Description
This Gingerbread Swiss Cake Roll is a festive holiday dessert featuring a light and spiced gingerbread cake rolled with a smooth and creamy ginger cream cheese filling. Perfectly balanced with warm spices like cinnamon, cloves, and ginger, this elegant cake roll is ideal for Christmas celebrations or any cozy winter gathering.
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
- Confectioners’ sugar (for dusting)
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 (optional)
- Gingerbread cookies
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pan: Begin by preheating your oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 13x18x1 half-sheet baking pan and line the bottom with parchment paper to ensure easy removal of the cake.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, ground cinnamon, ground cloves, ground ginger, baking soda, and kosher salt until well combined.
- Beat Egg Yolks and Molasses: In a large bowl, beat the egg yolks on high speed until thickened, about 3 minutes. Then add the molasses and melted butter, mixing until incorporated.
- Whip Egg Whites: In a separate clean bowl, 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 until the sugar dissolves and glossy peaks form.
- Combine Batters: Gently fold the whipped egg whites into the egg yolk mixture, then carefully fold in the dry flour and spice mixture until just combined, preserving the airy texture.
- Bake: Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top evenly with a spatula. Bake for 9 to 12 minutes or until the cake springs back slightly when touched.
- Cool and Roll: Let the cake cool for 5 to 8 minutes. Turn the cake out onto a tea towel lightly dusted with confectioners’ sugar, remove the parchment paper, and sprinkle the cake lightly with confectioners’ sugar. Carefully roll the cake inside the towel starting from the short edge to form a spiral. Allow it to cool completely while rolled.
- Prepare Filling: Beat together the softened cream cheese, unsalted butter, vanilla extract, minced crystallized ginger, kosher salt, and confectioners’ sugar in a bowl until smooth and creamy.
- Fill and Re-roll: Once the cake is fully cooled, gently unroll it and spread an even layer of the cream cheese filling over the surface. Roll it up again carefully without the towel.
- Chill and Serve: Place the rolled cake on a platter, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until ready to serve. Before serving, dust with confectioners’ sugar and garnish with gingerbread cookies if desired. Slice with a sharp knife into even pieces and keep any leftovers refrigerated.
Notes
- This cake roll is a wonderful alternative to the traditional yule log, offering vibrant gingerbread flavors combined with a luscious cream cheese filling perfect for the holiday season.
- Make sure the eggs are at room temperature to achieve the best volume when whipped.
- Rolling the cake while slightly warm helps prevent cracks, so don’t let it cool completely before rolling the first time.
- You can substitute crystallized ginger with finely chopped candied ginger or omit it for a more subtle flavor.
- Store leftover cake tightly wrapped in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 347 kcal
- Sugar: 39 g
- Sodium: 309 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 50 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 87 mg
