A soft, spiced carrot cake rolled around a luscious cream cheese filling — this dessert takes everything you love about classic carrot cake and turns it into a beautiful, slice-worthy Swiss roll. It’s perfect for spring gatherings, holidays, or anytime you want an impressive dessert that’s actually quite simple to make. The cake is baked thin, rolled while warm to “train” it into shape, then filled and rolled again for a perfect spiral.
⭐ Ingredients
For the Carrot Cake Roll
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¾ cup (95g) all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- ¼ tsp ground ginger
- 1 cup (about 100g) finely grated carrots (packed)
For the Cream Cheese Filling
- 8 oz (225g) cream cheese, softened
- 4 tbsp (60g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup (120g) powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
🍰 Instructions & Method
1. Prepare the Pan
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Line a 10×15 inch jelly roll pan with parchment paper, leaving some overhang on the sides.
- Lightly spray the parchment with nonstick spray.
2. Make the Carrot Cake Batter
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk eggs, sugar, oil, and vanilla until smooth and slightly thickened.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix gently until just combined — don’t overmix.
- Fold in the finely grated carrots.
3. Bake the Cake
- Spread the batter evenly into the lined jelly roll pan.
- Bake for 10–12 minutes, or until the cake springs back when touched and the top looks dry.
- While baking, lay out a clean kitchen towel and dust it generously with powdered sugar.
4. Roll the Warm Cake
- As soon as the cake is finished baking, loosen edges with a knife.
- Carefully flip the cake onto the sugared towel.
- Peel off the parchment paper.
- Starting at the short end, roll the cake up together with the towel.
- Allow it to cool completely on a cooling rack (about 1 hour).
5. Make the Cream Cheese Filling
- Beat cream cheese and butter until smooth and creamy.
- Add powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt, and beat until fluffy.
6. Fill and Re-Roll
- Once the rolled cake is fully cooled, gently unroll it.
- Spread the cream cheese filling evenly over the entire surface.
- Roll the cake up again — this time without the towel.
- Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to set.
7. Serve
- Dust with powdered sugar before serving.
- Slice with a sharp serrated knife for clean spirals.
- Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days.
❤️ Tips for Success
- Grate carrots very finely so the cake stays soft and rolls easily.
- Don’t skip rolling the cake while warm — this prevents cracking later.
- Chill before slicing to get perfect, bakery-style swirls.