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    Urban Bliss Life » All Recipes » Holiday Recipes » Gingerbread Cake Roll

    Published: November 22, 2021 / Updated: November 10, 2022 by Marlynn Jayme Schotland · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Gingerbread Cake Roll

    721 shares
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Gingerbread cake roll with text overlay
    Gingerbread cake roll with text overlay

    If you want a show-stopping holiday dessert, try this delicious and beautiful Gingerbread Cake Roll. It's easy to make using ingredients you probably have on hand already in your pantry and refrigerator. With holiday spices and a sweet cream cheese filling, this gingerbread swiss roll is a real crowd-pleaser!

    Gingerbread cake roll with holiday trimmings, cream cheese filling, and Christmas decorations.

    Swiss rolls, roll cake, cake roll, roulade... this type of cake goes by many names. Like all of those kinds of cakes, this Gingerbread Cake Roll is a thin sponge cake rolled up with cream cheese filling. Perfect for the holidays!

    I have to admit: I was intimidated by the thought of making these cakes until a few years ago. But my fears were completely unwarranted. Cake rolls are actually quite easy to make. You just need a little more time and patience working with them. The results are absolutely worth it!

    Once you start, I'm betting you'll want to make more cake rolls again and again. I love making this Pumpkin Swiss Roll (Pumpkin Cake Roll with Cream Cheese Filling) during the fall. It looks great on a Thanksgiving table.

    When we move into the end of November and early December, it's time to break out the gingerbread spices. This Gingerbread Cake Roll is the perfect dessert for Christmas and New Year's!

    Jump to:
    • 🍰 What is a Swiss roll or cake roll?
    • 🥚 Ingredients
    • ✅ Step-by-step baking instructions
    • 👩🏻‍🍳 Recipe FAQs
    • ⏲ Kitchen tools and equipment
    • More gingerbread recipes
    • Gingerbread Cream Cheese Roll

    🍰 What is a Swiss roll or cake roll?

    two big slices of Gingerbread cake roll with holiday trimmings, cream cheese filling, and Christmas decorations.

    Invented in the 19th century alongside similarly now-classic desserts such as the donut, the Battenberg, and the Victoria sponge, these Swiss cake rolls are just as timeless. And, they are absolutely delicious.

    This Gingerbread Cake roll has a base of a thin gingerbread sponge cake. It's light and airy, as any good sponge cake should be. Then it's topped with a sweet cream cheese filling. The layers are rolled up like a log, and when sliced, you can see the gorgeous swirls of cake and filling.

    🥚 Ingredients

    ingredients to make the gingerbread cake for the gingerbread swiss roll
    • Flour - Use all-purpose flour for the cake.
    • Baking powder and baking soda - You'll need both leavening agents for this cake.
    • Spices - You'll need ground cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg to give this cake a delicious, aromatic classic holiday flavor.
    • Salt - Use kosher salt. If using table salt, be sure to adjust your measurements.
    • Eggs - You'll need three large eggs. I use cage free organic brown eggs. Be sure to take your eggs out about 30 minutes before you start baking to bring them to room temperature. This helps them incorporate and mix easily and smoothly into the batter.
    • Sugars - You will need granulated sugar and light brown sugar for the cake mix and powdered sugar for the cream cheese filling.
    • Vanilla extract - Use pure vanilla extract instead of imitation vanilla extract for the best flavor.
    • Molasses- Molasses is what gives this gingerbread cake roll a rich depth of flavor.
    ingredients to make the cream cheese filling for gingerbread cake roll

    You only need four basic ingredients to make the filling for this gingerbread swiss roll.

    • Powdered Sugar - Powdered sugar helps add some sweetness to balance the tartness of the cream cheese.
    • Butter - Use unsalted butter, softened at room temperature.
    • Cream Cheese - Be sure to bring your cream cheese to room temperature so that it mixes easily and smoothly.
    • Vanilla - Once again, use pure vanilla extract instead of imitation vanilla extract for the best flavor.

    ✅ Step-by-step baking instructions

    Preheat the oven to 350°F degrees. Completely cover a jellyroll pan or half sheet rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

    Make the Gingerbread Sheet Cake

    whisking eggs
    whisking eggs and molasses for gingerbread roll

    In a stand mixer or hand mixer with mixing bowl, beat the eggs, granulated sugar, molasses, and lemon juice until smooth.

    In a separate large bowl, sift together the flour, salt, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves.

    whisking together dry and wet ingredients to make a gingerbread swiss roll

    Mix the sifted dry ingredients in with the egg mixture and blend until fully combined.

    Using a spatula, spread the batter evenly into the prepared jellyroll pan.

    The batter will be runny and may seem thin, but remember it will bake up in the oven and you want a nice, thin, even cake that will roll up nicely. Just make sure there are no bare spots in the batter that you can see through.

    sprinkled powdered sugar over chocolate cake

    Bake at 350°F for 12 to 14 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in the pan at room temperature for 5 minutes.

    Prepare a sheet of parchment paper larger than the size of the baking sheet and sift a bit of powdered sugar over it.

    gingerbread cake roll
    rolling up gingerbread cake roll layer

    Gently flip the cake over the prepared parchment paper so it lands in the middle. Roll the cake up in the parchment paper and cool in the refrigerator for about 45 minutes.

    Make the Cream Cheese Filling

    cream cheese mixture in stand mixer

    In a stand mixer, mix together the powdered sugar, cream cheese, butter, and vanilla until smooth.

    Assemble the Roll

    cream cheese filling on sponge cake

    Remove the cake from the refrigerator and carefully unroll onto the countertop or table. Spread the cream cheese mixture on top of the cake. Gently re-roll the cake up and refrigerate for at least one hour before serving.

    When you’re ready to serve, slice the cake and sift powdered sugar over the top.

    👩🏻‍🍳 Recipe FAQs

    Gingerbread cake roll with holiday trimmings, cream cheese filling, and Christmas decorations.
    Do you roll a Swiss roll warm or cold?

    It's important that the sponge cake layer is still warm when you roll the cake. When it's warm, it's easier to roll the cake and you are less likely to get tears or rips in the cake. If it's too cold, it won't roll up as evenly and smoothly.

    Why do Swiss rolls crack?

    Cake rolls like this often crack because they are overbaked. It is also more likely to crack if you try to roll the cake up when it is cold.

    What's the best way to store gingerbread cake rolls?

    Once you've assembled the gingerbread cake roll, store leftovers by wrapping the cake tightly in parchment paper, then storing in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

    You can also freeze a filled cake roll by slicing it into individual slices, vacuum sealing it into vacuum sealed bags or placing into freezer bags, and store for up to 2 months.

    What else can I use to fill a cake roll?

    Cake rolls and Swiss rolls often have a whipped cream filling or cream cheese filling. You could also use a jam filling, buttercream, chocolate, or marshmallow filling.

    ⏲ Kitchen tools and equipment

    Gingerbread cake roll with holiday trimmings, cream cheese filling, and Christmas decorations.

    For this recipe, you just need a few basic kitchen tools:

    Mixer - You can make this cake roll using either a stand mixer or a hand mixer with mixing bowls.

    Mixing bowls - You'll need two mixing bowls: one for dry ingredients and one for wet ingredients.

    Spatula - Use a rubber or heatproof silicone spatula to scrape the batter out and smooth it onto the baking sheet.

    Baking sheet - Bake the cake roll on a standard half sheet baking sheet.

    Parchment paper - Use parchment paper to line the baking sheet.

    Kitchen towel - You'll need a clean kitchen towel to use to roll up the gingerbread sponge cake, and then again to roll up the filled gingerbread swiss roll.

    More gingerbread recipes

    • Soft Chewy Ginger Molasses Cookies on a plate
      Chewy Ginger Molasses Cookies
    • soft gingerbread cookies decorated for Christmas
      The Best Soft Gingerbread Cookies
    • gingerbread loaf cake on a white plate with candy cane.
      Gingerbread Loaf with Peppermint Cream Cheese Frosting
    • six mini gingerbread bundt cakes on a baking rack with red and white napkin
      Gingerbread Bundt Cakes

    Did you make this recipe? Don't forget to leave a 5-Star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 rating in the recipe card, and if you really loved it, please leave a comment further down on the page. Thank you!

    gingerbread cream cheese swiss roll dessert.

    Gingerbread Cream Cheese Roll

    5 from 7 votes
    Prep Time: 20 minutes mins
    Cook Time: 12 minutes mins
    Cooling Time: 1 hour hr 45 minutes mins
    Total Time: 2 hours hrs 17 minutes mins
    Recipe by Marlynn Schotland
    This elegant, delicious winter dessert is easy to make and sure to impress! Perfect for the holidays!
    Servings: 15 slices
    Calories: 150kcal
    PRINT PIN RATE

    Ingredients

    For the Gingerbread Sheet Cake

    • ¾ cup all-purpose flour
    • 1 teaspoon baking powder
    • ½ teaspoon baking soda
    • 3 large eggs
    • 1 cup granulated sugar
    • ⅓ cup molasses
    • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
    • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
    • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
    • ¼ teaspoon ground cloves

    For the Cream Cheese Filling

    • 1 8 ounce pkg cream cheese, room temperature
    • 1 stick butter ½ cup, room temperature
    • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 1 ¼ cup powdered sugar plus more for sprinkling

    Instructions

    • Preheat the oven to 350° degrees F. Completely cover a 17½”x 12-½” jellyroll pan with parchment paper.

    Make the Gingerbread Sheet Cake

    • In a stand mixer, beat the eggs, granulated sugar, molasses, and lemon juice until smooth.
    • In a separate large bowl, sift together the flour, salt, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves.
    • Mix the sifted dry ingredients in with the egg mixture and blend until fully combined. Using a spatula, spread the batter evenly into the prepared jellyroll pan. The batter will be runny and may seem thin, but remember it will bake up in the oven and you want a nice, thin, even cake that will roll up nicely. Just make sure there are no bare spots in the batter that you can see through.
    • Bake at 350°F for 12 to 14 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in the pan at room temperature for 5 minutes.
    • Prepare a sheet of parchment paper larger than the size of the baking sheet and sift a bit of powdered sugar over it.
    • Gently flip the cake over the prepared parchment paper so it lands in the middle. Roll the cake up in the parchment paper and cool in the refrigerator for about 45 minutes.

    Make the Cream Cheese Filling

    • In a stand mixer, mix together the powdered sugar, cream cheese, butter, and vanilla until smooth.

    Assemble the Roll

    • Remove the cake from the refrigerator and carefully unroll onto the countertop or table. Spread the cream cheese mixture on top of the cake. Gently re-roll the cake up and refrigerate for at least one hour before serving.
    • When you’re ready to serve, slice the cake and sift powdered sugar over the top.

    Notes

    Cream Cheese Filling Tip: if you find your filling mix to be too runny/liquidy, gradually add more powdered sugar by the tablespoonful, one at a time, until the mix reaches your desired consistency. It should be thick enough to sit stable in the roll and not run out of the roll, but not too thick that it's difficult to spread.
    Freezer Make-Ahead Tip: You can freeze the gingerbread cake sheet, rolled up in parchment paper and in a freezer-safe bag or container – without the cream cheese filling – for up to one month. When ready to continue making the roll, thaw out at room temperature until completely thawed out. Make the cream cheese filling and continue with the rest of the instructions.
    Refrigerator Make-Ahead Tip: You can make and assemble the cake and filling up to two days ahead of time. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap or parchment paper and keep refrigerated until you are ready to slice and serve!
    How to store leftovers: Refrigerate leftovers in plastic wrap or parchment paper in an airtight container for up to four days. 
    Tried this recipe?Please leave a star rating and comment! Then snap a pic of your dish and share it on social media. Tag @UrbanBlissLife and #UrbanBlissLife!

    Nutrition

    Calories: 150kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 33mg | Sodium: 159mg | Potassium: 133mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 29g | Vitamin A: 49IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 40mg | Iron: 1mg

    Nutrition information is a general estimate. Actual nutrition details may vary depending on the exact foods & brands you use to make this recipe. It does not take into account any substitutions, toppings, or optional ingredients.

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      Reader Interactions

      Comments

      1. Stephanie says

        December 24, 2022 at 3:09 am

        4 stars
        Lovely flavor of cake, however it hardly rose and led to a dense cake 🤔

        Reply
      2. Wendy says

        November 30, 2022 at 7:08 pm

        If I make this the day before serving should I keep the rolled cake in the refrigerator and add the cream filling the day I’m serving it?

        Also the recipe says pumpkin by the directions but the title of the recipe says gingerbread. Is it gingerbread? Planning to make this for Christmas! Thanks!

        Reply
        • Marlynn Jayme Schotland says

          November 30, 2022 at 7:19 pm

          5 stars
          Wendy, thank you for catching that! I edited it to say gingerbread :) I also added refrigeration tips. If you are making it the day before serving, go ahead and make and assemble the whole cake, then refrigerate. It's actually best if it chills fully assembled for a day or up to two days before serving. Let us know how it goes!

      3. Cathleen says

        November 27, 2021 at 6:04 am

        5 stars
        Wow, the swirl on this cake!! I need to make this over the holidays, bookmarked for later. Thanks so much for the recipe :)

        Reply
      4. Dannii says

        November 27, 2021 at 4:30 am

        5 stars
        This gingerbread roll looks stunning. I can't wait to give it a try with the kids.

        Reply
      5. stella says

        November 27, 2021 at 1:27 am

        5 stars
        How good this Gingerbread Cake Roll, I'll try your recipe in a gluten-free version.

        Reply
      6. Adrianne says

        November 26, 2021 at 11:05 pm

        5 stars
        This looks seriously amazing!! I admit they scare me a little bit also. But you have nail it and I want to dive right in. The presentation is perfect.

        Reply

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      Marlynn Jayme Schotland 2021 profile pic

      Hi! Thanks for stopping by! I'm Marlynn - a cookbook author, writer, photographer, and mom of two teenagers + a lovable lab retriever. Here you'll find my fast, easy, and delicious recipes, wine pairings, and travel guides. I hold a WSET 2 with Distinction in wine, and am a member of Society of American Travel Writers (SATW) and the International Food, Wine, and Travel Writers Association (IFWTWA).

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