Brazo Gitano (Guava Swiss Roll) Recipe

By
Hector Rodriguez
Hector Rodriguez
A Puerto Rico native and former food service professional, Hector Rodriguez develops recipes inspired by the Caribbean and Latin America.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 06/1/22
Tested by
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Tested by Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Guava Swiss Roll (Brazo Gitano)

The Spruce / Cara Cormack
Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 15 mins
Cool Time: 65 mins
Total: 100 mins
Servings: 10 to 12 servings
Yield: 1 cake
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
260 Calories
12g Fat
32g Carbs
6g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 10 to 12
Amount per serving
Calories 260
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 12g 15%
Saturated Fat 4g 21%
Cholesterol 102mg 34%
Sodium 211mg 9%
Total Carbohydrate 32g 12%
Dietary Fiber 1g 4%
Total Sugars 16g
Protein 6g
Vitamin C 2mg 8%
Calcium 33mg 3%
Iron 2mg 8%
Potassium 89mg 2%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

It's said that a monk brought the recipe for brazo gitano (gypsy arm) from Egypt to Spain, but it's more likely its name comes from the leftover cake trimmings gypsies used to drape over their arms as part of the payment they received when selling their merchandise in bakeries across Catalonia.

This dessert has many variations, but they all follow the same method of assembly; a soft sponge cake filled with a sugary jelly and/or cream and dusted with confectioners' sugar or coated with cream. In some countries, it takes the name brazo de reina (queen's arm) which is filled with fresh fruit and cream, or pionono, with dulce de leche (dark milk caramel). A yule log is a very European, chocolate-heavy variation.

Guava is a common fruit in the Caribbean and in Central and South America, and so cheap you can buy it in large amounts. Because it goes bad fairly fast, it's made shelf-stable and delicious by cooking it into a paste. Some cultures eat it with queso fresco for a quick dessert, and others incorporate it into tarts and cakes like in our decadent Puerto Rican Brazo Gitano.

"The guava Swiss roll was very good. The cake is mostly egg for structure, so fold gently and spread it in the pan quickly to avoid deflating the batter. Also, avoid rolling it too tightly. The guava filling makes it a flavorful dessert and the cake is not overly sweet. " —Diana Rattray

Guava Swiss Roll/tester image
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

For the Cake:

  • 2 tablespoons softened unsalted butter, for the pan

  • 6 large eggs, whites and yolks separated

  • 6 tablespoons (68 grams) granulated sugar

  • 6 tablespoons (47 grams) all-purpose flour, or cake flour

  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

  • 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

  • 2 to 3 tablespoons confectioners' sugar, more as needed

For the Guava Filling:

  • 17 1/2 ounces guava paste

  • 1 to 2 tablespoons orange juice

  • 1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest

Steps to Make It

To Make the Cake:

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 375 F.

    Guava Swiss Roll (Brazo Gitano) ingredients

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  2. Grease a jellyroll pan or half-sheet pan with butter and line it with parchment paper. Grease the top of the parchment paper.

    greased baking sheet

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  3. In a large bowl, use an electric beater set on medium speed to beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Alternatively, use a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.

    beat egg whites

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  4. Add the sugar to the egg whites one tablespoon at a time while increasing the beater speed. Continue to beat the mixture until the egg whites form stiff peaks. Set aside.

    egg whites and sugar beat together

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  5. In a medium bowl, use an electric beater set on medium speed to beat the egg yolks until light yellow and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Alternatively, use a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.

    In the small bowl, beat the egg yolks with a fork

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  6. In another medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

    In the medium bowl, sift together the dry ingredients

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  7. Using a silicone spatula, gently fold the egg yolks into the egg whites. Gently fold in the dry ingredients. Lastly, fold in the vanilla extract.

    Using the silicone spatula, gently fold the egg yolks into the stiff peaks of egg whites and dry ingredients

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  8. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, spreading it out evenly with an offset spatula.

    Pour the batter into the buttered flat pan

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  9. Bake until golden, and a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean, about 15 minutes.

    baked cake

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  10. Meanwhile, lightly dampen a clean kitchen towel to roll the cake in. The towel should be slightly larger than the cake.

    prepare a damp, clean kitchen towel

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  11. Let the cake to cool slightly, about 5 minutes. It should still be slightly warm to roll easily.

    baked cake

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  12. Trim all the crispy ends of the sponge.

    Trim all the crispy ends of the sponge

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  13. Dust the damp towel with confectioners' sugar. Turn the cake upside down onto the prepared towel. Gently peel off and discard the parchment paper.

    Turn the cake upside down onto the prepared towel and gently peel off the parchment paper

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  14. Starting with a short side, roll the cake up in the towel away from you (the towel will be rolled up with the cake). Set aside to cool. Meanwhile, make the fillling.

    roll the cake using a towel

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

To Make the Guava Filling:

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Gather the filling ingredients

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  2. Add the guava paste, juice, and zest to a food processor or blender. Process until smooth and spreadable.

    Mix the guava paste, juice, and citrus zest in a food processor

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  3. Gently unroll the cake. Evenly spread the filling over the cake.

    Gently unroll the cake and evenly spread on the filling

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  4. Roll up the cake, using the towel as an aid to push the sponge forward. Because the cake is pre-rolled, this step is fairly easy because the cake will fall back into the rolled position. Place the seam side of the cake down. If necessary, trim off the ends to make the inner swirl more visible.

    roll the cake with a towel

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  5. Place the roll, seam-side down, on a serving platter and garnish with more confectioners' sugar. Cover and chill for at least 1 hour before serving.

    Guava Swiss Roll (Brazo Gitano)

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

Tips

  • Look for guava paste in the Hispanic or Caribbean aisle of your grocery store.
  • Fold the ingredients into the batter gently until just combined. Spread it in the pan quickly to avoid deflating. If you overmix or aren't gentle enough, the cake will come out of the oven flat, having lost all its air.
  • Roll the cake up in the towel while it is still hot. When the cake is cooled, unrolled, and filled it will be easy to reroll.
  • Use a jelly roll pan or larger half-sheet pan (about 17.5 x 12.5 inches) for the cake. A smaller jelly roll pan (about 15.5 x 10.5 inches) will work as well but may take 1 or 2 minutes longer to bake.

Recipe Variations

  • Use lemon juice and zest as substitutes for the orange citrus flavors that are suggested. Grapefruit is too tart and could have a bitter aftertaste when cooked in the sponge.
  • Add a thin layer of whipped cream (about 1 cup) to the guava layer and then roll up gently.
  • Guava jelly may be used instead of the guava paste. Combine about 1 to 1/2 cups of guava jelly with the orange zest and spread it over the cake.
  • Swap out the vanilla in the cake with 1 teaspoon of almond flavoring.

How to Store a Guava Swiss Roll

Cover the cake or wrap it and store it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Re-dust the cake with confectioners' sugar before serving, if desired.