The Best Carrot Cake Roll Recipe!
I love carrot cake as a dessert for Easter!
I really enjoy a good spiced carrot cake, especially when it involves plenty of cream cheese! This cake roll is one of my favorite carrot cake recipes. A perfectly spiced carrot cake with a tangy, sweet cream cheese filling. The ratio of cream cheese filling to carrot cake is fabulous. Cream cheese filling in every bite!
Be sure to pat dry the shredded carrots so your cake batter does not become too wet. You can line the bottom of your jelly roll pan with parchment paper or foil – either one works.
Speaking of the pan, you will want to use one that is about 10 x 15 inches. I only end up using it to make cake rolls, but it is totally worth it to me!
The cake batter seems to barely cover the bottom of the pan, so you will need to use a rubber spatula or something similar to spread the batter evenly and into the corners. Only takes about 10 minutes to bake!
While the cake is baking, spread about 1/4 cup powdered sugar over a kitchen towel. The thinner cotton towels with little texture seem to work best (I think they are sometimes called flour sack towels), but whatever you have will probably work too as long as it is big enough. Roll the cake up in the towel and let it cool like that.
Once the cake has cooled, you can whip up the cream cheese filling, unroll the cake, spread the filling on, and roll the cake back up. If you love chopped walnuts in carrot cake, you can try adding some to the filling!
Love my small angled spatula for spreading!
Chill the cake roll in the refrigerator before serving. For a more tidy look, you can trim the ends before serving too. (And be sure to eat the scraps – I’m pretty sure they don’t count toward your dessert serving or caloric intake or anything like that. I also recommend licking the beaters and bowl used to make the cream cheese filling. Yum.)
Ingredients
- 3 eggs
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 3/4 cup flour
- 2 cups shredded carrots (about 2-3 medium carrots)
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar for rolling
- 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease the bottom of a 10 x 15-inch jelly roll pan. Cut parchment or foil to fit the bottom of the pan, then grease the paper or foil and the sides of the pan.
- In a large bowl, beat the eggs at high speed for about 5 minutes. Then beat in the sugar, oil, and vanilla.
- In a small or medium bowl, whisk together the salt, baking powder, ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, and flour. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet, just until blended. Then stir in the carrots. Spread batter evenly into the prepared pan. Bake for 9-11 minutes. Edges should be set and the center of the cake should spring back when you lightly press on it.
- While the cake is baking, lay a clean kitchen towel out on a work surface. Sprinkle about 1/4 cup powdered sugar onto the towel covering an area about the size of the cake. As soon as you take the cake out of the oven, turn it out onto the prepared towel and powdered sugar. Carefully peel off the foil or parchment.
- On one of the short ends, fold the edge of the towel over the cake, then roll the cake and the towel up all the way. Let cool for at least 1 hour.
- Once the cake is cooled, make the filling. Beat the cream cheese until smooth, then beat in the melted butter and vanilla. Slowly mix in the powdered sugar and beat until smooth.
- Gently unroll the cake. Spread the filling evenly over the cake and carefully re-roll the cake tightly. You can use the towel to help keep your finger from sticking to the cake, but do not roll the towel into the cake roll this time. ;)
- Chill cake until filling is set, at least 30 minutes to 1 hour. Dust with powdered sugar, then slice and serve.
Notes
Cake can be wrapped in plastic and frozen for up to 1 month.
Recipe adapted from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe and Crazy for Crust.
I love that these measuring cups have convenient 2/3 and 3/4 cups!