Description
This Carrot Cake Roll with Cream Cheese Frosting is a delightful twist on traditional carrot cake, featuring a moist, spiced cake rolled with a creamy, tangy cream cheese filling. Perfect for special occasions or an elegant dessert, this recipe combines warming spices and fresh carrots in a light sponge cake, beautifully complemented by rich cream cheese frosting.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3 large eggs
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2/3 cup vegetable oil
- 1 1/2 cups finely grated carrots
- Extra powdered sugar for rolling and topping
Frosting
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C). Line a 10×15-inch jelly roll pan with parchment paper and lightly grease it to prevent sticking.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt until evenly combined.
- Beat wet ingredients: In a large bowl, beat the eggs with granulated sugar and brown sugar for 2–3 minutes until thick and creamy. Stir in vanilla extract and vegetable oil, then fold in finely grated carrots gently.
- Combine wet and dry: Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and fold gently just until combined. Avoid overmixing to keep the cake light.
- Bake the cake: Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan. Bake for 12–14 minutes or until the cake springs back lightly to the touch, indicating it is done.
- Roll cake while warm: Turn the cake out onto a clean kitchen towel dusted generously with powdered sugar. Carefully peel off the parchment paper, then roll the cake and towel together starting from the short end. Allow the rolled cake to cool completely, which helps prevent cracking later.
- Prepare frosting: While the cake cools, beat softened cream cheese, butter, vanilla extract, and powdered sugar together until smooth and fluffy, creating the cream cheese frosting.
- Fill and re-roll: Once the cake is completely cooled, unroll it carefully and spread the cream cheese frosting evenly over the surface. Gently reroll the cake without the towel to maintain its shape.
- Chill and serve: Wrap the roll tightly in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour to set. Before serving, dust with powdered sugar or decorate as desired. Slice and enjoy!
Notes
- Make sure to roll the cake while it is still warm to prevent cracking.
- Use a kitchen towel generously dusted with powdered sugar to prevent the cake from sticking while rolling.
- Chilling the cake roll helps the frosting set and makes slicing easier.
- You can add chopped walnuts or raisins to the batter for added texture and flavor if desired.
- Store leftovers wrapped tightly in the refrigerator for up to 3 days to keep fresh.
