, even layer. Leave the last 2 inches at the end of the cake sheet empty, and save any remaining cream for decoration.
Roll and chill. Roll the cake up the same way as before. When you reach the end of the roll, place a sheet of plastic wrap next to the cake so you can roll it right onto the wrap. Use an offset spatula to remove excess cream that squishes out of the seam and push back any cream coming out of the two ends. Wrap the roll in plastic wrap and chill it in the fridge for at least 3 hours or overnight so the cream sets.
Slice and serve. Before serving, use a serrated knife to cut about 1/2 inch off both ends of the roll to reveal the swirl. Cut the cake into 1 to 1.5 inch slices. Pipe any remaining whipped cream on top and garnish with coffee beans if you like.

Chilling is not optional here. The cream needs at least 3 hours in the fridge to firm up, and overnight is even better.

Storage

Keep the cake in the fridge, either in an airtight container or wrapped in plastic wrap, for up to 5 days. Serve it straight from the fridge, or let it sit at room temperature for 15 minutes or more first if you prefer a softer crumb.

Leftovers freeze well. Wrap the cake well in plastic wrap, aluminum foil, or both, or place it in an airtight container, and freeze for up to 1 month. Thaw it in the fridge overnight before eating.

If you are baking ahead for a celebration, the chilling time and the freezer both work in your favor.

More Cakes

If you enjoy rolling cakes, this method carries over nicely to other flavors. The Chocolate Cake Roll follows the same soft sponge idea with a cocoa forward filling, and it is a good next step once you are comfortable with the flip and roll.

For something closer to the coffee side of this recipe, the Coffee Swiss Roll keeps the espresso flavor but leaves the cocoa behind.

Both are worth trying once you have the basic technique down, and neither needs any extra equipment beyond what you already used here.

FAQs

What is a mocha roll cake?

A mocha roll cake is a Swiss-style rolled cake made from a light and fluffy mocha chiffon sheet filled with espresso whipped cream. It combines chocolate and coffee flavors in a soft, airy sponge and is served in slices, often chilled. This version yields 8 slices and is a good make-ahead dessert for fall or winter gatherings.

Why does my mocha roll cake crack when rolling?

Cracks usually happen when the cake sheet is overbaked, becomes too dry, or is rolled after it has cooled completely. Bake the sheet for 13 to 14 minutes at 350°F and roll it while it is still warm using parchment paper to set the curved shape. If a small crack appears, the espresso whipped cream filling can help hide it once the roll is assembled.

Can I use instant coffee instead of espresso powder in mocha roll cake?

Yes, instant coffee can replace instant espresso powder, but espresso powder gives a more intense coffee flavor in small amounts. Instant coffee is a milder substitute and will produce a slightly softer mocha taste. Avoid using brewed espresso as a liquid replacement, because the extra moisture would change the batter.

How long does mocha roll cake last in the fridge?

The assembled mocha roll cake can be kept in an airtight container or wrapped in plastic wrap in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. It can be served straight from the fridge or left at room temperature for 15 minutes or more. For longer storage, freeze it for up to 1 month and thaw it overnight in the refrigerator before serving.