Heavenly Silky Carrot Cake Roll Recipe: Fluffy Swirls of Joy

Sweet and indulgent carrot cake roll recipes often spark joy in home bakers seeking a delightful dessert.

This mouthwatering carrot cake roll weaves together warm spices and creamy frosting in every delectable slice.

Soft, fragrant carrots blend seamlessly with cinnamon and nutmeg to create a dreamy texture.

Rich cream cheese filling adds a luxurious touch that melts on your tongue.

The delicate cake roll presents an elegant twist on classic carrot cake.

Perfectly balanced and not too sweet, this dessert impresses at potlucks and family gatherings.

Prepare to delight your taste buds with this irresistible treat that promises to become a new favorite.

Serve Carrot Cake Roll Sliced and Chilled

• Sweet Brunch Sidekick: Pair this delightful carrot cake roll with a warm cup of cinnamon-spiced coffee or a creamy chai latte for a perfect morning treat that elevates your breakfast experience.
• Elegant Dessert Presentation: Slice the roll into beautiful pinwheels and arrange on a rustic wooden board garnished with fresh mint leaves and a light dusting of powdered sugar for an Instagram-worthy dessert display.
• Party Pleaser Platter: Create a stunning dessert platter by adding small dollops of whipped cream, scattered chopped walnuts, and a drizzle of caramel sauce alongside the carrot cake roll slices to impress guests at gatherings or potlucks.
• Seasonal Gift Idea: Wrap individual slices in parchment paper and tie with a cute ribbon, making this carrot cake roll a thoughtful homemade gift for friends and family during holiday seasons or special celebrations.

Store Carrot Cake Roll With Flavor Intact

• Keep the carrot cake roll wrapped tightly in plastic wrap inside an airtight container. Refrigeration keeps the dessert fresh for 3-4 days, maintaining its delightful texture and flavor profile.
• Slice the cake roll into individual portions before freezing. Wrap each slice separately in plastic wrap, then place in a freezer-safe container. Frozen slices stay delicious for up to 2 months, perfect for unexpected sweet cravings.
• Allow refrigerated cake roll to sit at room temperature for 15-20 minutes before serving. This gentle warming helps restore the cream cheese filling's smooth consistency and enhances the cake's overall taste.
• Place a clean paper towel inside the storage container to absorb excess moisture. This simple trick prevents the cake from becoming soggy and helps maintain its original delightful texture during refrigeration.

Quick Recipe Overview

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Calories: 195 kcal

Servings: 10

What Goes Into the Carrot Cake Roll

• All-Purpose Flour: Provides structure and helps bind the cake together, choose unbleached flour for better texture.
• Baking Powder, Baking Soda: Crucial for cake's rise and lightness, ensure they're fresh for maximum lift.
• Salt: Enhances overall flavor and balances sweetness, use fine sea salt for even distribution.
• Cinnamon, Ginger, Nutmeg: Warm spices that create classic carrot cake flavor, opt for freshly ground spices for more intense aroma.

• Eggs: Adds richness and helps bind the cake, select room temperature eggs for smoother mixing.
• Granulated Sugar, Brown Sugar: Provides sweetness and helps create tender texture, brown sugar adds depth of flavor.
• Vegetable Oil: Keeps cake moist and tender, choose neutral-flavored oil like canola.
• Vanilla Extract: Adds warmth and complexity, use pure vanilla for best flavor.
• Carrots: Brings natural sweetness and moisture, grate fresh carrots for best results.

• Cream Cheese: Creates tangy, smooth filling, use full-fat cream cheese for richness.
• Butter: Adds richness to filling, use unsalted butter for better flavor control.
• Powdered Sugar: Sweetens and thickens filling, sift to prevent lumps.
• Walnuts: Optional crunchy texture, toast briefly for enhanced flavor.

Tools for Baking and Rolling Carrot Cake Roll

• Electric Mixer: Essential for beating eggs, mixing wet ingredients, and preparing cream cheese filling smoothly.
• Large Mixing Bowls: Two bowls needed – one for dry ingredients, another for wet ingredients.
• Whisk: Perfect for combining dry ingredients and ensuring even distribution of spices.
• Jelly Roll Pan (10×15 inch): Specific pan required for creating thin, rollable cake layer.
• Parchment Paper: Crucial for easy cake removal and preventing sticking.
• Clean Kitchen Towel: Necessary for rolling cake while warm and preventing cracking.
• Grater: Used for preparing fresh carrots for the cake batter.
• Spatula: Helpful for spreading batter evenly and folding in carrots and nuts.
• Plastic Wrap: Needed for wrapping and chilling the finished cake roll.
• Powdered Sugar Sifter: Optional tool for dusting final cake with sugar.

How to Make a Beautiful Carrot Cake Roll

• Warm Up the Oven

Crank your oven to a toasty 350F and get your baking pan ready by coating it with a light layer of grease and parchment paper.

• Create Dry Mixture

Blend flour, spices, and rising agents in a bowl, whisking them together until they’re perfectly combined.

• Whip Wet Ingredients

Grab a big mixing bowl and beat eggs, sugars, vanilla, and oil until the mixture looks silky and smooth.

• Blend Everything Together

Slowly incorporate dry ingredients into wet mixture, stirring gently. Fold in fresh grated carrots and chopped nuts for extra texture.

• Bake the Magic

Pour batter into prepared pan and slide it into the hot oven. Bake for 10-12 minutes until the cake feels springy when touched.

• Roll and Cool

While cake is still warm, flip it onto a sugar-dusted towel. Carefully roll the cake with the towel and let it cool completely.

• Craft Creamy Filling

Whip cream cheese and butter until fluffy. Add powdered sugar and vanilla, beating until the filling looks dreamy and smooth.

• Assemble the Dessert

Unroll the cooled cake, spread filling evenly, and then roll it back up without the towel.

• Chill and Serve

Wrap the roll in plastic and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Dust with powdered sugar right before serving.

Frosting Tips for a Perfect Carrot Cake Roll

• Smart Baking Tricks
• Add an extra 1/4 cup applesauce or Greek yogurt to keep the cake roll incredibly soft and prevent cracking during rolling.
• Always roll the warm cake with a powdered sugar-dusted towel immediately after baking to train the cake's flexibility and prevent breaking.
• Swap walnuts with pecans, almonds, or sunflower seeds for different texture and flavor profiles while maintaining the cake's delicious crunch.
• Replace all-purpose flour with a 1: 1 gluten-free baking blend to make this recipe accessible for those with wheat sensitivities.
• Use reduced-fat cream cheese and swap half the butter with Greek yogurt for a healthier filling without compromising taste.

Silky Carrot Cake Roll Recipe

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4.8 from 39 reviews

• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Yield: 11 1x

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Description

Silky cream cheese filling nestles inside this classic carrot cake roll, creating a delightful dessert that dances between comfort and elegance. Spiced layers of moist carrot cake spiral around luxurious frosting, promising a sweet slice of pure indulgence you won’t want to miss.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 2 cups (480 ml) finely grated carrots
• 3 large eggs
• ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
• ¼ cup (50 g) brown sugar, packed
• ¾ cup (90 g) all-purpose flour
• 2 tbsps (30 ml) vegetable oil
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp ground ginger
• ¼ tsp nutmeg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ½ cup (60 g) chopped walnuts (optional)
• powdered sugar (for rolling)
• 8 oz (226 g) cream cheese, softened
• 4 tbsps (57 g) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

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Instructions

1. Prep Workspace: Calibrate oven to 350F (175C). Meticulously coat a 10×15-inch jelly roll pan with grease, line with parchment, and lightly lubricate parchment surface.
2. Combine Dry Components: Integrate flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg in a mixing vessel, whisking until uniformly blended.
3. Blend Liquid Elements: Whip eggs, granulated sugar, brown sugar, vanilla extract, and vegetable oil in a spacious mixing bowl until achieving a silky, homogeneous consistency.
4. Create Batter: Gradually incorporate dry ingredients into liquid mixture, stirring until just combined. Gently fold in grated carrots and walnuts, ensuring even distribution.
5. Baking Process: Transfer batter to prepared pan, spreading evenly. Bake for 10-12 minutes until cake surface rebounds elastically when lightly pressed.
6. Initial Rolling: Immediately after removing from oven, delicately invert warm cake onto a pristine kitchen towel dusted with powdered sugar. Carefully remove parchment paper. Commence rolling from short end, encasing cake within towel, and allow to cool completely.
7. Filling Preparation: Cream together cream cheese and butter until smooth and fluffy. Gradually introduce powdered sugar and vanilla extract, beating until achieving a luxurious, creamy texture.
8. Final Assembly: Cautiously unroll cooled cake. Generously spread cream cheese filling across surface, maintaining a slight border. Elegantly re-roll cake, omitting towel.
9. Finishing Touch: Encase roll in plastic wrap, refrigerate for minimum 30 minutes. Prior to serving, dust with additional powdered sugar for visual appeal.

Notes

• Roll the cake while it’s warm to prevent cracking and ensure a smooth, flexible texture for easier rolling and filling.
• Pat grated carrots dry with paper towels to prevent excess moisture from making the cake soggy and compromising its texture.
• Fold dry ingredients gently to avoid overmixing, which can result in a tough, dense cake instead of a light, tender roll.
• Allow cream cheese to soften at room temperature for smooth, lump-free filling and easier spreading on the delicate cake surface.

• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Category: Desserts
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 11
• Calories: 220
• Sugar: 16 g
• Sodium: 180 mg
• Fat: 10 g
• Saturated Fat: 3 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Carbohydrates: 30 g
• Fiber: 1 g
• Protein: 3 g
• Cholesterol: 40 mg