This Carrot Cake Roll the such a fun dessert to make during Easter. It’s made with a soft, and delicious spiced carrot cake sponge rolled up with a generous amount of sweet cream cheese filling and looks super impressive. I love to decorate it with a fun carrot frosting design for an Easter or Spring themed celebration but it can be enjoyed all year round too. The cake can be prepared in advance and frozen so you can thaw slices just as you need them, perfect for a last minute sweet treat with a cup of coffee.
If the thought of creating a roll cake intimidates you don’t worry, my easy step-by-step photos and tips will guide you all the way through the recipe making it seem like a breeze. Crazy about carrot cake as much as I am? Be sure to check out my Carrot Cake Cookies and Carrot Cake Cupcakes too!
What you need to make this recipe
Carrots – Use whole carrots that you peel and grate yourself using a box grater. Don’t be tempted to buy pre-grated carrots as they may be too dry.
Cream cheese – This is used for the filling to give that classic taste of carrot cake, make sure to use good quality cream cheese for best results.
Oil – This keeps the cake moist, tender, and delicious. A mild-flavored oil is best such as vegetable oil.
Spices – The spices are super important for that warming and delicious flavor, I use ground cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg.
Butter – Make sure your butter is at room temperature so it can be mixed easily with the cream cheese for the filling, you must use unsalted.
How to make a Carrot Cake Roll
1. Sift the flour, salt, spices, and baking powder into a bowl then set aside.
2. Combine eggs, vanilla, and granulated sugar in a large bowl then whisk until lighter in color and smooth.
3. Add the grated carrots to the eggs and mix together.
4. Add the dry mixture into the wet then fold in until just combined.
5. Transfer the batter into your prepared baking sheet and use a spatula to smooth it out. Bake until the center of the cake springs back when pressed lightly.
6. Cream the butter and cream cheese together in a stand mixer or large bowl if using a hand mixer. Add the vanilla and powdered sugar then beat until fluffy, smooth, and light in color. Reserve about ¼ cup of frosting for the buttercream carrots.
7. When the cake is done lift it out of the pan and invert onto a kitchen towel dusted with powdered sugar. Remove the parchment paper and roll tightly then place the rolled cake on a wire rack to cool completely.
8. Unroll the cake and spread the frosting then roll back up, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Once the cake is chilled, dust with powdered sugar and pipe little carrots on the top and sides using the orange and green frostings.
Pro tips for making this recipe
- Make sure your refrigerated ingredients are all at room temperature before starting (butter, egg, and cream cheese).
- Cut a small slice off of each end of the cake so you can see the roll effect when serving.
- Make sure to dust your kitchen towel with powdered sugar before rolling to stop it from sticking.
- Roll the cake straight after baking and let it cool completely rolled up. If you wait too long and the cake has cooled it’ll be harder to roll.
- Make sure to wrap the cake in plastic wrap while it’s in the fridge to stop it from drying out.
- The decoration is optional but adds a nice touch for an Easter celebration.
- Measure the flour correctly, to do this fluff the flour with a fork first then spoon it into cups and level it off with a knife. There’s much less chance of over-packing the cup with flour this way. If you have a kitchen scale to weigh the ingredients I recommend using it for accurate results.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I roll the cake without breaking it?
The trick to rolling the cake without it cracking or breaking it is to do it while it’s still hot from the oven and use a kitchen towel to handle it gently. If you wait too long to roll it or if the cake has been over-baked it is likely to split or break.
Can I prepare this in advance?
Yes, the carrot cake roll can be prepared in advance and stored in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Can it be frozen?
Yes, you can freeze the cake for up to 3 months. I recommend freezing the cake in slices so it’s easier to defrost (thaw).
If you love this recipe try these out!
If you’ve tried this Carrot Cake Roll then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!
Carrot Cake Roll
Ingredients
For the cake
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour (90g)
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 3 eggs
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups shredded carrots about 2–3 medium carrots (200g)
- powdered sugar for rolling
- Food coloring optional
For the frosting
- 8 ounces cream cheese 1 package at room temperature
- 3 cups powdered sugar sifted (360g)
- 1/2 cup butter room temperature (113g)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract (5ml)
- 1 tsp lemon extract (5ml)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375F and line a 10”x15” jelly roll sheet or quarter sheet pan with parchment paper. Cut the paper so it has an extra inch on the sides, you’ll use this excess paper to pull the cake out of the pan after baking.
- Sift the flour, salt, spices, and baking powder into a medium bowl then whisk together and set aside.
- Combine eggs, vanilla, and granulated sugar in a large bowl then whisk or beat until lighter in color and smooth.
- Add the grated carrots and mix until incorporated.
- Pour the dry mixture into the wet then fold in until just combined.
- Transfer the batter into your prepared baking sheet and use a spatula or offset spatula to smooth out. The batter will be quite thin after it’s smoothed out but that’s as it should be. Bake for 13-15 minutes at 375F. The cake is done when the center springs back when pressed lightly.
- While the cake bakes prepare your thin kitchen towel by dusting it with powdered sugar. When the cake is done lift it out of the pan and invert onto the sugared cloth.
- Peel back the parchment paper and roll tightly then place the rolled cake on a wire rack to cool completely.
- Make the cream cheese frosting by creaming the butter and cream cheese in a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment or large bowl if using a hand mixer. Add the vanilla and powdered sugar then beat until fluffy, smooth, and light in color. Reserve about ¼ cup of frosting for the buttercream carrots.
- Unroll the cake on your counter then spread the frosting leaving about half an inch unfrosted on the two long sides as well as the short side that will be on the outside after rolling.
- Roll the cake back up then wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least an hour so the frosting can set up.
- Divide the reserved buttercream into two batches, color one green and the other orange then transfer to piping bags and snip the tips off.
- Once the cake is chilled, dust with powdered sugar and pipe little carrots on the top and sides using the orange and green frostings (see notes for decorating tips).
- Cut into slices using a sharp serrated knife and enjoy!
Notes
- Make sure you refrigerated ingredients are all at room temperature before starting (butter, egg, and cream cheese).
- Cut a small slice off of each end so you can see the roll effect when serving.
- Make sure to dust your kitchen towel with powdered sugar before rolling to stop it from sticking.
- Roll the cake straight after baking and let it cool completely rolled up. If you let your cake cool before it will be much harder to roll.
- Make sure to wrap the cake in plastic wrap while it's in the fridge to stop it from drying out.
- The decoration is optional but adds a nice touch for an Easter celebration.
- Measure the flour correctly, to do this fluff the flour with a fork first then spoon it into cups and level it off with a knife. There's much less chance of over-packing the cup with flour this way. If you have a kitchen scale to weigh the ingredients I recommend using it for accurate results.
- Decorating Notes: When piping the carrots you’re going to start with the blunt top of the carrot and finish with the pointy part. Squeeze a bit more in the beginning, then release by pulling away after you’ve stopped squeezing the piping bag. Pipe little green leaves on top of the carrots; you can use a small leaf tip if desired but snipping the tip off a piping bag or plastic sandwich bag will work just as well.
