Sweet Potato Swiss Roll
A sweet potato swiss roll is a thin spiced sweet potato cake rolled around a cream cheese filling, then finished with brown butter caramel and toasted pecans.
| Oven temp | 350°F |
| Pan | 10 x 15 inch jelly roll pan |
| Bake time | 10 to 12 minutes |
| Chill time | About 2 hours 20 minutes |
| Yield | 10 to 12 slices |
My first sweet potato rolls cracked. I think I packed in too much purée, and the heavy batter took longer to bake and gave up when I rolled it. This version cuts the purée to 150g.
Boil the sweet potato, blend it smooth and roll the cake while it is still hot. The caramel takes about 5 minutes and the pecans toast in a cast iron pan.
Sweet Potato Swiss Roll
Equipment
- 10 x 15 inch jelly roll pan
- Parchment paper
- Thin kitchen towel
- Immersion blender
- Hand or stand mixer
- Cast iron skillet
- Microplane
Ingredients
Sweet Potato Cake
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg freshly grated on a microplane
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 150 g sweet potato purée about 5 1/4 oz, from 1 medium sweet potato, boiled and drained
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar for dusting the towel
Cream Cheese Filling
- 6 oz full-fat brick cream cheese softened
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
Brown Butter Caramel
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 pinch kosher salt
Topping
- 3 oz pecans toasted
Instructions
Make the Sweet Potato Purée
- Peel 1 medium sweet potato and cut it into chunks. Boil until fork tender.
- Drain well, let it cool, then blend smooth with an immersion blender. Weigh out 150g.
Bake the Cake
- Heat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 10 x 15 inch pan, line it with parchment and grease the parchment too.
- Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves and salt together in a large bowl.
- Whisk the eggs, sugar, sweet potato purée and vanilla in a second bowl. Pour into the dry ingredients and whisk until smooth.
- Spread the batter to the corners and shake the pan level. Bake 10 to 12 minutes, until the cake springs back when you press it.
Roll and Chill
- While the cake bakes, lay a thin kitchen towel flat and dust it with 3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar.
- Turn the hot cake out onto the towel and peel off the parchment. Roll it up from the narrow end with the towel inside.
- Cool the cake completely while rolled, about 2 hours. The refrigerator speeds it up.
Make the Filling
- Beat the cream cheese until smooth. Beat in the butter, then the confectioners’ sugar and vanilla until creamy.
Make the Caramel and Pecans
- Toast the pecans in a dry cast iron pan until fragrant. Set them aside.
- Brown the butter in a saucepan. Melt in the brown sugar, then stir in the cream.
- Cook about 5 minutes, until the caramel is a rich brown and slightly thickened. Take it off the heat and stir in the salt and vanilla.
Fill and Finish
- Unroll the cake and spread the filling over it, leaving a 1/2 inch border. Roll it back up tightly without the towel.
- Refrigerate 20 minutes. Drizzle with the caramel, top with the toasted pecans and slice.
Notes
Pitmaster Notes
Roll the cake in the towel the second it leaves the oven. It cools in the rolled shape, so it does not crack when you unroll it for the filling. Drain the boiled sweet potato well before you blend it. Ovens vary, so start checking the cake at 10 minutes and pull it when it springs back under a finger.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use sweet potato instead of pumpkin in a roll cake?
Yes. This roll uses 150g of boiled, drained and puréed sweet potato where a pumpkin roll uses canned pumpkin. Drain it well so the batter does not turn heavy.
Why did my sweet potato roll crack?
Too much purée makes the batter dense and slow to bake, and a cake that cools flat cracks when you roll it. Keep the purée at 150g and roll the cake in the towel the moment it leaves the oven.
How do you make brown butter caramel?
Brown the butter, melt in the brown sugar and stir in the cream. Cook about 5 minutes until it is a rich brown and slightly thick, then add the salt and vanilla off the heat.
How do you toast pecans for a roll cake?
Toast them in a dry cast iron pan until fragrant. Keep them moving so they do not scorch, then set them aside until the roll is filled.
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