Paleo Swiss Roll Cake With Carob Frosting (Gluten & Dairy Free)

Paleo gluten free swiss roll cake – rich and moist, covered in a delicious layer of “chocolaty” carob frosting. This easy gluten free swiss roll is also dairy free, grain free, refined sugar free and paleo friendly. Whether you call it a Swiss Roll, a Roulade Cake or a Yule Log, this special gluten free swiss roll is sure to make an impressive gluten and dairy free dessert for any party.

Gluten Free & Paleo Swiss Roll Cake With A Chocolate Substitute

It’s really hard to find a gluten and dairy free dessert that doesn’t pack a lot of processed ingredients these days. As I’m one of the lucky persons who has skin issues when eating chocolate based sweets, so in this gluten free and paleo swiss roll cake I’m using a chocolate alternative – carob.

Carob is the best chocolate substitute I could find for this gluten free roll cake recipe. I used carob in making this Mocha Carob Cake in one of my previous posts, which is also a gluten and dairy free dessert without refined sugar. By the way I have a variety of similar healthier dessert recipes in my cookbook, so make sure to check it out!

Carob is a sweet dark powder similar to cacao but it has caramel and earthy undertones. It’s naturally caffeine free, high in antioxidants and three times richer in calcium compared to chocolate. I usually look for a brand that is minimally processed and organic like this one.

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Gluten Free Swiss Roll Cake Ingredients:

• eggs 
• maple sugar
• stevia extract powder
• tigernut flour
• cassava flour
• coconut milk powder
• ground flax seeds 
• mashed bananas
• vanilla extract
• salt

See measurement in recipe card below.

Gluten Free Dairy Free Swiss Roll Cake

This fluffy gluten free dairy free swiss roll cake (roulade) is made with a light and airy sponge cake (mainly due to cassava flour and eggs) naturally flavored and sweetened with bananas. And the dairy free swiss roll filling goes wonderfully together making a rich chocolaty dessert without using any chocolate or cacao powder.

The recipe for this paleo dairy free swiss roll cake also uses less eggs because when mixing mashed bananas with flax seeds they act as a binding agent as well. And it still provides a fluffy light and airy sponge texture.

As for the gluten free flours I used a combination of tigernut flour and cassava flour, which are also grain free, making this treat also paleo friendly dessert. And the purpose of coconut milk powder in this recipe is to provide softness and to enhance the browning of the crust.

Tips For Making A Gluten Free Dairy Free Swiss Roll Cake

• If you cant find tigernut flour but you still want the cake to be grain free, try using almond flour instead.

• In order to cut in half the use of sugary sweetener I combined the maple syrup with stevia extract powder.

• Immediately invert the cake onto the towel once it comes out of the oven and roll it up. Don’t let it cool before rolling it or it will crack.

• The towel prevents the cake from sticking to itself when rolled and the parchment paper prevents the cake from sticking to the towel.

• If the cake cracks while you’re rolling it, don’t worry, no one will even know when you cover it with frosting.

• You can bake the swiss roll sponge cake one day in advance and store it in the fridge (with the towel). Wrapped in plastic wrap to prevent drying. When ready to use, let it sit on the counter to come back to room temperature and the you can unroll it.

Dairy Free Frosting With Carob

When making the dairy free frosting, make sure you use soaked cashews and only the hard part of coconut cream can. This will make your frosting much creamier and it’s texture will not depends as much on cold temperatures.

I used the coconut cream sold at Trader Joe’s, because it doesn’t have any additives. Just let the coconut cream sit in the fridge before use – to separate the cream from water.

The Carob powder adds a rich chocolate taste and the espresso powder enhance that chocolate flavor even more without adding much discernible coffee flavor.

How Do You Roll A Gluten Free Paleo Swiss Roll Cake

The gluten free dairy free swiss roll cake should cool in the rolled up shape. Best: cool at room temperature. Once completely cool, unroll the cake slowly and gently. Don’t force it flat, it may crack. Then, spread the dairy free carob frosting over the gluten free sponge cake.

You should add more frosting along the short edge of the cake which is to be rolled first. This will prevent the cake from cracking due to large gaps in between the folds. But still try to hold it as tight as possible without pressing too much.

Add the thinly sliced bananas on top. Roll up and place seam side down. Refrigerate for an hour to set. Then you can easily proceed and cover the gluten free swiss roll cake with more frosting. Sprinkle some coconut shreds or anything else you have in mind!

How To Serve This Gluten Free Paleo Swiss Roll

Place in the freezer for 1-2 hours before serving, if you want it firm, it’s easier to slice when it’s hard. Or refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving, if you want it soft-ish.

The swiss roll cake can be stored (covered) in the fridge for up to 3 days. Or freeze it for up to 2-3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.

Related: Walnut Cake – Greek Inspired Recipe (GF Option)

If you try this gluten free “chocolate” swiss roll cake recipe please leave a comment and star rating below. Your feedback is super helpful for me and readers. Thank you!

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