Carrot Cake Roll with Cream Cheese Frosting Filling recipe
Looking for a delicious twist on a classic dessert? This Carrot Cake Roll is a delectable blend of spiced carrot cake and the creamiest cream cheese frosting, all rolled up into a delightful swirl. It’s the perfect showstopper for your Easter table or any occasion that calls for a touch of sweetness.
With just the right balance of warm spices like cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves, this carrot cake brings a depth of flavor that complements the rich, tangy cream cheese frosting. The secret to this dessert’s success is in the rolling technique, which creates beautiful spirals of flavor that melt in your mouth with every bite.
Whether you’re a seasoned baker or a novice in the kitchen, this Carrot Cake Roll is surprisingly simple to make. With minimal prep time and just a bit of patience while it chills, you’ll have a dessert that looks as impressive as it tastes. Ready to get started? Let’s dive in!
Key Ingredients for a Perfect Carrot Cake Roll
- All-purpose flour – Forms the base structure of the cake, providing the perfect balance of lightness and stability.
- Baking powder and baking soda – These leavening agents work together to give the cake its fluffy, light texture.
- Ground cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves – A quartet of spices that bring warmth, depth, and a hint of complexity to the cake.
- Eggs – The binding agent that also adds moisture and richness to the cake batter.
- Granulated sugar – Sweetens the cake while also helping to create a tender crumb.
- Oil – Canola or vegetable oil adds moisture, ensuring a soft, tender cake that rolls easily.
- Vanilla extract – Enhances all the flavors, adding a sweet, fragrant note.
- Shredded carrots – The star ingredient! Adds moisture, texture, and a natural sweetness, keeping the cake incredibly soft and flavorful.
The Cream Cheese Frosting: The Best Part!
- Cold cream cheese – The base of the frosting, bringing that classic tangy flavor.
- Butter – Adds richness and helps to create a smooth, creamy texture.
- Powdered sugar – Sweetens the frosting and gives it a fluffy consistency.
- Vanilla extract – Adds a hint of sweetness and enhances the flavor of the frosting.
How to Roll Up This Carrot Cake Perfection
- Preheat your oven to 375°F and prepare your pan with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
- Whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, beat the eggs, sugar, oil, and vanilla until smooth and well combined.
- Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until almost combined, then add the shredded carrots. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan.
- Bake for 10-13 minutes, or until the cake springs back when touched. Immediately roll the hot cake in parchment paper from short end to short end and allow it to cool for 10 minutes.
- Prepare the cream cheese frosting by beating the cold cream cheese until smooth, then gradually adding the butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla.
- Carefully unroll the cooled cake, spread the frosting evenly, then re-roll it tightly, removing the parchment as you go.
- Wrap the cake roll in plastic wrap and chill for at least an hour in the fridge or freezer.
- When ready to serve, slice with a hot knife for clean, beautiful pieces.
Tips for the Best Carrot Cake Roll
- Let the cake cool slightly before spreading the frosting to prevent melting and sticking.
- Always roll the cake while it’s warm to avoid cracking. If it does crack, don’t worry – the frosting will help hold it together.
- Use a hot knife for slicing the cake roll. This will ensure clean cuts and neat slices.
Recipe Variations to Explore
Feel free to experiment by adding chopped nuts like walnuts or pecans to the batter for a bit of crunch. You can also add a handful of raisins for extra sweetness or substitute half of the granulated sugar with brown sugar for a richer, more caramel-like flavor. To make it even more indulgent, consider a drizzle of caramel or white chocolate over the top of the cake roll.
Storing Your Carrot Cake Roll
To keep your Carrot Cake Roll fresh, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. For longer storage, you can freeze it for up to a month. When ready to serve, let it thaw at room temperature for about 20-30 minutes. This method will ensure it stays moist and flavorful, just like the day it was made.
Enjoy every slice of this delightful Carrot Cake Roll, where every bite is a perfect blend of spicy, sweet, and creamy!
Carrot Cake Roll with Cream Cheese Frosting Filling Recipe
A delightful twist on the traditional Easter dessert, this Carrot Cake Roll features a spiced carrot cake rolled with the most delicious cream cheese frosting.
- 10×15-inch jelly roll pan
- Parchment paper
- Spatula set
Carrot Cake
- ¾ cup 90 g all-purpose flour (measured by stirring, spooning, and leveling)
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¾ cup 150 g granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons oil (canola or vegetable)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups 170 g shredded carrots, loosely packed
The BEST Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 oz 226 g brick cream cheese, chilled
- 8 tablespoons 113 g unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup 120 g powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Preheat the Oven: Heat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a 10×15-inch jelly roll pan with parchment paper. To keep the paper in place, lightly spray the pan with cooking spray. Optionally, spray the parchment paper with a cooking spray that contains flour, such as Baker’s Joy, to further reduce the chance of sticking.
Prepare the Carrot Cake Batter: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. Set aside. In a separate large bowl, whisk the eggs, then mix in the sugar, oil, and vanilla extract. Gradually stir the dry mixture into the wet mixture until nearly combined. Gently fold in the shredded carrots.
Bake the Cake: Spread the batter evenly into the prepared jelly roll pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 10-13 minutes or until the cake springs back when touched lightly, or a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Roll the Cake: As soon as the cake is out of the oven, roll it up from the short end to the short end while it’s still warm, keeping it inside the parchment paper. Allow it to cool for about 10 minutes.
Make the Cream Cheese Frosting: In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Gradually add the butter, 2 tablespoons at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in the powdered sugar and vanilla extract until well combined.
Unroll and Frost the Cake: Gently unroll the cake. If it cracks slightly, handle it carefully. If it’s still warm, allow it to sit unrolled for a few more minutes to let any excess heat or steam escape. Spread the cream cheese frosting evenly across the cake, leaving a 1-inch border unfrosted on the end that will be rolled towards.
Re-roll the Cake: Starting from the frosted end, roll the cake up again, tucking and rolling it tightly toward the unfrosted edge. Gradually remove the parchment paper as you roll. Once rolled, discard the parchment paper.
Chill the Cake Roll: Wrap the entire cake roll in plastic wrap and refrigerate or freeze it for at least 1 hour (freezing is recommended for easier slicing).
Slice and Serve: Use a hot knife to slice the cake while it is still cold or frozen. To heat the knife, run it under hot water, and then dry or leave it slightly wet if slicing a frozen roll. Allow slices to thaw for 20-30 minutes at room temperature before serving.
Allowing the cake to cool slightly (about 5-10 minutes) before spreading the frosting helps minimize „sweating,“ which can cause the cake to stick to the parchment paper.
