Carrot Cake Roll with Cream Cheese Filling (Easy & Impressive!)

Let me paint you a picture. It’s Easter Sunday. Your family’s gathered around the table. You walk out of the kitchen holding this — a perfectly rolled carrot cake with those gorgeous cream cheese swirls peeking out from every slice. The room goes quiet. Someone whispers, “Did you make that?” And you just smile and say, “Oh, this little thing?” 😏

Here’s the thing though — this Carrot Cake Roll is way less complicated than it looks. I know, I know. A cake roll sounds intimidating. Rolling a cake without it cracking? Sounds like a recipe for disaster. But I’ve broken it down into foolproof steps that’ll have you rolling like a pro on your very first try.

This recipe is everything I love about comfort food — warm spices, a tender crumb, and a cream cheese filling that’s rich without being over the top. It’s quick enough for a weeknight treat but impressive enough to bring to any gathering. Sound good? Let’s get into it.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• It looks fancy but it’s not. Seriously. If you can bake a sheet cake and roll a towel, you’ve got this. The swirl does all the heavy lifting for the wow factor.
• Warm, cozy spices in every bite. Cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger make this smell like a hug. Your kitchen is going to smell incredible while this bakes.
• That cream cheese filling though. Smooth, fluffy, perfectly sweet — it balances the spiced cake beautifully without being too heavy.
• Make-ahead friendly. This cake roll actually tastes BETTER the next day after chilling in the fridge. FYI — that’s a rare win in the dessert world.
• Crowd-pleaser every single time. Whether it’s Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas, or just a random Tuesday — this one disappears fast.
• Beginner-friendly steps. I’ve included tips to prevent cracking and make the rolling process stress-free. You’ve got this. 🙂

Ingredients

For the Carrot Cake

• 3 large eggs — room temperature. Cold eggs don’t incorporate as well into the batter. Pop them in warm water for 10 mins if you forgot to take them out.
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar — just the right amount of sweetness without going overboard.
• 1 tsp vanilla extract — pure vanilla, not imitation. You’ll taste the difference.
• 1 cup finely grated carrots — about 2 medium carrots. Freshly grated is the move here; pre-shredded bagged carrots are too chunky and dry.
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour — spoon it into the measuring cup and level off. Don’t scoop straight from the bag or you’ll pack too much in.
• 1 tsp baking powder — this is what gives your cake that lift.
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon — the MVP of carrot cake spices.
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg — warm and cozy. Don’t skip it.
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger — adds a gentle kick that pairs perfectly with the cream cheese.
• 1/4 tsp salt — balances out all the sweetness.
• Powdered sugar for dusting — this is for rolling the cake in a towel and preventing sticking. Don’t skip this step!

For the Cream Cheese Filling

• 8 oz cream cheese — softened to room temperature. This is non-negotiable. Cold cream cheese = lumpy filling. Nobody wants that.
• 1 cup powdered sugar — sifted for a smoother filling.
• 6 tbsp unsalted butter — softened. Same deal as the cream cheese — room temp only.
• 1 tsp vanilla extract — ties everything together beautifully.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Prep Your Pan & Oven

1. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a 10×15-inch jelly roll pan with parchment paper and lightly grease it. This is your most important prep step — don’t skip the parchment.
2. Lay out a clean kitchen towel and dust it generously with powdered sugar. This is where you’ll roll your cake immediately after baking, so have it ready before the cake goes in the oven.

Step 2: Make the Cake Batter

3. Beat eggs and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on high speed for about 3–4 minutes until pale, thick, and fluffy. This step adds air to the batter — key for a pliable cake.
4. Mix in vanilla and grated carrots on low speed until just combined.
5. Whisk together the dry ingredients — flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt — in a separate bowl. Slowly fold them into the wet ingredients. Don’t overmix or the cake gets tough.

Step 3: Bake It

6. Spread the batter evenly into your prepared pan. Use an offset spatula or the back of a spoon to get it into the corners — you want an even layer for even baking.
7. Bake for 13–15 minutes until the top springs back when lightly touched. Don’t overbake — a dry cake WILL crack when you roll it. Set your timer for 13 minutes and check from there.

Step 4: The Roll (Don’t Panic!)

8. Immediately flip the hot cake onto your powdered sugar dusted towel. Peel off the parchment paper carefully.
9. Roll the cake up in the towel starting from the short end. Roll it while it’s still hot — this trains it into shape and prevents cracking. Let it cool completely in the towel, about 30–45 minutes.

Step 5: Make the Cream Cheese Filling

10. Beat the softened cream cheese and butter together until smooth and fluffy — about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
11. Add sifted powdered sugar and vanilla and beat until silky smooth. Taste it. Try not to eat it all with a spoon. :/

Step 6: Assemble

12. Carefully unroll the cooled cake. Spread the cream cheese filling evenly across the surface, leaving about a 1/2-inch border around the edges.
13. Re-roll the cake without the towel this time. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (or overnight). This helps it hold its shape for clean slices.
14. Slice and serve! Trim the ends for that perfect swirl reveal, dust with a little powdered sugar, and watch people lose their minds. 🙂

Serving Suggestions

This Carrot Cake Roll is beautiful on its own, but here are a few ways to make it even more of a showstopper:

• Dust with powdered sugar right before serving for that clean, elegant look.
• Add a drizzle of caramel sauce over the slices — the warm caramel against the spiced cake is next level.
• Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side for a dessert that’s truly unforgettable.
• Garnish with chopped toasted pecans or walnuts on top if you want a little crunch (just note this adds nuts for any nut-free guests).
• Pair with a hot cup of chai or spiced tea — the flavors are a match made in heaven.

Storage Tips

• Refrigerator: Wrap the roll tightly in plastic wrap or store in an airtight container. It keeps well in the fridge for up to 5 days. Honestly, it tastes even better on day 2 — the filling sets and the flavors meld together beautifully.
• Freezer: This is a freezer-friendly dessert! Wrap the whole roll (or individual slices) in plastic wrap, then in foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before serving.
• Room Temperature: Because of the cream cheese filling, don’t leave this out at room temperature for more than 2 hours.
• Make-Ahead Tip: You can bake the cake and make the filling a day ahead, store separately, then assemble the next day. Works like a charm for holiday prep.

Let’s Wrap This Up (Pun Intended 😄)

There’s something special about a dessert that looks like it took forever but didn’t. This Carrot Cake Roll is that dessert. Warm spices, a pillowy soft cake, that dreamy cream cheese swirl — it checks every single box.

Whether you’re making this for Easter, a holiday gathering, or just because you want to treat yourself on a random Wednesday — you deserve this. And the people around your table? They definitely deserve this.

Give it a try and let me know how it turns out in the comments below! And hey — if you make it, tag me on Pinterest or Instagram. Nothing makes my day more than seeing your creations. Happy baking! 🥕

— Kip

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Carrot Cake Roll with Cream Cheese Filling (Easy & Impressive!)

Author: recipesbykip Cooking Method: Baking Cuisine: American Courses: Desert Recipe Keys: Freezer Meals Kids Quick Meals

Difficulty: Intermediate Prep Time 20 mins Cook Time 15 mins Rest Time 1 hr Total Time 1 hr 35 mins

Estimated Cost: $ 12

Best Season: Fall, Spring

Dietary:

D dairy N Nut Free (optional)

Description

A tender spiced carrot cake baked thin, rolled up with a fluffy cream cheese filling, and sliced into gorgeous swirls. Looks like you spent all day — takes about an hour.

Ingredients

Scale

1/2x 1x 2x 3x

For the Cake:

• 3 large eggs, room temperature
• ²⁄₃ cup granulated sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup finely grated carrots (~2 medium carrots)
• ³⁄₄ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• ¹⁄₂ tsp ground nutmeg
• ¹⁄₂ tsp ground ginger
• ¹⁄₄ tsp salt
• Powdered sugar for dusting

For the Cream Cheese Filling:

• 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
• 6 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Line and grease a 10x15-inch jelly roll pan. Dust a clean kitchen towel with powdered sugar.
2. Beat eggs and sugar until pale and fluffy, 3–4 minutes. Mix in vanilla and carrots.
3. Whisk dry ingredients together, then fold into wet ingredients. Do not overmix.
4. Spread batter evenly in pan. Bake 13–15 minutes until the top springs back when touched.
5. Immediately flip hot cake onto powdered sugar towel, peel off parchment, and roll up from the short end. Cool completely (~45 min).
6. Beat cream cheese and butter until fluffy. Add powdered sugar and vanilla. Beat until smooth.
7. Unroll cooled cake. Spread filling evenly. Re-roll without towel. Wrap in plastic, refrigerate 1 hour minimum.
8. Trim ends, dust with powdered sugar, slice, and serve!

Keywords: carrot cake roll, carrot cake roll recipe, easy carrot cake roll, cream cheese filling, Easter dessert, holiday dessert, carrot roll cake