Gluten Free Lemon Swiss Roll Recipe (2024)

This post may contain affiliate links for which I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. For more info, check out my Disclosure Policy. Thank you for your support!

Share this recipe

Jump to Recipe

My gluten free lemon Swiss roll is the ultimate summer bake - light, zesty and oh-so-moreish!

The light, fatless lemon sponge is swirled together with lemon whipped cream and lemon curd for the perfect citrusy bake.

I absolutely love a gluten free Swiss roll and this lemon version is just the perfect version for summer.

Plus you can also bake up my gluten free amaretti biscuits at the same time and use them to put together my 'lazy' version of the Platinum Jubilee Pudding!

However you serve it up, this lemon Swiss roll is really fun and easy to bake and is a great project to make with kids.

Gluten Free Lemon Swiss Roll Recipe (1)

Ingredients

There's a full printable recipe card below with the method and quantities, but here's a few pointers on some of the ingredients used in this recipe.

  • Eggs - You'll need four eggs in this recipe and I am using large (UK) eggs. The recipe involves separating the eggs - it's not as hard as you might think! You'll need to whip the egg whites up to give the mixture it's lovely, airy texture.
  • Caster Sugar - This is added to the egg whites once they're whipped up so you get a lovely, glossy, meringue-like texture to the mix.
  • Plain Gluten Free Flour - Any brand of plain gluten free flour works well here, I tend to use FREEE or Asda's mix from the supermarkets or the Juvela White Mix which you can buy from their online shop. In the US you'll need a gluten free All Purpose flour.
  • Xantham Gum - Omit this at your peril! I use this in most of my gluten free bakes and you only need a tiny amount to vastly change the texture of your sponge. Especially needed as you'll need it to be flexible to roll it up.
  • Double Cream - You can use either double cream or whipping cream (or heavy cream in the US) to whip up for the centre of your Swiss roll.
  • Lemon Curd - This is used in both the whipped cream and for spreading on the Swiss roll sponge. You could use just lemon curd if you'd rather not add the cream, or alternatively omit it from the cream if you want it to be less zesty. For me, the more lemon, the better!

Don't forget there's a printable recipe card below with the full ingredients list as well as a detailed method talking you through how to make this lemon Swiss roll.

Gluten Free Lemon Swiss Roll Recipe (2)

How to make a lemon Swiss roll

Constructing your gluten free lemon Swiss roll is actually pretty easy, no matter how complicated you might think it looks.

Once you've baked the sponge, you need to roll it up so it develops a 'memory' and won't crack when you fill it.

The trick is to roll is straight from the oven so it's still warm, wrap it in a tea towel and leave it to cool completely.

This means when you unroll the sponge to fill it and roll it back up, it will roll nicely back into place and not crack or tear.

If it does tear, don't worry - you can either decorate it with extra lemon whipped cream or just slice it up before you serve it to hide the tear.

I turn my sponge out from the oven and then I score a line around 2-inches from one of the shortest ends.

Then I roll it up completely using the tea towel to guide it into place.

I much prefer a short and fat Swiss roll as you end up getting more filling and more of a beautiful swirl!

Gluten Free Lemon Swiss Roll Recipe (3)

My gluten free lemon Swiss roll recipe

Here is it, my lovely, lemony gluten free Swiss roll recipe which will serve around 8 people.

It's super fun to make and once you've got the hang of rolling it up you'll want to keep making more and more of them!

If youmake this recipe and love it, please do let me know bytagging me on my Instagramor using#theglutenfreeblogger. I love seeing your bakes!

And please do leave a review to let others know you loved it too! It would mean the world to me.

Gluten Free Lemon Swiss Roll Recipe (4)

Yield: 8 slices

Gluten Free Lemon Swiss Roll

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Cooling Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes

This gluten free Lemon Swiss roll is an easy bake - a fatless, super light sponge rolled up with lemon curd and lemon whipped cream. This recipe makes approx 8 slices using a 39cm x 24cm Swiss roll tin.

Ingredients

  • 4 large eggs (separated)
  • 110g caster sugar (plus extra for rolling)
  • 90g gluten free plain flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • ¼ tsp xanthan gum
  • Zest of 1 lemon

For the filling:

  • 150ml whipping or double cream
  • 200g lemon curd
  • Icing sugar (to decorate)

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 180'C and line a 39 x 24cm Swiss roll tin with a sheet of baking paper.
  2. Separate the eggs and then add the egg whites into a large metal bowl. Whisk with an electric mixer until they start to form stiff peaks - this is the point where you could tip the bowl upside-down over your head and they won't fall out!
  3. Gradually add the caster sugar while continuing to whisk, until the egg whites form glossy peaks. You know it's done when you can rub a tiny bit of the mix between your fingers and it doesn't feel grainy.
  4. Beat the egg yolks together in a small bowl then pour into the egg whites. Use a spatula to fold them in - streaks are fine, just make sure you don't knock the air out the mixture so go gently.
  5. Mix the flour, baking powder and xantham gum together in a bowl the sieve into the mix. Add the lemon zest and then fold in using your spatula again until there are no lumps of flour.
  6. Gently pour the mix into your lined tin and smooth out using a spatula. Bake in the centre of the oven for 10-12 minutes. You want the sponge to be springy and lightly golden but not too dark - if you over-bake it, it will be more likely to crack when you roll it.
  7. Place the tin on a cooling tray for a minute or so. Meanwhile lay out a thin tea towel and lightly dust with some extra sugar.
  8. After a minute, gently tip the tin upside-down onto the sugared-towel. Peel off the baking paper, going slowly so you don't rip the sponge.
  9. Using a knife, score a line approximately 2-inches in from one of the short edges of the sponge. Then use the tea towel to guide the sponge, to roll it up into a spiral, starting at the scored end. Once rolled, wrap tightly in the tea towel and leave to cool completely (around one hour).

To assemble your Swiss roll:

  1. To make the cream filling, pour the cream into a large bowl and whisk using an electric mixer until it forms soft peaks - this may take 5-10 minutes so be patient!
  2. Once the cream has thickened to soft peaks, stop the mixer and add 50g of the lemon curd. Continue to whisk until the cream thickens to a texture where you can spread it and it will hold its shape.
  3. Very gently, unwrap the sponge and then carefully unroll it. Spread an even layer of lemon curd over the sponge. Next spread the whipped lemon cream on top, using a palette knife. Make sure you go right up to the edges!
  4. Carefully roll the sponge back the same way as before, a little more loosely this time so as not to squish the filling out everywhere. Sprinkle with a little icing sugar and serve!

Notes

  • This cake is best eaten on the day of baking but will store for 2-3 days in the fridge.
  • For a dairy free option, switch to a dairy free cream.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

8

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving:Calories: 333Total Fat: 13gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 148mgSodium: 147mgCarbohydrates: 50gFiber: 1gSugar: 40gProtein: 6g

Need some more gluten free baking inspiration?

Want to have a go at some of the other gluten free baking recipes on the blog?

Give some of these other gluten free bakes and creations a try and see what you think!

There are plenty to choose from depending what sort of dessert you fancy:

  • Amaretti Biscuits
  • Gluten Free Swiss Roll
  • Lemon No-Bake Cheesecake
  • Toffee and Pecan Meringue Roulade

If you do make this recipe please let me know! I’d love to see your photos using #theglutenfreeblogger,share them inmy Facebook groupor tag me onInstagram.

And if you have any recipe suggestions, please let me know in the comments what you’d like to see next!

Like this Gluten Free Lemon Swiss Roll recipe?

Make sure youpin these recipe cards below for later!

Do head over andfollow me on Pinteresttoo for more gluten free recipe inspiration.

Gluten Free Lemon Swiss Roll Recipe (6)
Gluten Free Lemon Swiss Roll Recipe (7)
Gluten Free Lemon Swiss Roll Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the trick to baking with gluten-free flour? ›

2 teaspoons of baking powder per cup of gluten-free flour is necessary to ensure proper leavening. Baking soda and buttermilk can be used to leaven instead of baking powder, but 1-1/8 teaspoon of cream of tartar should be added for each 1/2 teaspoon baking soda used.

How does gluten-free flour affect baking? ›

Gluten-free flours often contain fine starches, so they absorb more liquid than conventional flour. To address this, gluten-free recipes usually call for more liquid and produce looser batters. They may also call for a larger quantity of leavening, like baking powder, to help add volume and lighten the texture.

Can I use gluten-free flour instead of cake flour? ›

Yes, but to reduce the protein content and make it more like cake flour, you should consider replacing about 5–10% of the all-purpose flour with corn starch. If you don't, the cake will still work, but it might be a bit less tender than if you had either used cake flour or ap+cornstarch.

How do I stop my swiss roll from cracking? ›

To ensure the swiss roll is assembled without a crack make sure to roll the cake sheet when warm. The cake has greater flexibility when warm, so it can easily be moulded to your preferred shape. That way later, when it is layered with cream, it is significantly easier to shape.

Can I just replace flour with gluten-free flour? ›

If the original recipe calls for 260 grams of all-purpose flour, substitute with 260 grams of your blend. Beat the batter more. Because gluten-free flours provide less structure than all-purpose, the batter or dough you make with them may require more beating than that which you are accustomed.

What happens when you substitute gluten-free flour for all-purpose flour in a recipe? ›

Since things like cookies, cakes, muffins, quickbreads, and the like don't depend on gluten development, using gf flour makes little difference in the final product. The texture of some gf flours can be a bit grainy, due to rice flour in the mix. I've had some issues with gritty gf blends that were very unpleasant.

What gluten-free flour is closest to regular flour? ›

Brown rice flour is about as close to a 1:1 substitute for all-purpose flour as it gets since it provides structure and a “wheat-like” flavor.

What happens when you add yeast to gluten-free flour? ›

Gluten free flour will rise in recipes containing either chemical leaveners or yeast. It won't rise quite as much as flour with gluten, and it won't have as strong a atructure, so there are pans designed specifically for gluten free breads.

Which gluten-free flour is best for bread? ›

If you'd like to turn your favorite bread recipe into a gluten free one, look no further than Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free All Purpose Baking Flour. A great substitute for traditional bread flour, it is designed to be used in nearly every wheat flour recipe.

Is Bob's Red Mill gluten-free flour good for baking? ›

This gluten free all-purpose flour mix is perfectly formulated to create baked goods with terrific taste and texture—no additional specialty ingredients or custom recipes required, making it one of the best flours for gluten free baking. This flour is ideal for cookies, cakes, brownies, muffins and more!

Is Oatmeal gluten-free? ›

Yes, pure, uncontaminated oats are gluten-free. The U. S. Food and Drug Administration considers oats a gluten-free grain under its gluten-free labeling regulations and only requires that packaged products with oats as an ingredient contain less than 20 parts per million of gluten overall.

Do I need to add xanthan gum to gluten-free flour? ›

Xanthan Gum adds thickness and viscosity to gluten-free breads and other baked goods. Without xanthan gum, your gluten-free baked goods would be dry, crumbly and flat. Because xanthan gum is gluten-free and vegan, it's the preferred thickener for those home bakers with food allergies.

Why did my Swiss roll go rubbery? ›

This happens when you are not gentle enough when folding the dry ingredients into the wet. A genoise sponge requires very gentle and slow folding. You need to preserve as much air in the batter as possible, otherwise it can become rubbery.

Why does my Swiss roll crack when I unroll it? ›

Do not over-bake or it will tend to crack since the surface will be dried out. Transfer pan to a wire rack to cool for a minute. Meanwhile, lay a tea towel onto a work surface. Sift icing sugar generously over the warm cake to cover the surface and then place a large piece of parchment paper over the sugar-coated cake.

Why is my Swiss roll soggy? ›

And finally, the most frustrating pastry problem of all – the soggy bottom. This normally happens when the oven is not hot enough or the pastry is not baked for long enough. However, it can also be because too much water was added to the dough.

Is it harder to bake with gluten-free flour? ›

Gluten-free baking is a lot harder than traditional baking because gluten protein is what gives baked goods their structure.

Does gluten-free flour affect baking time? ›

Gluten-free goods tend to brown faster and take longer to cook through. So they need to be baked at a slightly lower temperature, for a slightly longer time. Every recipe is different, but in general, try lowering the temperature by 25 degrees and baking the item for 15 minutes longer.

How do you make gluten-free baking less crumbly? ›

One of the most common gluten-free baking tips is “let your batter rest”. Letting the batter rest gives the gluten-free flours and starches more time to absorb the moisture. In theory, it will turn your dry, crumbly cakes into delicious, moist masterpieces.

Does gluten-free flour bake well? ›

With its creamy, earthy flavor and delicate texture, gluten-free oat flour is a staple of my gluten-free baking recipes. It bakes up soft and smooth, adding necessary starch to many GF baked goods and keeping them moist and tender due to its high fat content and stable protein structure.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Recommended Articles
Article information

Author: Kareem Mueller DO

Last Updated:

Views: 6357

Rating: 4.6 / 5 (46 voted)

Reviews: 85% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Kareem Mueller DO

Birthday: 1997-01-04

Address: Apt. 156 12935 Runolfsdottir Mission, Greenfort, MN 74384-6749

Phone: +16704982844747

Job: Corporate Administration Planner

Hobby: Mountain biking, Jewelry making, Stone skipping, Lacemaking, Knife making, Scrapbooking, Letterboxing

Introduction: My name is Kareem Mueller DO, I am a vivacious, super, thoughtful, excited, handsome, beautiful, combative person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.