Pandan Swiss Roll

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This soft and fluffy pandan swiss roll is filled with whipped cream and covered with toasted coconut flakes. Includes all my tips and foolproof roll cake recipe that never rips or ripples when rolled up!

A slice of pandan swiss roll cake cut from the roll and laying in front of the rest of the roll cake.

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Notes from the baker
Why you'll love this recipe
Tools
Ingredient notes
How to make a pandan swiss roll
Storage
Frequently asked questions
More swiss roll cake recipes to try
Recipe

Notes from the baker

Adding another swiss roll recipe to my ever-growing collection (my Matcha Roll Cake and Ube Roll Cake recipes have been my favourites in the past) because I can't resist such a pretty and unique cake.

I love roll cakes because they're easier to make than layered cakes (no need to stack, frost, and pipe decorations) and their cake-to-cream ratio is perfect.

This pandan swiss roll cake can be as subtle or heavy on the pandan flavour as you like. The toasted coconut adds a wonderful dimension to the cake and brings out the vanilla-y, coconut-y flavour of pandan.

To take this cake to the next level, I would swap out the whipped cream for whipped coconut cream like in my Pandan Coconut Cake. It would be incredible and something I would do the next time I make it!

People always ask how I prevent my roll cakes from breaking or ripping when rolled. The main answer is simply the cake recipe!

I've used all the tricks and done the same thing with different cake recipes in the past before landing on this one and they really make no difference unless the cake itself is moist and pliable enough to handle being rolled. Give this one a try and see if it fixes your tearing problems.

Why you'll love this recipe

Soft and fluffy chiffon cake. This swiss roll is made with my go-to chiffon cake base that stays soft even after being in the fridge (because there's no butter in it!).
Light and airy whipped cream. The whipped cream gives the cake just the right amount of moisture.
No tearing or rippling. This is my foolproof cake recipe that I've used in all my roll cakes and I've never experienced the cake ripping when rolled.
Crunchy toasted coconut. The coconut flakes provide added texture and the fragrant coconut aroma enhances the pandan flavour.

Tools

Electric hand mixer - This is essential for whipped egg whites to stiff peaks quickly and easily. I wouldn't be able to do it without this handy appliance. If you bake often, I would highly recommend picking one up. I use mine in almost all my recipes. Consider getting a cordless one if your kitchen workspace isn't near a power outlet.
12x17" baking tray - This cake is baked in a regular baking tray that I use to bake cookies on. You can use a jelly roll pan or any pan around this size as long as it has walls that are at least 1" tall.
Fine mesh sieve - This is used to sift the flour into the cake batter to get rid of any clumps and aerate the batter.

Ingredient notes

As always, the full recipe card with ingredient amounts and instructions is at the bottom of this post! Keep reading for more details on each ingredient or skip ahead to the recipe.

Large coconut flakes - This is not the same as shredded coconut. Use large flakes for the best effect.
Eggs - Let your eggs come to room temperature before using them. Room-temperature eggs whip up faster.
Cream of tartar - This is an acidic powder that helps stabilize the egg whites so that they whip up faster into a stronger meringue. If you don't have this, you can omit it completely or replace it with double the amount of vinegar or lemon juice.
Granulated sugar - Divide your sugar into 100g and 50g bowls to make your life easier when adding it to the meringue. Don't ask me why you need to divide it when the batter all gets mixed together in the end. It just works. I've made this recipe before both ways and the difference is subtle but seems to be better when I divide them.
Milk - You can use any dairy or non-dairy milk. I usually use oat milk because it's what I have on hand.
Oil - Use any light-tasting oil like canola oil, avocado oil, or grapeseed oil.
Pandan extract - You can find many different types of pandan extract - artificial vs natural and clear vs green. Use any that you prefer and just adjust the recipe accordingly (i.e. if using green artificial pandan extract, omit the green gel food colouring). I used clear artificial pandan extract in mine.
Green gel food colouring (optional) - Add a tiny bit of this if your pandan extract is clear or if you want a boost in the green colour of the cake. Only use gel colouring (not oil-based or water-based food colouring) otherwise it messes with the consistency of the meringue.
Cake flour - Cake flour contains less gluten than all-purpose flour and makes softer and more delicate cakes.
Whipping cream or heavy cream - You can use either one. Whipping cream will give you a lighter and airier filling while heavy cream will be thicker and richer.
Powdered sugar
Vanilla extract

How to make a pandan swiss roll

For the toasted coconut topping

Prep: Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line a 12x17" baking tray with parchment paper on the bottom only.

Toast coconut flakes: Scatter coconut flakes across the baking tray and spread them out. Bake for 5-10 minutes, stirring them around occasionally until they are lightly golden brown. Let the coconut flakes cool on the baking tray completely before transferring them to a small container for later.

Left to right: hand spreading coconut flakes on a baking sheet, toasted coconut flakes on a baking sheet.

For the pandan cake

Prep: Raise the oven temperature to 350°F. Clean off your lined baking tray from toasting the coconut flakes and set aside.

Divide eggs: Separate the egg whites and egg yolks into two separate large mixing bowls, being careful not to get any of the yolks into the egg whites. Set the bowl of egg yolks aside.

Egg white meringue: To the egg whites, add cream of tartar. Use an electric hand mixer to beat the egg whites on low-medium speed until they become frothy like cappuccino foam. Add 100g of granulated sugar, one spoonful at a time, mixing well between each addition. After all the sugar has been added, continue beating the egg whites at medium-high speed until they become stiff peaks. Set aside.

Left to right: sprinkling a spoonful of sugar into egg whites while beating with hand mixer, lifting hand mixer out of meringue to show the stiff peaks.

Egg yolk mixture: To the egg yolks, add the remaining 50g of sugar and use the same hand mixer to mix until combined. Add the milk, oil, pandan extract, and green gel food colouring. Mix until combined.

Left to right: egg yolks and sugar in a mixing bowl, mixing green batter with a hand mixer.

Sift in flour: Use a fine mesh sieve to sift the flour into the egg yolk mixture. Mix until just combined and smooth.

Left to right: sifting flour into bowl of cake batter, mixing cake batter with a hand mixer.

Combine egg whites and egg yolks: Add about ⅓ of the egg white meringue into the egg yolk mixture. Use a spatula to fold them together until combined, making sure to scrape the bottom of the bowl as that's where thick batter accumulates. Add the rest of the meringue and fold together until no streaks remain.

Left to right: dropping meringue into bowl of cake batter from a spatula, folding chiffon cake batter with a spatula.

Fill pan: Pour the batter into your lined baking tray. Use an offset spatula to spread the batter into the edges and sides of the pan and smooth the top into an even layer.

Left to right: pouring pandan cake batter into baking tray, smoothing cake batter into baking tray with a spatula.

Bake: Bake for about 12-13 minutes or until the edges are lightly browned and the top is puffy. Let the cake cool in the pan for only 5 minutes before running an offset spatula around the edges to release the cake from the pan.

Release cake: Place a wire rack (or parchment) 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 paper on top and flip the cake onto the parchment paper.

Left to right: hand peeling parchment paper off of baked cake sheet, pandan chiffon cake sheet on parchment paper.

Pre-roll the cake: Use a serrated knife to cut the browned edges off the two short ends of the cake sheet (optional). While it's still warm, roll up the cake sheet with the parchment paper, starting from one short end of the sheet. Let the cake cool completely in this rolled-up log shape.

Left to right: hands rolling cake sheet up with parchment paper, hand holding rolled-up cake to show the cross-section.

For the whipped cream filling

Whip cream: In a large mixing bowl, add whipping cream, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and pandan extract (optional). Use a hand mixer on medium-high speed to beat the cream until it becomes firm peaks.

Left to right: ingredients for whipped cream in a mixing bowl, lifting hand mixer out of bowl of whipped cream.

Spread cream: Unroll the cooled cake sheet. Use an offset spatula to spread a thick and even layer of whipped cream on top of the cake sheet. Leave the last 1" at the end of the cake sheet empty. Save any remaining whipped cream for the outside of the cake.

Left to right: spreading whipped cream on a cake sheet with an offset spatula, layer of whipped cream on a cake sheet.

Roll cake: Roll the cake sheet up in the same way it was pre-rolled, without the parchment paper this time. When you get to the end of the roll, place a sheet of plastic wrap next to the cake so that you can roll the cake right onto the plastic wrap. Use an offset spatula to remove any excess cream that squishes out of the seam and push in any cream that squishes out from the two ends of the roll.

Left to right: hands rolling pandan roll cake up, cake roll wrapped in plastic wrap.

Chill: Wrap the cake roll in plastic wrap and chill the in fridge for at least 3 hours or overnight to allow the cream to set.

Coconut coating: Before serving, use an offset spatula to spread a thin layer of whipped cream on the outside of the cake roll. Press handfuls of your toasted coconut flakes all around the outside of the cake roll.

Left to right: spreading whipped cream on outside of roll cake, hands pressing handfuls of toasted coconut flakes onto roll cake.

Slice: Use a serrated knife in a sawing motion to cut about ½" off both ends of the cake roll to reveal the swirl. Cut the cake roll into 1-2" thick slices.

Storage

This pandan swiss roll can be stored in an airtight container or wrapped in plastic wrap in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Leftovers can be frozen in an airtight container or wrapped well in plastic wrap and/or aluminum foil for up to 1 month. Thaw in the fridge overnight or at room temperature for a few hours before eating.

Frequently asked questions

How do you prevent a cake roll from cracking or rippling?

Roll cakes tear when the cake is too dry and dense. Use a cake (like this one) that is soft, moist, and flexible enough to withstand rolling. Pre-rolling the cake while it's still warm also helps "train" the cake sheet to stay in that shape when cooled. If you're still struggling to maintain a moist and pliable cake, try baking the cake with a pan of hot water at the bottom of the oven to add moisture to the cake.

Can I make my own pandan extract?

Of course you can! I don't have instructions for that but there are plenty on the internet. If the natural colour of your homemade pandan extract isn't pigmented enough, you can supplement it with a tiny bit of green gel food colouring.

Why are your measurements in grams? Why do you mix gram measurements with tablespoons/teaspoons?

Baking by weight is much more accurate than volume. When using US standard cups, ingredients like flour and sugar can easily be overpacked into the cup causing you to add too much of certain ingredients. Recipes with weight measurements are also easier to scale to smaller or bigger batches without dealing with weird fractions. To measure by weight, you simply need a kitchen scale which you can usually pick up for less than $20.

Small measurements are given in tablespoons and teaspoons because most kitchen scales are not accurate under about 10g. Tiny amounts like a ¼ teaspoon may not register accurately unless you have a drug scale. Mixing these measurements is a common practice among other recipe sites and commercial kitchens.