Carrot Cake Roll with Cream Cheese Frosting Filling

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Here’s a big, detailed recipe for your Carrot Cake Roll with Cream Cheese Frosting Filling, complete with history, introduction, step-by-step methods, and a sweet conclusion for all the carrot cake lovers. 🥕✨

🥕 Carrot Cake Roll with Cream Cheese Frosting Filling

Introduction

Carrot cake is a beloved dessert known for its moist texture, warm spices, and sweet cream cheese frosting. The Carrot Cake Roll is a creative twist on the classic layer cake, turning it into a beautiful spiral dessert that’s perfect for celebrations or simply to impress guests at tea time. By baking the spiced carrot sponge thin and rolling it with rich frosting, you get a gorgeous swirl that looks bakery-perfect yet is surprisingly easy to achieve at home.

Ingredients

For the Carrot Cake:

  • ¾ cup (95 g) all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • ½ tsp nutmeg
  • ½ tsp ginger
  • ½ tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp baking soda
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 3 large eggs, room temperature
  • ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup (50 g) brown sugar, packed
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 cups (about 2–3 medium) finely grated carrots
  • ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)

For the Cream Cheese Frosting Filling:

  • 8 oz (225 g) cream cheese, softened
  • 6 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 ½ cups powdered sugar, sifted

For Assembly:

  • ½ cup powdered sugar (for dusting towel and finishing)

Instructions

Step 1: Prepare the Pan

  1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
  2. Line a 15×10-inch jelly roll pan with parchment paper and lightly grease it.

Step 2: Make the Carrot Cake Batter

  1. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
  2. In a large bowl, beat eggs and both sugars until thick and light (about 3 minutes).
  3. Add vanilla extract and mix well.
  4. Gently fold in the dry ingredients, then stir in grated carrots and nuts (if using).

Step 3: Bake the Cake

  1. Spread batter evenly into the prepared pan.
  2. Bake for 10–12 minutes, until the cake springs back when lightly touched.

Step 4: Roll the Cake

  1. While the cake is still warm, dust a clean kitchen towel generously with powdered sugar.
  2. Carefully flip the cake onto the towel, peel off parchment paper, and roll the cake up (starting from the short end) with the towel inside.
  3. Allow to cool completely while rolled up — this prevents cracks later.

Step 5: Make the Frosting

  1. Beat cream cheese and butter until smooth.
  2. Add vanilla and gradually beat in powdered sugar until creamy and fluffy.

Step 6: Fill & Roll

  1. Once the cake is cooled, gently unroll it.
  2. Spread cream cheese frosting evenly over the surface.
  3. Roll the cake back up (without the towel this time).
  4. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before slicing.

Step 7: Serve

Dust with powdered sugar before slicing. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Methods & Tips

  • Rolling while warm: This ensures the cake holds its shape without breaking.
  • Grating carrots finely gives the cake moisture without making it chunky.
  • Chill before slicing to get clean, bakery-style swirls.

History & Formation

Carrot cake has roots dating back to medieval times, when carrots were often used as a natural sweetener in desserts. The modern version gained popularity in the 1960s and 70s in America, often paired with cream cheese frosting. The cake roll technique itself comes from the European Swiss Roll or Jelly Roll, where a sponge is rolled with jam or cream. Combining these two traditions gave birth to the Carrot Cake Roll — a dessert that’s both classic and innovative.

Conclusion

The Carrot Cake Roll with Cream Cheese Frosting is a dessert that balances spice, sweetness, and creaminess in every slice. It’s not just a cake; it’s a showstopper centerpiece that proves desserts can be both beautiful and comforting.

For the Lovers 💛

This recipe is for:

  • Lovers of classic carrot cake who want a new twist.
  • Lovers of cream cheese frosting, where every bite is creamy perfection.
  • Lovers of beautiful desserts, because this roll is as photogenic as it is delicious.

Would you like me to also give you a fancier variation (like adding pineapple, coconut, or a drizzle of caramel) for when you want to make this dessert extra special for gatherings?

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