Gingerbread Swiss Cake Roll
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Whether you call it a swiss roll, cake roll, or yule log, this Gingerbread Swiss Cake Roll needs to be a must-make dessert this Christmas. Perfectly spiced and filled with ginger cream cheese frosting, there’s so much to love about this festive holiday dessert!
Gingerbread Swiss Cake Roll
I think I have a thing with rolled desserts. I’ve made several here on the blog and today I’m adding another to the list with this Gingerbread Swiss Cake Roll. This past fall I was thinking about my favorite pumpkin roll recipe and wondered if I could do something similar for the upcoming holiday season.
Well, that’s exactly what I did. I baked up a thin, light, and perfectly spiced gingerbread cake and then rolled it around ginger cream cheese icing. I could not be more pleased with the results.
I struggled with whether I wanted this to be a swiss cake roll or a yule log, so I decided to sort of combine the two and decorate it with homemade gingerbread cookie mushrooms. (Mushroom decorations are traditional for a yule log.)
I LOVE how they turned out. I suppose I inspired myself by the orange almond mushroom cookies I made a couple of Christmases ago.
Want more rolled cake recipes? Try these:
Why you’ll love this recipe:
Well, you know I love this recipe, and here’s why I think you will too.
- It’s relatively quick and easy to make. I have a hunch people think rolled cakes like this one are difficult, but once you get the hang of it, they’re pretty simple. The most important thing, which I explain below, is to roll up your cake shortly after it comes out of the oven. This will prevent cracking.
- The flavor is on point. If you like gingerbread, you’ll love this cake. I decided to fill it with the same cream cheese icing I used for my pumpkin roll with the addition of crystallized ginger pieces. So good!
- It’s wonderfully festive. This gingerbread swiss cake roll can be served all winter long. No need to just save it for the holidays.
Intrigued to give it a try? Let’s do it!
How to Make a Gingerbread Swiss Cake Roll:
I’ll walk you through the steps here. I’ve also provided a detailed ingredient list and instructions in the printable recipe card below.
- Begin by preheating your oven to 350 degrees F.
- Line the bottom of a greased 13x18X1 baking pan with parchment paper.
- In a bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, baking soda, and salt.
- In a large bowl, beat the egg yolks on high until thickened: about 3 minutes.
- Beat in the molasses and melted butter.
- In a different bowl, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form.
- Gradually add the sugar to the egg whites, 1 tablespoon at a time. Beat on high after each addition until the sugar is dissolved.
- Continue to beat to form glossy peaks.
- Fold this into the egg mixture. Then fold in the flour mixture.
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan. Smooth and level with a spatula.
- Bake for 9-12 minutes.
- Allow the cake to cool for about 5-8 minutes.
- Turn it out onto a tea towel sprinkled lightly with confectioners’ sugar.
- Remove the parchment paper. Sprinkle the cake lightly with confectioners’ sugar.
- Gently roll the cake inside the towel starting with the short side. Allow the rolled cake to cool completely.
- Prepare the filling by beating together the filling ingredients.
- Once the cake is cooled, unroll it, and spread it with an even layer of cream cheese filling.
- Roll the cake up and place it onto a platter.
- Sprinkle the roll with confectioners’ sugar and garnish with gingerbread cookies or a decoration of your choice.
That’s it! I know that seems like a lot of steps, but it’s pretty straightforward. The resulting gingerbread swiss cake roll will be the star of any holiday table.
Want some other tips and ideas for decorating? You’ve got it!
How to Decorate
I think everyone has their favorite ways to decorate a swiss cake roll or yule log. Here are some suggested ways you can make this cake a show-stopper.
- Confectioners’ Sugar – If cake decorating isn’t your forte, then this option is for you. A light sprinkle of confectioners’ sugar is a classic decoration. Just add confectioners’ sugar to a fine mesh sieve and give a shake over your swiss cake roll.
- White Chocolate Shards – Melt some white chocolate and spread it thinly onto wax paper. Then break it into thin long pieces and use them to add “bark” to your roll.
- Meringue Mushrooms – If you’re looking to get bonus points and want this to look more like a yule log, bake up some of these meringue mushrooms.
- Gingerbread Cookies – Since this cake is gingerbread, I opted for some gingerbread cookies. To keep it unique, I used mushroom cookie cutters (you can find them HERE). If you want to do the same, you can find my gingerbread cookie recipe HERE.
Frequently Asked Questions:
How do I prevent my cake from cracking when rolling?
Follow the directions I’ve shared above (and in the printable recipe card below). The most important thing is to roll up the cake while it’s still warm to prevent cracking.
Can a swiss cake roll be frozen?
You bet it can! I wrap mine in plastic and place it in an airtight freezer container. It can be stored for up to one month. I recommend adding the decoration after defrosting.
Can I use a different filling?
Of course. Use what you love. You could make buttercream icing and toss in some dried cranberries or do something lighter like homemade whipped cream. Make it your own.
It’s time to bake!
And with that, I think you’re ready to tackle this gingerbread swiss cake roll recipe. I know you’re going to love it!
Enjoy and happy holiday baking!
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Gingerbread Swiss Cake Roll
Ingredients
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
- confectioners’ 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
- gingerbread cookies to garnish optional
Instructions
- Begin by preheating your oven to 350 degrees F.
- Line the bottom of a greased 13x18X1 baking pan (half-sheet pan) with parchment paper.
- In a bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, baking soda, and salt.
- In a large bowl, beat the egg yolks on high until thickened: about 3 minutes. Then beat in the molasses and melted butter.
- In a separate bowl (with clean beaters), beat the egg whites on medium until soft peaks form. Gradually add the sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time. Beat on high after each addition until the sugar is dissolved. Continue to beat to form glossy peaks. Fold these whipped egg whites into the egg mixture. Then, also fold in the flour mixture.
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan. Smooth and level with a spatula.
- Bake for 9-12 minutes.
- Allow the cake to cool for about 5-8 minutes. Then turn it out onto a tea towel sprinkled lightly with confectioners’ sugar. Remove the parchment paper. Sprinkle the cake lightly with confectioners’ sugar. Gently roll the cake inside the towel starting with the short side. Allow the rolled cake to cool completely.
- In the meantime, prepare the filling by beating together the cream cheese, butter, vanilla extract, crystalized ginger, kosher salt, and confectioners’ sugar. Beat until smooth and creamy.
- Once the cake is cooled, unroll it, and spread it with an even layer of cream cheese filling. Then, roll the cake up (this time without the tea towel). Place the roll onto a platter, cover it with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Before serving, sprinkle the roll with confectioners’ sugar and garnish with gingerbread cookies or any decoration of your choice.
- To serve, use a sharp knife to cut the roll into even slices. Any leftovers should be refrigerated.
So good! Need to work on my technique a bit. But, tasted wonderful! For anyone who is GF. I used King Arthurs GF flour and it worked fine. I didn’t have any crystalized ginger. But, the frosting was excellent without it.
I will forever be astounded by your creativity. This is just breathtaking. And I LOVE that there is now a winter / holiday version of a pumpkin roll!
You made my day Michelle! Thank you!!
xo Michael
So fun and festive! Love cake rolls and these mushroom cookies are too cute!🙌
I love all things gingerbread-flavored and I have fond memories of my mom making Swiss roll cakes. I’ve made a few before and I think the appeal is that they look fancy without being hard to make. And how cute are your gingerbread mushroom-shaped cookies! Now I need to find a mushroom cookie cutter! Trying this soon!