Decadent, elegant, and surprisingly approachable—this Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Swiss Roll is a dessert worth celebrating. The light, cocoa-rich sponge is made with Wesson Vegetable Oil, giving it a tender, moist texture that rolls beautifully without cracking. Brushed with smooth bourbon and layered with a creamy, whipped filling, each slice is as rich as it is irresistible. Topped with glossy chocolate ganache and drizzled with homemade bourbon caramel sauce, this Swiss roll is a true showstopper. A sprinkle of pralines, pecans, or chocolate shavings adds just the right finishing touch for both flavor and flair. Whether you’re hosting a holiday gathering, planning a special dinner, or just craving an indulgent chocolate moment with a grown-up twist, this recipe delivers bakery-worthy results in your own kitchen—with the ease and reliability of Wesson oil at the heart of it.
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Lightly grease the bottom of a 12″ x 17″ baking sheet using Wesson Vegetable Oil and line it with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, sift together flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, whip egg whites on high speed until frothy. Gradually add 1/2 cup of sugar and continue to whip until stiff peaks form.
In another bowl, whip together egg yolks, remaining sugar, Wesson Vegetable Oil and espresso powder until mixture is thickened. It should ribbon when you lift your beater out of the mixture, and ribbon when falling back into the bowl.
Gradually fold 1/2 of the egg white mixture into the yolk mixture to lighten. Fold in remaining egg whites gently until fully combined. Fold in flour mixture in 4 stages, gently until fully incorporated.
Pour batter into pan and gently spread as evenly as possible.
Heat cream on medium heat in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer. Remove pot from heat and whisk in chopped chocolate until fully melted.
Transfer to a heatproof bowl and cover surface with parchment or plastic wrap. Allow to cool until spreadable consistency is reached, this should take about 2 hours.
Heat sugar and water in a heavy bottom saucepan on medium heat, stirring with a wooden spoon until melted and turning amber. This should take about 5 to 8 minutes.
Add butter and combine, stirring until fully incorporated. Slowly add in cream and bourbon (mixture will bubble rapidly), stirring to combine. Remove from heat.
Allow to cool and store refrigerated in an airtight container.
Bake sponge for 12 – 15 minutes or until it springs back when touched.
While the cake is baking, lay out a large tea towel and dust with cocoa powder. When the cake comes out of the oven, carefully run a sharp knife around the edges to release the sponge from the pan. Flip the sponge onto the tea towel and remove the parchment paper.
Starting at the short end, roll cake and towel into a tight log and let cool completely. This should take approximately 1 hour.
Chef’s tip: It is important that you roll your sponge while it’s hot out of the oven.
While the cake is cooling, prepare your filling by beating cream cheese with sugar until light and smooth. Add the milk and vanilla and beat for another minute.
When fully cooled, gently unroll cake and brush with bourbon. Spread the cake evenly with cream cheese filling, leaving a 1.5″ space at the far end (where your roll will finish). Roll the cake in the same direction. Wrap firmly with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve.
To serve, unwrap the sponge cake and place it on a serving platter. Spread the chocolate ganache over the top and on the sides of the roll. Drizzle with bourbon caramel sauce and top with chopped pecans and chocolate shavings.