Brazo Gitano

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Swiss roll cake filled with dulce de leche and topped with whipped cream

Prep Time30

Cook Time15

Cooling Time2

Total Time2 45

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: cuban, latin

Servings:

Calories: 244kcal

Author: Cari

Ingredients

For the cake:

4 large eggs at room temperature
⅔ cup granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoon milk
3 tablespoon canola oil
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
⅓ cup powdered sugar

Cake filling:

14 oz dulce de leche

For the whipped cream:

1 cup heavy cream
⅓ cup powdered sugar
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

To make the cake:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 15x10 cake pan with parchment paper, set aside.
Start by adding your eggs to a bowl or stand mixer. Beat eggs for 3 minutes on medium-high speed until frothy and pale.
Gradually add sugar and beat for 4-5 minutes longer, until it nearly triples in volume and is very thick, pale and fluffy. Mix in salt.
Drop the mixer speed to low speed and slowly add in the salt, milk, oil, vinegar and vanilla and continue until well incorporated.
Sift flour and baking powder into a medium bowl and whisk to blend evenly.
Fold the dry ingredients into the whipped egg mixture ¼ cup at a time just until combined without over-mixing.
Spread batter evenly into a parchment lined 15x10 pan in a thin layer. Bake for 12-15 minutes at 350 degrees until it springs back when pressed gently. Transfer pan to a wire rack and let cool for 3 minutes so it is easier to handle.
Dust top of cake evenly with powdered sugar. Run a knife along the edges of the pan to release the cake, then invert it onto a clean kitchen towel or another large piece of parchment paper.
Gently peel off the top layer of parchment. While the cake is still warm, gently roll it into a log starting from the short side and incorporating the kitchen towel or parchment as you are rolling. Let the cake cool completely in this rolled shape.
Unroll the cake, spread the dulce de leche over it leaving about ½ inch border and then gently roll up the cake again. Transfer to a baking tray and refrigerate for 3 hours before serving.

To make the whipped cream:

Before serving, mix the heavy cream, vanilla extract, powdered sugar and salt in a medium bowl until stiff peak form. Layer the top of the jelly roll cake with the whipped cream before slicing and serving.

Notes

How to minimize cracks in a swiss roll cake

Don’t overbake the cake. This is one of the biggest causes of cracking. An overbaked sponge loses moisture and flexibility, making it more likely to split when rolled.
Roll the cake while it’s still warm. Warm cake is much more flexible than cooled cake. Rolling it shortly after it comes out of the oven helps it “remember” its rolled shape.
Fold the batter gently. Overmixing can deflate the batter and result in a dense sponge that is more difficult to roll.
Roll gently, not tightly. You want to guide the warm cake into a spiral rather than force it. Rolling too tightly can cause the sponge to crack or compress.
Let it cool in its rolled shape. Once rolled, allow the cake to cool completely before carefully unrolling it and adding your dulce de leche filling.

Brazo Gitano Variations and Substitutions

Switch up the dulce de leche filling: Instead of dulce de leche, fill your brazo gitano with guava marmelade, fruit preserves or pastry cream. You can also combine dulce de leche with sliced strawberries or bananas for a fruity twist.
Skip the whipped cream: For a simpler presentation, dust the finished Swiss roll with powdered sugar or cocoa powder, or drizzle it with melted chocolate or additional dulce de leche.
Use meringue instead: a stabilized Italian or Swiss meringue can stand in for whipped cream on top, giving a glossy, marshmallow-like finish that holds up longer at room temperature
Add a tropical twist: Swap the dulce de leche for coco en almibar and add a little coconut extract to the whipped cream.

Storage instructions for this brazo de gitano recipe

Storage Instructions

Refrigerator (recommended)

Store covered in an airtight container or wrapped loosely in plastic wrap, in the fridge.
Keeps well for 3–4 days. The whipped cream and dulce de leche filling both require refrigeration.
Actually improves after a few hours chilled, as the filling sets and slices come out cleaner.

Before serving

Let it sit at room temperature for about 10–15 minutes before slicing, so the sponge softens slightly and isn't too cold/stiff.

Room temperature

Not recommended for more than 1–2 hours, the whipped cream will soften and lose its shape, and dulce de leche filling can start to weep if it gets too warm.
If serving outdoors or at a party, keep it in a cooler or shaded/AC area until serving time, or consider the stabilized whipped cream or meringue topping (which holds up better than plain whipped cream at room temp).

Freezing

The cake itself (sponge and dulce de leche, without the whipped cream) freezes well for up to 1 month. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap, then foil, or use a freezer-safe container.
Add the whipped cream (or meringue) topping fresh after thawing. Cream doesn't freeze/thaw well, it tends to separate and go watery.
Thaw overnight in the fridge before topping and serving.

Tips

If using a meringue topping instead, it holds up noticeably longer at room temp and travels better for parties; worth noting as an alternative in the post for readers making it ahead for events.
Slice with a serrated knife wiped clean between cuts for the cleanest presentation, especially important for photos.

Nutrition