Carrot Cake Roll + Video
This Carrot Cake Roll is a classic Easter dessert with a twist. Spiced carrot cake is rolled up with the BEST cream cheese frosting inside. It’s beautiful, delicious, and easy to make.
Carrot Cake is a classic Easter dessert. It’s delicious as a simple spiced cake with carrots, or loaded with extra fillers like pineapple, raisins, or nuts. Everyone has their favorite way of making carrot cake.
It’s fun to take that classic carrot cake and cream cheese combo and turn it into whoopie pies, cupcakes, or cheesecake bars. That’s why I thought it would also be fun to twist it into a carrot cake roll.
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Carrot Cake Roll
This carrot cake roll is your basic spiced carrot cake with the BEST cream cheese frosting inside. I’ve got tips on how to easily make and cut this cake roll. No need to be intimidated. It’s easy!
Tips For Making a Cake Roll
I used to turn my cake rolls out onto a powdered sugar dusted kitchen towel. I have since learned that it’s easier, and way less messy, to just use parchment paper.
After the cake comes out of the oven, roll it up from short end to short end and let it cool.
NOTE: Parchment paper does tend to make the cake sweat a little, so you only want to let it cool slightly (5-10 minutes) and spread the frosting on it as soon as possible. Sweating may make the cake stick a little.
Carefully unroll the cake. If it cracks a little, it’s ok, just be gentle.
Evenly spread the cream cheese frosting on all but 1-inch of the end you will be rolling towards. This makes room for the frosting to move as you roll up the cake.
Re-roll the cake, starting with the frosted end. Roll and tuck the cake as tightly as you can, working your way towards the unfrosted edge.
Loosen and remove the parchment paper as you go. Then discard the parchment paper.
The Secret For Perfect Slices
You can either wrap the whole cake roll with plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator for one hour, or you can freeze it.
I ALWAYS FREEZE my cake roll and cut it while still frozen.
Use a hot knife to cut the cake roll (while still frozen/cold) by running the knife under hot water first. (You can dry the knife [recommended if not frozen] or leave it wet.) This creates perfect slices without the frosting oozing out.
The carrot cake roll slices thaw after about 20-30 minutes at room temperature and you’re ready to eat. I hope you enjoy this Easter treat!
Carrot Cake Roll
Ingredients
Carrot Cake:
- ¾ cup (90 g) all-purpose flour, (stir, spoon & level)
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- ⅛ tsp ground cloves
- 3 large eggs
- ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- 2 Tbsp oil, (canola/vegetable)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups (170 g) shredded carrots, (loosely packed into measuring cup)
The BEST Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 8 oz (226 g) brick cream cheese, cold
- 8 Tbsp (113 g) butter, (1 stick) room temperature
- 1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a 10×15-inch jelly roll pan with parchment paper. Tip: Use a little cooking spray on the pan to help the paper stick to the pan/not move. May spray parchment paper with Baker's Joy (cooking spray with flour) to further prevent cake from sticking; optional.
- Make Carrot Cake: Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves in a bowl. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk the eggs. Beat in the sugar, oil, and vanilla.
- Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, until almost combined. Then fold in the carrots. Spread batter evenly into the prepared pan.
- Bake at 375˚F for 10-13 minutes. Cake will spring back when touched or toothpick will come out clean from center when done.
- Immediately roll cake from short end to short end inside the parchment paper. Allow to cool for 10 minutes.
- Make Cream Cheese Frosting: Place cream cheese in a large bowl. Beat until smooth. Add butter 2 Tbsp at a time, beating until smooth after each addition. Add powdered sugar and vanilla all at once and mix until combined.
- Carefully unroll the cake. If it cracks a little, it’s ok, just be gentle. If it's still warm, leave it unrolled for a few extra minutes to release any excess steam/heat. Evenly spread the cream cheese frosting on all but 1-inch of the end you will be rolling towards.
- Re-roll the cake, starting with the frosted end. Roll and tuck the cake as tightly as you can, working your way towards the unfrosted edge. Loosen and remove the parchment paper as you go. Then discard the parchment paper.
- Wrap the whole cake roll with plastic wrap and CHILL in the refrigerator or freezer for 1(+) hour(s). (I always freeze my cake rolls.)
- Use a hot knife to cut the cake roll (while still frozen/cold) by running the knife under hot water first. (You can dry the knife [recommended if not frozen] or leave it wet.) Rolls will take 20-30 minutes at room temperature to thaw.
Video
Notes
- Parchment paper does tend to make the cake sweat a little, so you only want to let it cool slightly (5-10 minutes) and spread the frosting on it as soon as possible. Sweating may make the cake stick a little.
Nutrition
Did you make this?
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You can cut this with dental floss so you don’t squash it with a knife.
Hi, I’m wondering if I could freeze this for 3 weeks before cutting & serving?
Yes, that should be just fine. Double wrap it with plastic, then a layer of foil or put it in a zip-top freezer bag if it will fit.
If I wanted to add coconut and pineapple how would I go about doing so?
I am not sure if I just add it?
I would not add any extra ingredients like that to this particular carrot cake or it may not roll up properly.
Put it on top after it’s rolled. Pineapple then sprinkle with coconut it would be pretty
I though I’d trust the method of not totally cooling the cake in a tea towel (with lots of powder sugar dusting) as usual, but this was really quite a mess with the still-warm cake that had cooled for 10+ minutes rolled, and then 10 minutes while unrolled to release steam as instructed. I was even using a stainless-steel table which conducts heat away quickly. Delicious, but incredibly messy and not at all photo-ready as the warmth melted the icing and gooped it everywhere, even with more than an inch of bare cake at the edges for it to spread onto as I rolled it up. Please save people from this stress and instruct a total cooling of the cake!
I’m sorry you had a bad experience. I’ve found that when I cool the cake completely in parchment paper it is tricky to keep it from sticking or cracking. The parchment paper is nice for easy cleanup, but cooling times may vary.
I lowered the carbs in this by using King Arthur Keto Flour and Allulose for my sweetner in the cake part and Splenda in the cream cheese layer. Otherwise, the measurements spices, other ingredients, and the method , I did exactly as written. OMGsh! This is so delicious. Next time I’ll add some nuts. Thanks so much for sharing tour recipe.
That’s great to hear! Thanks for sharing your experience with the recipe Daphne!
Just made this for Easter tomorrow. Very easy to make. I cooled my cake for 13 minutes. I plan to leave out the butter in the frosting next time. I didn’t care too much for the taste. I prefer the old fashioned cream cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla mixture. I agree, the frosting ingredients should be cold. Mine was a bit runny. Hope everyone enjoys my cake tomorrow. Happy Easter everyone! 🐇✝️
Glad to hear it was easy to make. I made two of these for Easter as well. Thanks for sharing your experience with the recipe Sue.
I made the carrot cake roll but had a lot of extra frosting left as when I rolled it a lot of it oozed out towards the end. There was no way I could have used all the frosting. Will set the extra aside to fost some carrot muffins.
Glad you could find another use for the leftovers. I always leave an inch or so bare at the end of my roll to compensate for it oozing a little bit. It also helps to kind of lift and tuck the roll instead of just push/rolling it.