Eclair-Style Chocolate Cream Roll Cake with Vanilla Pastry
Eclair Roll
Light sponge rolled with vanilla pastry cream and a glossy chocolate glaze.
Nutrition (per serving)
This eclair-style roll cake takes everything you love about a classic éclair—silky pastry cream and a shiny chocolate glaze—and dresses it up in a festive rolled sponge. The sponge is feather-light, the pastry cream is rich and vanilla-scented, and the chocolate ganache adds that irresistible finishing touch.
It’s easier than it looks: bake a thin sponge, roll it once while warm to set the shape, chill, then fill with homemade pastry cream and glaze. The result is elegant, sliceable, and perfect for sharing at a celebration or a cozy afternoon tea.
Ingredients
- Large eggs:4 pieces
- Granulated sugar (for sponge):3/4 cup
- Vanilla extract (for sponge):1 tsp
- Cake flour:3/4 cup
- Cornstarch (for sponge):2 tbsp
- Salt (pinch):1/8 tsp
- Unsalted butter, melted:2 tbsp
- Whole milk (for pastry cream):2 cup
- Granulated sugar (for pastry cream):1/3 cup
- Egg yolks:4 pieces
- Cornstarch (for pastry cream):3 tbsp
- Unsalted butter (for pastry cream):2 tbsp
- Vanilla extract (for pastry cream):1 tsp
- Semisweet chocolate, chopped:5 oz
- Heavy cream (for glaze):1/2 cup
- Unsalted butter (for glaze):1 tbsp
- Powdered sugar (for dusting):1 tbsp
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a 10x15-inch jelly roll pan with parchment and lightly grease.
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Separate 4 eggs. Whisk the whole eggs with 3/4 cup sugar in a large bowl over a double boiler until warm to the touch, about 2–3 minutes, then whip with an electric mixer until thick and tripled in volume, about 5 minutes. Fold in 1 tsp vanilla.
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Sift together 3/4 cup cake flour, 2 tbsp cornstarch, and 1/8 tsp salt. Gently fold the dry mix into the whipped eggs in two additions, then fold in 2 tbsp melted butter.
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Spread batter evenly in the prepared pan and bake 10–12 minutes, until the sponge springs back lightly. Immediately invert onto a clean kitchen towel dusted with powdered sugar, peel off parchment, and roll the sponge up in the towel from the short end. Cool completely rolled up.
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Meanwhile make the pastry cream: heat 2 cups milk until steaming. Whisk 4 egg yolks with 1/3 cup sugar and 3 tbsp cornstarch until smooth. Temper the yolks with a little hot milk, then return mixture to the pot and cook over medium-low, whisking, until thick and bubbling. Remove from heat, whisk in 2 tbsp butter and 1 tsp vanilla, then cool with plastic touching the surface. Chill until set.
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Unroll the cooled sponge and spread the chilled pastry cream in an even layer, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Re-roll the cake tightly without the towel and place seam-side down on a wire rack. Chill 30 minutes to firm up.
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Make the chocolate glaze: place 5 oz chopped semisweet chocolate in a bowl. Heat 1/2 cup heavy cream until simmering and pour over chocolate. Let sit 1 minute, then whisk until smooth; whisk in 1 tbsp butter for shine.
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Pour the warm glaze over the chilled roll, smoothing with an offset spatula. Let the glaze set 10–15 minutes in the fridge. Dust lightly with powdered sugar before slicing.
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Slice with a sharp serrated knife (wipe between cuts for clean slices) and serve chilled or at cool room temperature.
Tips & Notes
- Roll the sponge while warm in a towel to ‘train’ it—this prevents cracking when filled.
- For extra glossy glaze, gently warm the ganache before pouring; avoid overheating which will dull the shine.
- Make the pastry cream a few hours ahead so it’s properly chilled and easy to spread.
