Christmas vanilla roll cake recipe (2024)

by Roxana 176 Comments

A simple vanilla roll cake with red and green dots and spirals of creamy buttercream is the perfect dessert for Christmas parties.

Christmas vanilla roll cake recipe (1)

This spiral cake has always caught my attention. Although it carries different names depending from country to country, I find roll cakes prettier than a layer cake. Plus, not to mention they are so much easier to make. My love for roll cake grew with every roulade (that’s how we call it in Romania) my mom made, mostly around the holidays.

Last year I made a gingerbread roll cake and few weeks ago I made a pumpkin roll cake. I wanted to make a new one for this Christmasbut I wasn’t sure what flavor to pick until I found the red & green batter bits. I knew right then I wanted a simple vanilla cake filled with creamy buttercream with lots and lots of Christmas sprinkles.

Christmas vanilla roll cake recipe (2)

If you’ve never made a roll cake, it’s time to change that. You should not be afraid, just follow few simple steps and in no time you’ll have the most beautiful swirl cake.The secret to roll cakes is beating the egg yolks until light yellow and thickened. That should take around 3 minutes on high-speed or around 5 on medium speed.

Tips for perfect roll cakes every single time!

The secret to the creamy buttercream is to whip the butter first before adding the powder sugar to it and whip on medium speed for 2 minutes once all the sugar is incorporated. Doing so, you’ll have a light buttercream way better than the store-bought ones.

Christmas vanilla roll cake recipe (3)

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Christmas vanilla roll cake recipe

Roxana

Yields one roll cake

A simple vanilla roll cake with red and green dots and spirals of creamy buttercream is the perfect dessert for Christmas parties.

15 minPrep Time

7 minCook Time

3 hrTotal Time

Christmas vanilla roll cake recipe (8)Save Recipe

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Ingredients

    Vanilla Roll Cake

  • 2 eggs
  • 3 egg yolks
  • 1/2 cup (100 grams) sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/3 cup (30 grams) sifted cake flour
  • 3 tablespoons (30 grams) cornstarch
  • 1/4 cup red & green Wilton batter bits or edible confetti
  • 2 egg whites
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • Vanilla Buttercream

  • 1 cup butter, room temperature
  • 3 cups (360 grams) powdered sugar
  • 3-4 tbsp red & green sprinkles
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1-3 teaspoons heavy cream
  • Decorations

  • 4 oz white chocolate
  • red & green sprinkles

Instructions

  1. Heat the oven to 450F.
  2. Line a 17X12 jelly/sheet pan with parchment paper . Set aside.
  3. In a mixing bowl add the 2 eggs, 3 egg yolks and 1/2 cup sugar. With the paddle attachment on, beat on medium to high speed around 5 minutes until pale in color and thickened. Add the vanilla extract and beat few more seconds.
  4. Sift the flour and the cornstarch over the egg yolks mixture and with a spatula gently fold it in.
  5. Fold in the batter bits as well.
  6. In a separate grease-free bowl, add the 2 egg whites and 1 tablespoon of sugar. With a whisk, whip until firm peaks form.
  7. With the spatula, fold the whipped egg whites into the egg yolks mixture.
  8. Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan, spread it evenly and bake for 6-7 minutes until golden brown and, when touched, it springs back.
  9. As soon as you remove the cake from the oven sprinkle with powder sugar and then invert the cake onto a clean dish towel. Remove the parchment paper, sprinkle with more powder sugar, and roll up the cake with the towel. Place on a wire rack to cool
  10. Vanilla buttercream

  11. In a clean bowl add the butter. With the whisk attached on to the the mixer whip the butter for 2-3 minutes on medium to high speed.
  12. Lower the speed and slowly add the sugar, 1/2 cup at a time.
  13. When all the sugar is incorporated increase the speed and whip for 2 more minutes.
  14. Add few drops of heavy cream until it reaches the consistency you desire.
  15. With a spatula fold in the sprinkles.
  16. Gently unroll the cake and spread the buttercream evenly all over it.
  17. Roll it again and place in the fridge for a couple of hours.
  18. To decorate, melt the white chocolate in double boiler or microwave and pour it over the cake. Add Add more sprinkles (optional)
  19. Let the chocolate settle for few minutes and slice the cake.

Notes

If you can't find the batter bits, you can use Christmas edible confetti instead. They will not bleed while baking the cake.

7.6.8

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Roxana Yawgel http://atreatsaffair.com/ All images and content are copyright protected. Please do not use my images without prior permission. If you want to republish this recipe, please re-write the recipe in your own words, or simply link back to this post for the recipe. Thank you.

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Roxana

Christmas vanilla roll cake recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is hidden in Christmas cake? ›

The hole in the center is usually filled with a variety of dried fruits and nuts. In Portugal, it is a popular tradition to include a fava bean in the cake. Whoever finds the fava bean in their slice is considered to have good luck for the coming year.

How to make a Swiss roll without cracking? ›

Starting with a short side of the cake, roll up the towel and the warm cake together into a spiral. Yes, the towel will be inside your baked cake roll. This step helps to form the cake roll shape later without any cracking. Roll to the end of the towel.

Which cake is traditionally made for Christmas? ›

The traditional Christmas cake derives from two Christian feast days: Twelfth Night and Easter. In the early days, the Christmas cake was actually a plum porridge which was created with the sole intention of lining the stomach. The classic Christmas plum cake has its origins in mediaeval England.

What's the difference between Christmas cake and fruit cake? ›

Christmas cakes are also commonly made with pudding while a fruit cake uses butter, however there are Christmas cake recipes that do contain butter. The traditional Scottish Christmas cake, also known as the Whisky Dundee, is very popular. It is a light crumbly cake with currants, raisins, cherries and Scotch whisky.

What is the cake that has Jesus in it? ›

Traditionally, a small porcelain baby, symbolizing Jesus, is hidden in the king cake and is a way for residents of Louisiana to celebrate their Christian faith. The baby symbolizes luck and prosperity to whoever finds it.

What does a Christmas cake girl mean? ›

In the 1980s, a woman unmarried by 25 was dismissed as "Christmas cake" — thrown out on Dec. 26. These days the big number is 31, and women unmarried by that age are "New Year's Eve noodles," noodles being a typical New Year's Eve dish.

Why is my roll cake breaking? ›

The cake was under-baked: The cake will be very moist and difficult to handle. With the whipped cream it may have too much moisture and will fall apart easily. The cake was over-baked: If over-baked the cake will be a lot drier and more prone to cracks. A crack in your roll can cause the swiss roll to fall apart.

Why is my roll cake sticky? ›

Sticky cake and cupcake tops are from a reaction with sugar and water. Sugars are hygroscopic, meaning they attract water. Within baked goods, sugars help maintain a moist and tender crumb. Sugar on the exposed tops, however, will grab water from humid air, creating a wet or sticky top.

Can you use a cookie sheet to make a jelly roll cake? ›

A jelly roll pan has one-inch rims, which makes it ideal for working with liquid batter or food that releases juices as they cook. A cookie sheet only has one raised rim (for ease of handling), so it's not great for working with liquids like the Dutch Oven is.

Why does my Swiss roll taste rubbery? ›

This happens when you are not gentle enough when folding the dry ingredients into the wet. A genoise sponge requires very gentle and slow folding. You need to preserve as much air in the batter as possible, otherwise it can become rubbery.

What is a substitute for a Swiss roll tin? ›

ive never used the specialty pan for swiss roll type cakes and we do them at work with just normal 1inch deep baking sheets on parchment. I use a baking sheet with a lip all the time and line it with parchment. It might cook faster, though i doubt it.

What's the difference between a fruit cake and a Christmas cake? ›

Christmas cakes are also commonly made with pudding while a fruit cake uses butter, however there are Christmas cake recipes that do contain butter. The traditional Scottish Christmas cake, also known as the Whisky Dundee, is very popular. It is a light crumbly cake with currants, raisins, cherries and Scotch whisky.

Is it too late to make a Christmas cake? ›

Of course not! With some people making their Christmas cakes in the early autumnal months, don't panic if you haven't started yours yet! This easy recipe means you still have time. We will be decorating ours to look like a Christmas Pudding.

What alcohol is good for Christmas cake? ›

You can use rum, brandy or whisky for spice, or if you like citrus flavours, try an orange liqueur. Cherry brandy and amaretto will also work well if you prefer these.

How much alcohol to soak fruit for Christmas cake? ›

How much alcohol do you soak fruit it for Christmas cake? The amount of alcohol you soak fruit in for Christmas cake depends on your personal preference. If you want a strong alcohol flavor, soak the fruit in a cup of brandy or rum. If you prefer a milder flavor, soak the fruit in a cup of orange juice or apple cider.

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