An impressive and delicious pistachio raspberry Swiss roll cake with fluffy whipped cream frosting. This incredible cake is made with a nutty pistachio sponge cake, crushed raspberry filling, and a light whipped cream frosting stabilized with cream cheese. Every bite of this cake is bursting with fruity raspberries and crunchy pistachios. Enjoy this decadent cake for any special occasion!  

Watch My Pistachio Swiss Roll Cake Tutorial

Watch my YouTube pistachio raspberry cake video tutorial for step-by-step instructions. Plus, see how I assemble the cake roll and get more details! Want to stay up to date on the latest recipes? Make sure to subscribe to my website emailing list and my YouTube channel and turn on notifications.

Ingredients for Raspberry Pistachio Cake

I love the simplicity of this elegant cake roll! It’s made with staple pantry ingredients you’re sure to have. Here are some of the main ingredients you’ll need; you can find the full list in the printable recipe card below.

• Eggs: I recommend using room temperature eggs for making the sponge cake. These will whisk faster and be lighter and fluffier.
• All-Purpose Flour: this is the best type of flour to use for this recipe.
• Pistachios: both unsalted and salted pistachios will work great for this recipe.
• Raspberries: I like to use fresh raspberries for this Swiss roll cake, but frozen and thawed berries will also work well.
• Cream Cheese: for making the whipped cream frosting. You can also replace the cream cheese with mascarpone; just don’t soften the mascarpone prior to using it.
• Heavy Cream: make sure the cream is very well chilled so that it whisks nicely!

Supplies & Tools for the Recipe

Need some supplies or tools to make this cake at home? You can get some of them here, on Amazon using my affiliate links. Using these links wont cost you any extra and I will earn a commission.

• Ateco Decorating Tip #847 – one of my favorite decorating tips. This large star tip creates beautiful designs.
• Large Baking Sheet – these are the same type of sheets I use in my kitchen. Super versatile!
• Disposable Pastry Bags – never wash a bag again with this bulk package!
• Decorating Spatula Set – I have tons of these in my kitchen for decorating cakes.
• Large White Tray – assemble the swiss roll cake onto a simple platter like this one.

Making the Pistachio Sponge Cake

Sponge cakes are the best type of cake recipe to use for Swiss roll cakes. This dry and flexible cake will roll easily and not break as easily as other types of cakes. Here’s how I make my pistachio sponge cake for this cake roll.

1. Start by preheating the oven to 350F/177C. Spray the sides of a large, 13×18-inch sheet pan with baking spray, then line the bottom with parchment paper.
2. Place the shelled pistachios into a food processor, then pulse the nuts until they are coarsely ground. Set aside.
3. Place the eggs, sugar, and vanilla into a stand mixer bowl  and whisk on high speed for 7 to 9 minutes, until the eggs are thick, fluffy and voluminous. In a separate bowl, combine the flour and baking powder.
4. Sift the flour into the whisked eggs in 3 batches, folding gently but thoroughly after each addition. Measure out 1 cup of ground pistachios and fold those in gently.

Baking & Rolling a Swiss Roll Cake

Make sure you preheat your oven for at least 15 minutes prior to making the cake. The sponge cake should be baked immediately so that the eggs don’t lose their volume!

1. Spread the cake batter into the prepared sheet pan, leveling the batter gently with an offset spatula.
2. Bake the cake at 350F/177C for 18 to 21 minutes, until the top is lightly browned and the cake is set. While the cake is baking, prepare everything for rolling the cake.
3. The sponge cake needs to be rolls immediately after baking! Remove it from the oven, run a knife along the edges to loosen the cake from the pan, then sprinkle a light dusting of powdered sugar over the top.
4. Place a clean tea towel or kitchen towel over the cake, place a wire rack over the top, then invert the cake onto your work surface. Lift off the pan and peel away the parchment paper.
5. Place the peeled paper back onto the cake, then gently and loosely roll the cake up, starting with the short end.
6. Allow the cake to cool completely before assembling it!

Easy Whipped Cream Frosting

I absolutely LOVE the frosting for this pistachio raspberry cake! It’s light, fluffy, delicious and super easy to make! You can prepare this frosting while the cake is baking and cooling, just keep it refrigerated so it doesn’t soften.

1. Place the slightly softened cream cheese into a mixer bowl with a flat beater attached. Beat it for 4 to 5 minutes, scrapping down the sides of the mixing bowl occasionally, until the cream cheese is smooth.
2. Add in the chilled heavy cream, vanilla, and powdered sugar. Switch to a whisk attachment and mix for about 1 minute.
3. Stop to scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl, then continue to whisk on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form, about 4 to 5 minutes. Keep the frosting chilled until ready to use.

Making the Raspberry Filling

To keep things super simple, I fill this pistachio Swiss roll cake with crushed raspberries. Simply place the raspberries and sugar into a flatter bowl, grab a fork, and mash the berries into a puree. You can leave the sugar out for a tarter flavor.

How to Make Pistachio Raspberry Swiss Roll Cake

Assembling a Swiss roll cake is a breeze, just make sure to follow these instructions! Here’s how I put this cake together:

1. Once the pistachio sponge cake is completely cooled, very gently unroll it on a wire rack. Spread the crushed raspberries over the sponge cake, making sure to get the edges, too.
2. Next, add a few cups of the prepared whipped cream frosting. Don’t overfill the cake, as this can cause it to split and crack! Spread the frosting evenly to the edges with an offset spatula.
3. Sprinkle a few handfuls of the remaining ground pistachios over the frosting.
4. Gently begin to roll the cake back up, the same way it was roll initially. Watch my video tutorial to see how it’s done! Roll the cake off the wire rack and onto a flat platter/tray.

Garnishing the Cake

Once the cake is rolled, grab an offset spatula and frost the outside of the Swiss roll cake with a generous amount of the whipped cream frosting. Sprinkle more of the ground pistachios on the outside to garnish the cake.

Next, transfer any remaining frosting into a pastry bag; I used Ateco tip #847. Pipe dollops of the whipped cream over the top, then garnish with fresh raspberries and mint leaves.

Serving Suggestions

Before enjoying this delicious pistachio raspberry Swiss roll cake, I recommend letting it chill in the refrigerator overnight, or for at least 12 hours. This will allow the berries and the whipped cream to further soften the dry sponge cake, making the cake even better!

Use a sharp, serrated knife to slice the cake roll into 1-inch-thick slices. For more raspberry flavor, add a small handful of berries onto each serving.

More Recipes!

Enjoyed this impressive and delicious cake roll?! Make sure to check out some of my other recipes you’re sure to enjoy!

• Chocolate Raspberry Swiss Roll Cake – a rich and decadent cake with chocolate sponge cake, raspberry liqueur and whipped cream.
• Strawberry Swiss Roll Cake – my personal favorite! This easy strawberry cake is super light, fluffy and fruity! Perfect for any occasion.
• Mango Swiss Roll Cake – light and fruity mango cake made with vanilla sponge cake, mango puree and mascarpone frosting.
• Nutella & Strawberry Cake Roll – another rich and impressive cake roll, made with chocolate sponge cake, Nutella frosting, and dotted full of fresh strawberries.
• Banana Cream Cake Roll – if you love banana bread, you’ll love this banana cake dotted with pecans, frosted with a cream cheese frosting.

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