Celebrate the holidays with a classic twist on a festive favorite! This Gingerbread Cake Roll made with Swans Down® Cake Flour is tender, spiced, and perfectly light, offering the ideal base for a luscious cream cheese whipped cream filling. With a simple vanilla syrup to keep it moist and a dusting of confectioners’ sugar for a snowy finish, this 16-inch cake roll brings warmth, flavor, and holiday cheer to any gathering. Perfect for sharing with loved ones or as a showstopping dessert centerpiece!
Gingerbread Cake Roll
Makes 1 (16-inch) cake
Ingredients
Cake
- 4 large eggs (200 grams), room temperature
- ½ cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons (12 grams) vanilla bean paste
- 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (141 grams) Swans Down® Cake Flour
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- 6 tablespoons (126 grams) unsulphured molasses
- ¼ cup (60 grams) sour cream, room temperature
- ¼ cup (56 grams) vegetable oil
- Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting
Vanilla Simple Syrup
- ¼ cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (60 grams) water
- 2 teaspoons (12 grams) vanilla bean paste
Cream Cheese Whipped Cream
- 1 cup (227 grams) cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup (60 grams) confectioners’ sugar
- 1 tablespoon (18 grams) vanilla bean paste
- 1½ cups (360 grams) cold heavy whipping cream
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Lightly spray bottom of a 17½ x 12½-inch rimmed baking sheet with baking spray with flour. Line pan with parchment paper; lightly spray parchment with baking spray with flour, using a pastry brush to evenly coat paper.
- For cake: In the heatproof bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together eggs, granulated sugar, and vanilla bean paste by hand. Place bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Cook, whisking constantly, until an instant-read thermometer registers 110°F (43°C).
- Carefully return bowl to stand mixer. Using the whisk attachment, beat at high speed until mixture is thick, tripled in volume, and ribbon-consistency, 3 to 4 minutes.
- In a medium bowl, sift together Swans Down® Cake Flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking powder, salt, baking soda, and cloves. Using a large balloon whisk, gently fold flour mixture into egg mixture in two additions just until combined.
- In a small bowl, whisk together molasses, sour cream, and oil; whisk 1 cup (112 grams) batter into molasses mixture until combined. Fold molasses mixture into remaining batter in two additions just until combined. Spread batter into prepared pan, smoothing with an offset spatula using as few strokes as possible.
- Bake until cake is set and top springs back when gently touched, 12 to 15 minutes. Immediately run a sharp knife around edges of pan to loosen cake. Heavily dust top of cake with confectioners’ sugar. Place a large clean tea towel on cake; place a large cutting board or pan on tea towel and invert. Remove pan, and gently peel parchment off cake. Heavily dust cake with confectioners’ sugar. Starting with one long side, roll up cake and towel together. Let cool completely, seam side down, on a wire rack.
- For vanilla simple syrup: In a small saucepan, bring granulated sugar and ¼ cup (60 grams) water to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla bean paste. Let cool completely.
- For cream cheese whipped cream: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat cream cheese, confectioners’ sugar, and vanilla bean paste at medium speed until smooth and well combined, 1 to 2 minutes, stopping to scrape whisk and bottom and sides of bowl. With mixer on medium-low speed, gradually add cold cream, beating just until combined; scrape whisk and bottom and sides of bowl. Gradually increase mixer speed to medium-high, and beat until thick and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
- Carefully unroll cake, and brush with syrup. Spread filling onto cake. Reroll cake without towel, and place, seam side down, on a serving plate. Garnish with confectioners’ sugar, if desired. Refrigerate in airtight container for up 3 days.
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