Epic Milky Way Flourless Chocolate Cake Roll - Easy Recipe! (2024)

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This easy Milky Way Flourless Chocolate Cake Roll is full of incredible chocolate flavor! It’s made with moist, flourless chocolate sponge cake that’s filled with fluffy whipped cream and chopped Milky Way candy bars. Slathered in chocolate ganache, this gluten free dessert takes the classic Swiss Roll to the next level!

Table of Contents

• Easy Flourless Chocolate Cake Roll
• Is it Hard to Make This Milky Way Cake Roll?
• How to Make a Flourless Chocolate Cake Roll
• Assembling this Flourless Chocolate Cake Roll
• Brianne’s Tips for the Best Flourless Chocolate Cake Roll:
• How to Make this Milky Way Cake Gluten Free
• Get the Recipe

Easy Flourless Chocolate Cake Roll

I’ve loved to cook and bake and make fun desserts for a long time. As a kid, one of my first ventures into baking and cake decorating was that much-adored bunny cake. You know the one – you make two round cakes, one is the head, and the other you cut out ears and the piece that is left is a bowtie.

I made it for Easter many times using those squeeze tubes of colored frosting and jelly beans to make the bunny face. It really felt like I graduated to the big time when I started frosting it with homemade whipped cream.

Eventually, I moved on to layer cakes, with my Strawberries and Cream Cake becoming a family favorite.

But let’s be real. I’m no Cake Boss or Duff Goldman when it comes to makings truly showstopping cakes. My decorating skills kinda topped off with my artistic abilities when I was, you know, 10-years-old.

But a cake roll is truly a dessert that will turn heads, even if you can’t wield a pastry bag or sculpt fondant with the best of them.

Is it Hard to Make This Milky Way Cake Roll?

Seriously, don’t let this Milky Way Cake recipe scare you. It’s really easy. Now there are several components to this dessert, but none of them is especially time consuming or difficult.

What’s Involved:

1. Make the cake. If you need a gluten free cake, going flourless versus dealing with all those different gluten free flours is an easy way to go.
2. Chop the candy bars. While it bakes and cools make the ganache and chop the candy bars.
3. Whip the cream & ganache. Before you are ready put it all together, just whip the cream and ganache.
4. Fill and roll the cake. Spread the filling on the cake, roll it up, and frost it with the whipped chocolate ganache. An extra drizzle of caramel sauce and you are good to go.

Easy peasy! That’s how I roll.

And if you only have small pockets of time to work, you can spread out the steps for this gluten free chocolate cake roll over an extended period of time. Each step is fairly quick!

And when all of these components come together, and you sink your fork into this slice of caramel chocolate cake roll goodness, you’ll know it was worth every second of time and ounce of effort.

Bliss! Pure, utter, and absolute bliss!

So let’s get into the details.

How to Make a Flourless Chocolate Cake Roll

Step 1. Make the Chocolate Sponge Cake

Start your caramel chocolate cake roll with this spongy cake that is more flexible than a traditional cake. There is no flour, nor any baking powder or baking soda to help it rise. All of the rising comes from the egg whites, so be sure to use the tips to ensure your whites whip to stiff peaks. That being said, it is not a thick, fluffy cake. But it is still moist, and deeply chocolaty.

You’ll need a rimmed baking sheet (also known as a half sheet pan or jelly roll pan), parchment paper, a couple of bowls, an electric mixer, a spatula, and a kitchen towel.

Cake Ingredients

• Eggs – Separated
• Sugar
• Cocoa powder – I usually use Hershey’s Unsweetened Cocoa Powder. You’ll need some for dusting the sheet pan, more for dusting the towel that you’ll use to roll the cake, and some for the cake itself.
• Salt
• Cold coffee – You can use leftover coffee, or make a bit of coffee with instant coffee powder or espresso powder. You can just use water, but coffee does enhance the chocolate flavor.
• Vanilla extract

How to Make the Cake

1. Prep your tools. Coat a jelly roll with cooking spray and line with parchment paper. Spray it again and dust with cocoa powder.
2. Whip the egg whites. Separate the eggs and whip the whites to stiff peaks. Set aside.
3. Whip sugar and yolks. Whip the sugar and egg yolks until it is thick and pale yellow. This will take a few minutes. Do not rush this step.
4. Blend in cocoa powder, coffee, and vanilla.
5. Add whipped egg whites. Gently fold the egg whites into the egg yolk mixture in three additions.
6. Bake. Spread the batter in a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake until it springs back with lightly touched. While it bakes, Dust a kitchen towel with cocoa powder.
7. Cool. Let the cake cool for a few minutes, then turn it out onto the cocoa-dusted towel, roll it up, then let it cool completely.

Step 2. Make the Chocolate Ganache

Rich, velvety ganache has so many uses. While warm, it makes a great fudge sauce or a coating for a cake. But you can also let it cool then beat it with an electric mixer for a luscious whipped chocolate ganache for frosting a cake.

You’ll need a small bowl, small saucepan if you make it on the stove, heat-proof spatula, and an electric mixer.

Ganache Ingredients

• Heavy cream
• Semi-sweet chocolate chips
• Vanilla extract

How to Make the Chocolate Ganache

1. Melt chocolate with cream. Combine the heavy cream and chocolate chips in a small bowl and heat gently in the microwave for about one minute or on the stove over a pan of simmering water until it just barely comes to a bubble.
2. Stir until smooth, then stir in the vanilla.
3. Let cool to room temperature.
4. Whip the ganache. Before frosting the cake, use an electric mixer to whip the ganache to a thick but spreadable consistency.

Step 3. Make the Whipped Cream Filling

It doesn’t get much better than light and fluffy freshly whipped cream. The trick is to use very cold heavy cream, and even chill your bowl and beaters if time allows. The layers of whipped cream and flourless chocolate cake are divine!

You’ll need a metal bowl and an electric mixer.

Ingredients for whipped cream

• Heavy cream
• Powdered sugar
• Vanilla extract
• Milky Way candy bars – full size, fun size, minis, and bites all work. See the note below about gluten free options.

Directions

1. Whip the cream. In a large bowl, combine the ingredients and whip until soft peaks form.
2. Add the chopped candy. Gently fold in the Milky Way pieces.

Assembling this Flourless Chocolate Cake Roll

This is where the Milky Way cake comes together into one head-turning, mouthwatering dessert.

I like to use a large offset spatula for spreading the whipped cream and a small offset spatula for frosting with the ganache, but use whatever type of spatula you have, Even a butter knife works in a pinch.

Additional ingredients

• Storebought or homemade caramel sauce

Directions

1. Carefully unroll the cake in the towel.
2. Add the filling. Gently spread the whipped cream mixture over the top of the cake. Drizzle with caramel sauce.
3. Re-roll the cake. Starting from short end to short end. Place seam side down.
4. Cover the cake with the ganache frosting.
5. Chill. Refrigerate for at least 1-2 hours.
6. Add caramel. Drizzle with caramel sauce before slicing.

Brianne’s Tips for the Best Flourless Chocolate Cake Roll:

• You need an electric mixer for many steps of this cake. You can certainly use a Kitchenaid Stand Mixer, but I’ve used my little, inexpensive Hamilton Beach Hand Mixer to make it many times. I use the beaters for the cake and whipping the thick ganache, and the whisk attachment for the cream.
• Be sure to prep your tools properly. Line the baking pan with parchment, spray it with cooking spray, and coat it completely with cocoa powder using a small sifter. This will ensure it comes out of the pan easily and in one piece.
• I recommend separating the eggs while cold. This makes it easier to keep any of the yolk from getting in the whites, which will keep the whites fro whipping to stiff peaks.
• Let the whites come to room temperature before whipping them. Also, use a metal bowl for whipping the egg whites, and wipe it with a paper towel that had a bit of vinegar on it to ensure you remove any traces of fat that will keep the whites from whipping properly.
• Chill your tools. Before whipping the cream, place your bowl and beaters in the fridge or freezer for a few minutes, if possible. This will make it easier to whip the cream.

How to Prevent Your Cake Roll From Cracking:

• Prep your tools. As mentioned, lining the pan with parchment paper and dusting with cocoa powder is the first key step.
• Use a kitchen towel + cocoa powder. While the cake is baking, lay out a kitchen towel. It will get quite dirty, so make sure it isn’t one that you will want to keep pristine. Using a small sifter, cover the towel with a layer of cocoa powder. As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, flip it over onto the towel and peel off the parchment paper.
• Don’t rush the rolling process. Then carefully roll it up in the towel and let it cool completely. Now all you have to do is unroll it, spread the filling inside, and roll it back up without the towel.

Make Ahead and Storage Tips

• You can make the cake a day ahead and leave it rolled up in a paper towel.
• You can also make the ganache in advance and keep it covered in the refrigerator. Just be sure to let it come to room temperature before trying to whip it.
• I recommend whipping the heavy cream just before assembling the cake, as it can deflate a bit if left overnight.
• Because of the heavy cream, this cake must be stored in the refrigerator. Once you chill it to set the ganache, you can wrap it tightly if you need to keep it for a few days. Once you’ve drizzled on the caramel, you’ll want to cover it loosely or place leftovers in an airtight storage container.

How to Make this Milky Way Cake Gluten Free

• The cake: Since this Milky Way cake is flourless, the cake itself, the whipped cream, and the ganache are gluten free as long as you have confirmed your ingredients are gluten free without cross-contamination.
• Caramel sauce: Most storebought caramel sauces are gluten free, or you can make your own caramel sauce.
• Milky Way candy: Gluten free candy can sometimes create confusion. Milky Way candy bars are made by M&M Mars. They do not specify a list of gluten free products, but will call out any barley, wheat, or rye ingredients on the labels, as well as any cross-contamination risks. At the time of this writing, Milky Way Original Bars contain barley, so they are not gluten free. But you should be able to substitute any of the Milky Way Simple Caramel or Milky Way Midnight products as long as you have checked the labels. In fact, this recipe was first made using the Simply Caramel Bites.

See Also

Applesauce Cake RecipeCheesy Sausage Breakfast Casserole - Easy Egg Bake Recipe!Orange Almond Cake (Gluten Free) Recipe - Food.comSourdough Pancake Recipe (Easy Version) - Nourished Kitchen

More Flourless Desserts to Try:

• Flourless Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cookies
• Flourless Turtle Cheesecake Brownies
• Crustless Pumpkin Pie

Gluten Free Cakes to Try:

• Gluten Free Strawberries and Whipped Cream Cake
• Gluten Free Yellow Cake with Fudge Frosting
• Chocolate Chip Gluten Free Pumpkin Cake

This epic Milky Way cake is decadent but surprisingly light. The flourless chocolate cake is moist and spongy. The ganache is rich and intensely chocolaty. But with only a thin coating, it doesn’t overpower the light, fluffy whipped cream that is studded with chunks of Milky Ways to give just enough chewy texture to contrast the cloudlike consistency of the rest of the dessert. And of course, a drizzle of caramel inside and outside puts it over the top.

Whether you are looking for leftover candy recipes, or want to treat the family for a holiday or birthday, this Flourless Chocolate Cake Roll recipe is sure to bring a smile to anyone’s face.

Enjoy!