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Gingerbread Swiss Cake Roll Recipe

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★★★★★

4.8 from 67 reviews

This Gingerbread Swiss Cake Roll offers a festive and flavorful twist on the classic Swiss roll. Moist gingerbread cake spiced with cinnamon, cloves, and ginger is rolled with a creamy, smooth cream cheese filling accented by crystallized ginger for a delightful texture and zing. Perfect for holiday gatherings, this elegant dessert balances warm spices and rich sweetness in each tender slice.

Ingredients

Scale

Cake

  • 3 eggs (separated and at room temperature)
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground cloves
  • ½ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ cup molasses
  • 1 tablespoon butter (melted)
  • ¼ cup sugar

Filling

  • 8 ounces cream cheese (softened)
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter
  • 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¼ cup minced crystallized ginger
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 ½ cup confectioners’ sugar

Garnish

  • Confectioners’ sugar for dusting
  • Gingerbread cookies (optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat Oven: Set your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit to properly warm up for baking the cake roll.
  2. Prepare Pan: Grease a 13x18x1-inch half-sheet baking pan and line the bottom with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
  3. Mix Dry Ingredients: In a bowl, whisk together the flour, ground cinnamon, cloves, ginger, baking soda, and salt until fully combined.
  4. Beat Egg Yolks: In a large bowl, beat the egg yolks on high speed for about 3 minutes until thickened, then blend in the molasses and melted butter thoroughly.
  5. Whip Egg Whites: In a clean bowl with clean beaters, beat the egg whites on medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually add the ¼ cup sugar one tablespoon at a time, beating on high after each addition to dissolve the sugar and create glossy, stiff peaks.
  6. Combine Mixtures: Gently fold the whipped egg whites into the yolk mixture, followed by folding in the dry flour mixture, to maintain airiness.
  7. Pour and Smooth Batter: Transfer the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top evenly with a spatula.
  8. Bake Cake: Bake for 9 to 12 minutes until the cake is set but still soft to the touch.
  9. Cool and Roll Cake: Let the cake cool 5 to 8 minutes, then invert it onto a tea towel lightly dusted with confectioners’ sugar. Remove the parchment paper and sprinkle more confectioners’ sugar over the cake. Carefully roll the cake in the towel starting from the short side and allow it to cool completely rolled up.
  10. Prepare Filling: Beat cream cheese, unsalted butter, vanilla extract, minced crystallized ginger, kosher salt, and confectioners’ sugar together until the filling is smooth and creamy.
  11. Unroll and Fill: Once cooled, gently unroll the cake, spread an even layer of the cream cheese filling over it, and then re-roll the cake tightly without the towel.
  12. Chill Cake: Wrap the roll with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve to set the filling.
  13. Garnish and Serve: Before serving, dust the roll with confectioners’ sugar and optionally decorate with gingerbread cookies. Slice with a sharp knife into even pieces. Refrigerate leftovers.

Notes

  • Room temperature eggs help achieve better volume when beaten.
  • Using parchment paper ensures easy removal of the delicate cake without cracking.
  • Folding in whipped egg whites gently is important to maintain the cake’s lightness.
  • Rolling the cake while warm prevents cracks and makes it easier to shape.
  • Chilling the cake roll helps the filling set and makes slicing cleaner.
  • You can substitute crystallized ginger with finely chopped candied ginger if unavailable.

Keywords: Gingerbread Swiss Roll, holiday dessert, cream cheese filling, spiced cake roll, Christmas cake roll, gingerbread cake

Find it online: https://ricoloranz.com/gingerbread-swiss-cake-roll-recipe/