Carrot Cake Roll

A delicious take on the favorite Easter cake! Everything you love about a classic spiced carrot cake rolled up with a velvety cream cheese frosting for an impressive and fun dessert. The cake is moist and tender, while the cream cheese frosting adds a layer of sweetness both inside and out for the perfect balance of cake and frosting in every bite.

I decorated my cake roll with homemade white chocolate carrots!

Ingredients

Spiced Carrot Cake

• ¾ cup cake flour

• ½ tsp salt

• ½ tsp baking powder

• ½ tsp baking soda

• 1¾ tsp ground cinnamon

• ½ tsp ground ginger

• ¼ tsp ground nutmeg

• ⅛ tsp ground allspice

• 3 large eggs

• ⅔ cup granulated sugar

• 2 Tbsp vegetable or canola oil

• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

• 2 cups shredded carrots

• ¼ cup confectioners’ sugar, for rolling

Cream Cheese Frosting

• 16oz cream cheese, room temperature

• ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature

• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract

• 4 cups confectioners’ sugar

• ½ cup chopped walnuts, for decorating

Directions

Spiced Carrot Cake

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Generously spray a 10x15-inch jelly roll pan with nonstick cooking spray and line with parchment paper. Spray the parchment paper with nonstick cooking spray and lightly flour the paper. Set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice until combined.

3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the eggs on high for 3 minutes. Add the sugar and beat for another 3 minutes on high until pale and frothy. Add the oil and vanilla and mix until incorporated. With the mixer on low, add the carrots, then slowly add the flour mixture, mixing just until incorporated. Be sure not to overmix the batter!

4. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and use an offset spatula to evenly spread the batter to the edges. Bake for 15-16 minutes, or until the top springs back when lightly touched.

5. While the carrot cake is baking, lay a clean, thin cotton dish towel out on a flat surface and sift ¼ cup confectioners' sugar evenly over the towel.

6. As soon as you remove the cake from the oven, loosen it around the edges and invert it onto the prepared towel. Peel away the parchment paper. Starting at one of the short ends, gently roll the warm cake and the towel together into a log. Allow the rolled cake to cool completely on a wire rack.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter together until smooth, about 3 minutes. Reduce the speed to low, add the vanilla and beat until combined. Then slowly add the confectioners’ sugar and beat until completely incorporated, about 2 minutes. Increase the speed to high and beat until fluffy, about 4 minutes more.

Cake Roll Assembly

1. Once the cake has completely cooled, carefully unroll the cake onto a cutting board with the towel underneath. Spread half of the cream cheese frosting evenly over the cake, making sure to go all the way to the edges.

2. Carefully reroll the cake, using the towel as a guide. Place the cake roll on a platter. Frost the sides and ends of the cake with the remaining frosting and press chopped walnuts over the surface and decorate as desired. Chill the cake roll for about 1 hour before serving so the frosting firms up a little.

3. Slice and enjoy!

Carrot Cake is a classic Easter dessert. Check out these other delicious twists on a classic carrot cake:

Carrot Cake Surprise Bundt Cake

Carrot Cake Cheesecake Cake Carrot Cake Trifle