If you love carrot cake, this Carrot Cake Roll is for you, with loads of carrots, warm spices, and a classic cream cheese filling! Not only is it delicious to eat and beautiful to look at, but it’s also easy to make.

I have always loved carrot cake! There is something about the combination of warm spices and cream cheese frosting that goes so well together. Carrot cake is commonly served at Easter gatherings, but there is no reason you can’t have carrot cake year-round, especially when it’s this good!

I also love the simplicity of cake rolls, not to mention they are also pretty to look at. So, I set out to create a Carrot Cake Roll recipe that was moist and full of flavor while also being easy to make.

How to Make the Perfect Carrot Cake Roll:

Begin by preheating the oven to 375°F degrees. Then prepare the baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper, ensuring it goes up all the sides. Next, lightly spray with non-stick cooking spray. The parchment paper and cooking spray are important because you need the cake to come out cleanly. You do not want the cake to stick or tear.
Combine all the wet ingredients in a medium bowl and the dry ingredients in a separate bowl. Then mix everything together, stirring just until combined. Do not overmix! Fold in the grated carrots until evenly combined.
Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan and spread it into an even layer. Bake 13-15 minutes or until the center of the cake springs back when touched.

Now the Important Steps:

STEP 1: As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, you’ll want to flip it out of the pan. The easiest way I have discovered to do this is to take a large cutting board covered with parchment paper and place it on top of the cake in the pan (parchment paper down, so when you flip it, the cake is sitting on top of the parchment paper). Using oven mitts, flip the pan with the cake and the cutting board in one swift movement. If the parchment paper lining the baking sheet comes out with the cake, carefully peel it off the cake.

STEP 2: Immediately, while the cake is hot, roll the cake and the parchment paper into a tight roll, starting at the short end. It is critical that you roll the parchment paper with the cake; otherwise, as the cake cools, it will stick to itself, and you’ll never get it unrolled. Next, allow the rolled cake to cool completely on the counter. I usually allow for 2 hours for it to cool. If your cake hasn’t cooled completely, the filling will become runny and won’t hold its shape. So don’t rush the cooling step.

STEP 3: Once the cake has completely cooled, mix the filling ingredients – cream cheese, powdered sugar, butter, and vanilla with a handheld mixer. Beat until smooth. Next, carefully unroll the cake and discard the parchment paper. Don’t worry about getting the cake completely flat, just flat enough to spread the filling on the cake. Finally, spread an even layer of the filling over the cake.

STEP 4: Reroll the cake and wrap it in plastic wrap. Chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours.

To serve, sprinkle the cake with powdered sugar (optional) and cut it into one-inch-thick slices. Enjoy!

Check out my recipe for a delicious Pumpkin Roll.

The baking sheet that I use for my cake rolls.

Carrot Cake Roll

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Prep Time 30

Cook Time 15

Cooling Time 2

Total Time 2 45

Course Dessert

Servings slices

Equipment

17 inch baking sheet

Ingredients

For the Cake:

1 cup flour +2 tablespoons
1½ teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon ginger
½ teaspoon nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
⅓ cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs
1 cup brown sugar, packed
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups grated carrots

For the Filling

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
6 tablespoons butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

For the Cake:

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a 17-inch cookie sheet with parchment paper and lightly spray with non-stick cooking spray.
Cover a large cutting board with parchment paper and set it aside.
In a medium bowl, combine flour, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat the vegetable oil, eggs, brown sugar, and vanilla until thick.
Stir in flour mixture just until combined. Fold in the grated carrots.
Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan. Bake for 13 to 15 minutes, or until the top of the cake springs back when touched.
When you take the cake out of the oven, immediately turn the cake onto the parchment paper-covered cutting board. It's easiest to put the parchment paper and cutting board on top of the cake and flip them together in one swift movement. Then gently loosen and slowly peel off the parchment paper that was baked with the cake.
Immediately, while the cake is still hot, roll up the cake and the parchment paper together, starting at the narrow end. Cool completely on a wire cooling rack (about 2 hours).

For the Filling:

Once the cake is cool, prepare the filling. In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese, powdered sugar, butter, and vanilla extract until smooth.
Carefully and slowly unroll the cooled cake, removing and discarding the parchment paper.
Spread the cream cheese filling evenly over the cake. Reroll cake.
Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least two hours.
Dust with powdered sugar, cut into 1-inch thick slices, and serve.
Store the cake roll in the refrigerator, wrapped in plastic wrap for up to four days.