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Christmas vanilla roll cake

November 24, 2013 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.

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

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 Christmas but 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.  

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

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

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

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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

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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
492
http://atreatsaffair.com/christmas-vanilla-roll-cake-recipe/
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.

Sending love your way,

Roxana

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Filed Under: Christmas, Cupcakes and Cakes, Recipe Tagged With: buttercream, cake, cake flour, Christmas, holiday, Land O'Lakes, roll cake, Roll Cakes, sprinkles, vanilla, Vanilla Cake

About Roxana

Roxana has a passion for all things food, a sweet tooth that can’t be tamed and a severe case of the wanderlust
With an audience in search for real food and no fuss recipes, I make midweek meals exciting sharing approachable recipes, both sweet and savory, that taste completely sinful.

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Comments

  1. Marta @ What Should I eat for breakfast today says

    November 24, 2013 at 1:24 pm

    I ma not sure if this one is for me, but I surly love the way it looks.
    Reply
  2. Kayle (The Cooking Actress) says

    November 24, 2013 at 2:27 pm

    so tasty so pretty so festive!!!
    Reply
  3. Laura @ Lauras Baking Talent says

    November 24, 2013 at 2:47 pm

    This cake roll looks amazing :) Looks yummy and elegant.
    Reply
  4. Krista says

    November 24, 2013 at 6:46 pm

    Yum! This sounds delish!
    Reply
  5. Julianne @ Beyond Frosing says

    November 24, 2013 at 8:00 pm

    This vanilla cake roll looks perfect! I have never tried a cake roll but they look so insane!
    Reply
  6. Terri C says

    November 24, 2013 at 9:54 pm

    This looks so good, love white cake! May have to try the gingerbread cake roll too!
    Reply
  7. amiliaya says

    November 25, 2013 at 3:53 am

    Thank for sharing the recipe...... will try to make this yummy cake roll.
    Reply
  8. tanya says

    November 25, 2013 at 8:58 am

    This is simply gorgeous Roxanna! I'm so used to seeing the traditional chocolate roll. This is such a nice change!
    Reply
    • CHARMIN WARNER says

      November 28, 2014 at 9:21 pm

      WHAT IS WILTON BATTER
      Reply
      • Roxana says

        December 4, 2014 at 9:21 pm

        Hi Charmin, batter bits are similar to sprinkles but they don't bleed out during baking. If you can't find them you can use red and green sprinkles. Roxana
        Reply
        • Teri says

          December 8, 2014 at 6:51 pm

          Where do you find the recipe for the Christmas vanilla roll cake? I don't see a link. Could you send it to me?
          Reply
          • Roxana says

            December 9, 2014 at 9:54 am

            Hi Teri, the recipe is shown at the bottom of the page.
        • Angela Glover says

          November 3, 2015 at 11:13 pm

          The batter bits look like the colored nonpareils that I use in baking. Am I wrong?
          Reply
          • Roxana says

            November 4, 2015 at 6:01 am

            Hi Angela, I don't know if Wilton will bring again this year the batter bits, but you can use edible confetti instead of any sprinkles that do not bleed out while baking. Roxana
  9. Kim Haithcock says

    November 25, 2013 at 11:03 am

    Can someone please tell me what and where you can get the red & green baking bites? Thanks, Kim
    Reply
    • Roxana says

      November 25, 2013 at 11:29 am

      Hi Kim, You can find them at WalMart. Wilton Baking Bites
      Reply
    • Chris says

      November 30, 2014 at 9:58 am

      I use waxed paper or parchment paper to roll the cake.
      Reply
      • Roxana says

        November 30, 2014 at 8:03 pm

        Hi Chris, to roll the cake, one baked it's best to use a clean tea towel. Make sure the towel lis covered with powder sugar so the cake doesn't stick to it.
        Reply
  10. Cynthia says

    November 25, 2013 at 11:50 am

    When the directions say, "roll up the cake with the towel," does that mean the towel stays with the cake roll? Or are you using the towel to roll up the cake? I have never made a cake roll and wanted to try it but being a retired English teacher...well, you understand. lol Thanks for sharing this recipe!
    Reply
    • Roxana says

      November 25, 2013 at 12:43 pm

      Hi Cynthia, Yes, You roll the cake with the towel. Also, make sure you cover the towel with powder sugar, otherwise the cake sticks to the towel and you won't be able to unroll it in one piece.
      Reply
      • Cynthia says

        November 26, 2013 at 12:12 am

        Thank you so much! :-)
        Reply
    • bobbi says

      November 15, 2014 at 6:48 pm

      I don't use a towel. I use wax paper and sprinkle powdered sugar on the wax paper.
      Reply
  11. Joyce Roth says

    November 25, 2013 at 1:15 pm

    This looks so yummy. Could you tell me what red and green baking bites are? Is it what you decorate sugar cookies with? Or is it mini M&Ms?
    Reply
    • Roxana says

      November 25, 2013 at 1:35 pm

      Hi Joyce, Here's the link to Wilton website. I got mine from WalMart http://www.wilton.com/store/site/product.cfm?sku=pg_colorburst-bits
      Reply
      • Wendy says

        November 24, 2014 at 5:24 pm

        I am wanting to make this but I can't find the batter bits anywhere. Does anyone have any suggestions on anything else that could be used?
        Reply
        • Roxana says

          November 26, 2014 at 8:42 am

          Hi Wendy, My local Walmart carries them all the time. You may wanna check Michaels also. Thanks, Roxana
          Reply
          • Deanna says

            December 7, 2014 at 1:43 pm

            Just an FYI Wilton does not sell them in Walmart anymore. At least in Michigan Better off getting them online. An order WAY before Christmas. I'm gonna try something else just don't use sprinkles because they will bleed in the cake looking messy
          • Roxana says

            December 8, 2014 at 7:31 am

            Thanks for the tip about confetti, Deanna!
          • Deanna says

            December 7, 2014 at 5:03 pm

            I used red n green edible confetti instead of baking bit and they didnt bleed like the regular sprinkles would and the frosting is AWESOME. My cake looks festive and yummy
  12. Maggie Carrico says

    November 25, 2013 at 1:28 pm

    What are baking bites I have never heard of them before?
    Reply
    • Roxana says

      November 25, 2013 at 1:35 pm

      Hi Maggie Here's the link to Wilton website. I got mine from WalMart http://www.wilton.com/store/site/product.cfm?sku=pg_colorburst-bits
      Reply
  13. Linda H says

    November 25, 2013 at 3:28 pm

    I don"t have a fancy mixer. When the recipe says to use the whisk or paddle attachment can I just use my plain old hand held mixer and get the same results? I really want to make this but want it to turn out right. Thank you
    Reply
    • Roxana says

      November 26, 2013 at 8:02 am

      Hi Linda, If you only have a hand mixer, check to see if it comes with different attachments. My hand mixer comes with hooks for dough, paddles for batters and a whisk. If you have one like mine, you can still use it, just beat the egg yolks for more than 3 minutes. Beat them until thickened and pale in color.
      Reply
    • Renee says

      December 15, 2013 at 10:42 am

      I cant say if the plain hand mixer will work for this recipe. But in the past when recipes call for fancy attachments I have used my own normal mixer and have had everything come out just fine.
      Reply
      • Roxana says

        December 15, 2013 at 10:06 pm

        Hi Renee, A hand mixer will work just as well. Just make sure you beat the egg yolks until thickened and the egg whites until firm picks. Remember not to overbake the cake Roxana
        Reply
  14. Kristy says

    November 25, 2013 at 3:50 pm

    This looks gorgeous and delicious! #client
    Reply
  15. Katrina @ In Katrina's Kitchen says

    November 25, 2013 at 9:25 pm

    Seriously one of my most favorite Christmas treats :) And yours is adorable!
    Reply
  16. Stacy | Wicked Good Kitchen says

    November 25, 2013 at 10:06 pm

    Roll cakes are definitely fun and so pretty! Never heard of batter bits before and they definitely make your cake look festive for Christmas. Thank you for sharing, Roxy!
    Reply
  17. Kayla Hitchcock says

    November 26, 2013 at 3:14 am

    This is probably a totally blonde question... especially from a redhead, lol... but is that 2 whole eggs PLUS 3 egg yolks... or 2 whole eggs and an extra egg yolk without the eggwhite?
    Reply
    • Roxana says

      November 26, 2013 at 7:55 am

      Hi Kayla, It's not a silly question. You'll need 2 whole eggs plus 3 other egg yolks. (as in 5 eggs but you don't use all the egg whites)
      Reply
  18. Ani says

    November 26, 2013 at 4:57 am

    Hi Roxana, this roll looks so beautiful and colorfull, thank you for the recipe. I like very much your blog. Please visit mine too :) Best regards, Ani
    Reply
  19. Emily @ Life on Food says

    November 26, 2013 at 6:39 am

    I think this year I am going to tackle a cake roll this year. They are so pretty. I love the festive sprinkles.
    Reply
  20. Judy says

    November 26, 2013 at 11:08 am

    Can you use sprinkles in the batter instead of the bites
    Reply
    • Roxana says

      November 26, 2013 at 11:30 am

      I'm pretty sure you can!
      Reply
  21. Cheryl Newton says

    November 28, 2013 at 1:43 pm

    This recipe is going to get me to make my first roll cake ever! But first, 1 question: when does the vanilla get added for the frosting? With the butter before it gets whipped? Thanks, Cheryl
    Reply
    • Roxana says

      November 29, 2013 at 3:04 pm

      Oops, sorry about that. Thanks for catching my mistake. The vanilla is added after the sugar is all incorporated. Just before you add few drops of heavy cream
      Reply
  22. Karen says

    November 30, 2013 at 11:46 am

    What type of towel do you use that doesn't leave any lint on the cake? Thanks :)
    Reply
    • Roxana says

      December 1, 2013 at 12:25 pm

      Hi Karen, Just a regular tea towel. Nothing special
      Reply
  23. Linda says

    November 30, 2013 at 8:54 pm

    Looks delicious, gonna make it for CHRISTMAS. ty Hope you have a fantastic day. :)
    Reply
    • Linda says

      November 30, 2013 at 9:08 pm

      Looks delicious, gonna make it for Christmas, ty :)
      Reply
  24. Linda says

    November 30, 2013 at 9:25 pm

    These look amazing , my husband loves coconut and I know he would love these, so gonna try these for Christmas also ty again. :)
    Reply
  25. Jen M O says

    December 1, 2013 at 12:15 pm

    This cake looks fantastic. I am definitely going to have to make this cake.
    Reply
  26. BarbaraMcG54 says

    December 1, 2013 at 9:23 pm

    Do you roll this from the long side or the short?
    Reply
    • Roxana says

      December 1, 2013 at 9:59 pm

      Hi Barbara I roll the cake on the long side, this way it’s not too thick when filled with cream.
      Reply
  27. Karly says

    December 1, 2013 at 9:26 pm

    This is so pretty and perfect for the holidays! Thanks for linking up with What's Cookin' Wednesday!
    Reply
  28. dolly votruba says

    December 1, 2013 at 9:33 pm

    Definitely going to make this! Please tell me if you roll the short side or the long side ? Thank you!
    Reply
    • Roxana says

      December 1, 2013 at 9:58 pm

      Hi Dolly, I roll the cake on the long side, this way it's not too thick when filled with cream.
      Reply
  29. Ginger says

    December 2, 2013 at 10:08 am

    Can this cake be made ahead of time and frozen?
    Reply
    • Roxana says

      December 2, 2013 at 3:00 pm

      As long as you roll it tight in plastic wrap and then in a freezer bag, you can make it ahead and freeze. Take it out the night before and leave it in the refrigerator
      Reply
  30. Chris Wood says

    December 2, 2013 at 12:22 pm

    Can u freeze it?
    Reply
    • Roxana says

      December 2, 2013 at 3:01 pm

      As long as you roll it tight in plastic wrap and place it in a freezer bag, you can make it ahead and freeze. Take it out the night before and leave it in the refrigerator
      Reply
  31. Suzanne says

    December 2, 2013 at 1:47 pm

    So pretty Roxana, I do love how a cake roll looks, they are yummy to eat as well. Your vanilla version is just as tantalizing as a chocolate one would be to me.
    Reply
  32. Carla says

    December 2, 2013 at 2:55 pm

    Looks great, I've seen the pumpkin roll this past Thanksgiving and this one looks even better. So regarding one of the above questions, after you unroll the cake and frost it, you leave the towel out and roll up the cake by hand?
    Reply
    • Roxana says

      December 2, 2013 at 5:20 pm

      Hi Carla, Once you frost the cake you roll it with your hands, leaving the towel out.
      Reply
  33. Theresa says

    December 2, 2013 at 4:14 pm

    Can't wait to try this roll cake!!!
    Reply
  34. Brittany Spurlock says

    December 3, 2013 at 3:24 pm

    Why does it say 3 hours for the total time? 15 minutes plus 7 minutes is 22 minutes. I'm just curious. Can't wait to make this. It looks delicious!!!!
    Reply
    • Roxana says

      December 3, 2013 at 6:44 pm

      Hi Brittany, You need to let the cake cool before adding the buttercream to it, plus chill it for a while before slicing. If you take that time in consideration, you end up with 3 or more hours.
      Reply
  35. TidyMom says

    December 3, 2013 at 5:29 pm

    This looks fabulous and so festive Roxana!
    Reply
  36. Mary says

    December 6, 2013 at 9:29 pm

    Could you use cream cheese icing?
    Reply
    • Roxana says

      December 6, 2013 at 9:45 pm

      Yes, you can!
      Reply
  37. Annabelle says

    December 7, 2013 at 9:37 am

    Did I miss if you mentioned using salted or unsalted butter? When you ate the cake roll, did the little bits soften up at all or werethey crunchy? It is a stunning cake. Will definitely make.
    Reply
    • Annabelle says

      December 7, 2013 at 9:41 am

      Woops.....forget the question. I just noticed there is NO SALT in the recipe. woops.
      Reply
    • Roxana says

      December 7, 2013 at 8:32 pm

      Hi Annabelle, I rarely use salted butter in my recipes. The colored bits pretty much melt, they are not crunchy or anything. Yes, there's no salt needed to make this cake. I usually add salt only to some chocolate or caramel recipes.
      Reply
  38. Jerri says

    December 7, 2013 at 6:08 pm

    The recipe calls for cake flour, is that the same as self rising flour? (first time trying a cake from scratch)
    Reply
    • Roxana says

      December 7, 2013 at 8:28 pm

      Hi Jerri, Cake flour is different from self rising flour. It's much finer and it contains some cornstarch in it.
      Reply
  39. Susanna says

    December 7, 2013 at 9:46 pm

    Looks amazing. Vanilla is my favorite.
    Reply
  40. Lisa Howell says

    December 8, 2013 at 11:12 am

    I love vanilla cakes & my little boy loves anything with colorful sprinkles. Looks gorgeous! Can't wait to try making it.
    Reply
  41. Nancy says

    December 9, 2013 at 8:59 am

    Can I use all purpose flour instead of cake flour? I'm excited to try this for our Sunday school Christmas party!
    Reply
    • Roxana says

      December 9, 2013 at 10:13 am

      Hi Nancy, If you do not have cake flour on hand and don't feel like buying some just for this cake, you can make your own. Follow Joy's recipe http://joythebaker.com/2009/09/how-to-make-cake-flour/ Happy Baking
      Reply
  42. Denise says

    December 11, 2013 at 2:01 pm

    What is a jelly pan? Can I use any sheet pan?
    Reply
    • Roxana says

      December 11, 2013 at 7:40 pm

      Hi Denise, A jelly pan is a sheet pan with sides, usually between 1/2 to 1 inch deep. Make sure the pan you're using is 17X12 or your cake will turn out too thick or too thin. Roxana
      Reply
  43. jen mellott says

    December 12, 2013 at 1:28 pm

    Do you haft to use land olakes butter
    Reply
    • Roxana says

      December 12, 2013 at 7:58 pm

      You don't have to, but that's what I used :)
      Reply
  44. Bridget says

    December 12, 2013 at 6:55 pm

    Can you use a regular cake mix ( Betty Crocker / Duncan Hines)? Can you also use white vanilla too? Btw the blog and site is great.
    Reply
    • Roxana says

      December 12, 2013 at 8:26 pm

      Hi Bridget, You can not use a cake mix to make this vanilla roll. The cake has a sponge consistency. Using a cake mix, not only you'll waste your time but the ingredients as well. Thanks Roxana
      Reply
      • Kari says

        December 14, 2013 at 7:35 pm

        What can i use to replace the batter bites?
        Reply
        • Roxana says

          December 14, 2013 at 10:11 pm

          You could use holiday sprinkles Roxana
          Reply
  45. Brittany Yarbrough says

    December 13, 2013 at 7:21 pm

    My mom and I just made this! Its delicious!!! But the second direction says 17" x 12" jelly pan. I think you need to change that to a cake pan?? We put it in the jelly pan and in the oven it went, then realized how are we gonna roll it up?yMy mom said its suppose to be in a cake pan!!! So we had to take it out and transfer it. Big mess! And it's definitely a 2 person job! Lol!!!
    Reply
    • Roxana says

      December 16, 2013 at 8:36 am

      Hi Brittany, I'm sorry to say this, but your mom is wrong. A 17X12" jelly/ sheet pan is needed to make this cake, not a regular cake pan. And if you have trouble with your rolling, here's a how-to video from Martha Stewart http://www.marthastewart.com/964928/how-form-jelly-roll#964923 Happy baking, Roxana
      Reply
  46. Wendy Robichaux says

    December 14, 2013 at 10:58 pm

    I love to bake and try new recipes, but I've never made a roll cake. This one looks amazing! My husband saw it posted on Facebook and made a special request :) I've got everything together to make it tomorrow. Can't wait! Oh, and I found the batter bits at Michael's.
    Reply
  47. alyssa says

    December 15, 2013 at 9:55 am

    When I made my pumpkin roll for thanksgiving it didn't want to roll and the cake broke so I basically had a pumpkin layer mess... what did I do wrong?? I don't want the same thing to happen when I try to make this one... it looks so yummy!
    Reply
    • Roxana says

      December 16, 2013 at 8:34 am

      Hi Alyssa, The cake should be really easy to roll unless you overbake it or leave it to cool once it's out of the oven. You have to have to have your towel ready when the baking time is up and roll the cake immediately. Here's a how-to video by Martha Stewart you might find helpful next time http://www.marthastewart.com/964928/how-form-jelly-roll#964923
      Reply
  48. Brittany Yarbrough says

    December 20, 2013 at 9:45 pm

    Hello again! Well maybe you need to rephrase that as sheet pan. :) we are making it again for Christmas. That was our tester. And we will use a SHEET PAN!
    Reply
    • James says

      November 11, 2014 at 11:47 pm

      I am not exactly sure what you be considering to be a jelly pan, but usually a jelly pan is a sheet pan with sides about 1in to 1/2 in tall. Parchment paper lining the bottom miss the cake not stick, and flipping the pan over onto a towel as SOON as it's out of the oven is the best way to do this. Made MANY, MANY cake rolls around the holidays in my Culinary class' restaurant.
      Reply
      • Roxana says

        November 13, 2014 at 7:22 am

        Hi James, Yes, that's what I consider a jelly pan. A sheet pan about 1 inch deep. You're right, flipping and immediately rolling the cake is the key to a successful roll cake.
        Reply
  49. Linda says

    December 22, 2013 at 7:32 am

    Just wondering about the batter bits - is it 1/4 cup each of the red and green or is it a total of 1/4 cup? Thanks!
    Reply
    • Roxana says

      December 22, 2013 at 9:00 am

      Hi Linda, I used 1/4 cup batter bits. About 2 tablespoons of each. Happy Holidays,
      Reply
      • michelle says

        December 22, 2013 at 3:22 pm

        It says so many eggs then so many egg whites then it says more egg hooks at the end of the recipe do I need all those mentioned??
        Reply
        • Roxana says

          December 23, 2013 at 9:31 am

          Michelle, The recipe calls for 2 whole eggs, 3 egg yolks and 2 egg whites. The whole eggs and the yolks are creamed till thickened while the egg whites are whisked so they incorporate air into the cake batter.
          Reply
  50. Jennie @themessybakerblog says

    December 22, 2013 at 6:10 pm

    So much goodness. Yum! Pinning.
    Reply
  51. Cynthia Carneal says

    December 23, 2013 at 12:13 pm

    I made this cake roll over the weekend. It turned ot pretty, but thought the filling was too sweet and sugary. Think it would be better with a cream cheese whip cream type filling. Also the amount of white chocolate needed to cover the roll is wrong. It needs much more than the stated amount called for in this recipe. Beautiful cake for the holidays though.
    Reply
    • Terri says

      December 31, 2014 at 11:15 am

      I have to agree. I made it for Christmas Eve dinner and although it was beautiful, it was way too sweet - even for my sweet-tooth hubby. I also had to use much more white chocolate then what was called for in the recipe. I don't think I'll make this again because of the sweetness factor but it was very pretty sitting on my serving tray.
      Reply
  52. Lashes and Dashes says

    December 23, 2013 at 2:15 pm

    This recipe looks wonderful! I also made a Christmas Roll and would love for you to check it out! The link is http://lashesanddashes.wordpress.com/2013/12/15/peppermint-roll/ Thanks!
    Reply
  53. Maria-Fernanda says

    December 24, 2013 at 5:16 pm

    Greetings from Chile! This is just perfect! I baked my first roll cake with this recipe this afternoon and it looks delicious! I changed a few things to make it brown and I didn't use batter bits cause we don't have in Chile but it turned out just fine. Thank you very much for charing this recipe :) Merry Christmas!
    Reply
  54. Joya says

    December 24, 2013 at 5:44 pm

    Making this tonight for Christmas! :) Thank you! I had to laugh, though. It says "Prep time: 15 minutes. Cook time: 7 minutes. TOTAL time: 3 hours??? lol Merry Christmas!
    Reply
    • Roxana says

      December 25, 2013 at 4:31 pm

      Hi Joya, I try to include the resting/cooling time as well so you know how long it will take from start to finish
      Reply
      • Joya says

        December 26, 2013 at 7:21 pm

        Lol I was only teasing. I made it and it was out of this world, good! Although, I didn't realize I was out of both almond AND vanilla... geesh, lol. So, I used butter extract in place of those (but only 1/2 tsp) and WOW. Yum! Absolutely delicious! Thank you, again, for this recipe! Sure to be a favorite year round!
        Reply
  55. Jeanette says

    December 27, 2013 at 11:20 pm

    I wasn't too sure I could pull this one off as I've never made a cake like this before. I did it though! Thanks so much for sharing - I'm excited to share it with my family tomorrow. :)
    Reply
  56. Michelle says

    February 1, 2014 at 9:18 pm

    Not exactly sure what I did wrong but I (finally) got around to making this roll cake tonight and it turned out terrible! The cake tasted like eggs, it was very firm and heavy. I also had an issue with the pan size. (I measured to make sure it was 17x12.) when I poured the batter in there was hardly enough to make a thin layer. I transferred it to a smaller pan (maybe that's where I went wrong?) at any rate, the cake didn't taste like cake at all, just sweetened eggs. The icing was absolutely delicious though!!
    Reply
    • Roxana says

      February 2, 2014 at 4:41 pm

      Hi Michelle, So sorry to hear the cake didn't turn out as you hoped it would. The cake is made for a 17X12" pan and yes, the batter is a very thin layer, hardly covering the entire pan but while it bakes it puffs up during baking. It's definitely not firm and heavy since air has been incorporated into the batter when beating then eggs until thickened and when whipping the egg whites.
      Reply
  57. Mary says

    March 17, 2014 at 9:51 am

    Made this today using just green bits for St. Patrick's Day. Looks great. My family will love it this evening. I started to make it for Valentine's Day using all red, but I saved it for today because it is so hard to find pretty ideas for St. Patrick's Day. Thanks!
    Reply
  58. Margina Combess says

    November 9, 2014 at 12:20 pm

    Do you have to use land o lake butter
    Reply
    • Roxana says

      November 9, 2014 at 2:38 pm

      No, you can use your favorite butter brand
      Reply
  59. Stacy says

    November 10, 2014 at 2:12 pm

    Ive never made a roll cake before, but this looks very festive and am going to try to make this one for our Christmas party. Just hoping it turns out as great as the picture.
    Reply
  60. Cynthia says

    November 11, 2014 at 6:46 pm

    This looks super yummy and very festive. I'm not very good at making frostings or fillings though. Is there a way to modify the recipe to make it a cream cheese filling. That's my fav.
    Reply
    • Roxana says

      November 12, 2014 at 9:11 pm

      Hi Cynthia, Yes, you can use your favorite cream cheese frosting instead of the buttercream.
      Reply
  61. Shannon says

    November 13, 2014 at 6:04 am

    What would be your secret to help keep the cake from falling apart when you try to roll it up? I've had trouble with this in the past #epicfailonceagain
    Reply
    • Roxana says

      November 13, 2014 at 7:18 am

      Hi Shannon, The secret is to work fast. You must roll the cake as soon as you take it out of the oven and leave it rolled with the towel until completely cooled.
      Reply
  62. bonnie westbrook says

    November 13, 2014 at 8:23 pm

    How do I get the recipe for white rolled cake??
    Reply
    • Roxana says

      November 14, 2014 at 11:22 pm

      Hi Bonnie, The recipe is found at the bottom of the post in the recipe form
      Reply
  63. Sarah says

    November 14, 2014 at 8:38 am

    I baked it at 450 for 7 minutes and my bottom burned. Should it be 350?
    Reply
    • Roxana says

      November 14, 2014 at 11:24 pm

      Hi Sarah, I'm sorry to hear that. The cake is baked at a high temperature since it needs to rise very quickly. I don't know why yours burned after 7 minutes, maybe your oven temperature if higher than it reads.
      Reply
  64. Carol says

    November 14, 2014 at 10:21 am

    Do you have a how to video for the rolling of the cake? I've never made a rolled cake & would love to make this for Christmas!
    Reply
    • Roxana says

      November 14, 2014 at 11:21 pm

      Hi Carol, I do not have a video of me making a roll cake, but here's one from Martha Stewart http://www.marthastewart.com/964928/how-form-jelly-roll#964928
      Reply
  65. Kelly T. says

    November 15, 2014 at 9:47 am

    My apologies if this has been answered in the many comments, but do you think it would work to substitute peppermint extract for the vanilla?
    Reply
    • Roxana says

      November 16, 2014 at 6:24 am

      Of course you can. Or any other flavorings you like
      Reply
  66. Kelly+T. says

    November 15, 2014 at 10:18 am

    Would you be able to substitute peppermint extract for the vanilla?
    Reply
    • Roxana says

      November 16, 2014 at 6:23 am

      of course you can
      Reply
  67. Elizabeth J. says

    November 16, 2014 at 7:44 am

    I never comment on recipes but I had to on this one. This is amazing! My oldest kids helped me make this last night and it was a lot of fun and turned out amazing. The cake so good and the icing is perfection. Thank you for the awesome recipe. We will be making this for our Christmas parties.
    Reply
  68. Rob Freeman says

    November 16, 2014 at 9:51 pm

    I have been getting into baking in the past few years and I am always looking for something new to try. I saw this was posted on my facebook page, and I thought to myself, If I can make a 4D monster truck cake I should be able to make this. I got everything you listed for ingredients and made only one slight change. I used my butter cream recipe, and after making it and letting it sit for a little while my son and I both had a piece and let me tell you it was fabulous. Thank you for posting this wonderful recipe. I am looking at your facebook page and getting other ideas. Thank you again.
    Reply
  69. Midori says

    November 16, 2014 at 10:21 pm

    This looks so good! I wish I could make it, but I am very allergic to cornstarch. Could I skip adding it?
    Reply
    • Roxana says

      November 17, 2014 at 5:16 am

      Hi Midori, You can use potato or rice starch to replace the cornstarch or just use cake flour (I hope you know cake flour has some cornstarch in it) Roxana
      Reply
  70. doreen says

    November 21, 2014 at 10:54 pm

    I can't get the roll part of the cake to come out any advice.
    Reply
    • Roxana says

      November 26, 2014 at 4:08 pm

      Hi Doreen, I'm sorry to hear you're having trouble with this roll cake. It's very important to roll the cake as soon as you take it out of the oven to prevent cracking. If you have trouble with your rolling, here’s a how-to video from Martha Stewart http://www.marthastewart.com/964928/how-form-jelly-roll#964923 Happy baking, Roxana
      Reply
      • Sarah says

        December 8, 2014 at 7:08 pm

        Doesn't this video show rolling from the short side? Should we be rolling from the long side for this cake?
        Reply
        • Roxana says

          December 9, 2014 at 9:51 am

          Hi Sarah, I prefer rolling the cake from the long side, otherwise the cake will turn out too thick for my liking.
          Reply
  71. louise noble says

    November 26, 2014 at 11:42 am

    I do not have a mixer with a paddle what can Iuse in place of it.
    Reply
  72. louise noble says

    November 26, 2014 at 12:14 pm

    I am Lmost afraid to try this as I am not much of a baker and do not have a bowl type mixer only a hand one. I want to take something to a friends place who has invited us for dinner on the 14th of Dec, Do you think I sould try it.
    Reply
    • Roxana says

      November 26, 2014 at 3:57 pm

      Hi loiuse if you only have a hand mixer, you can still make the cake roll, just follow the recipe directions. Thanks, Roxana
      Reply
  73. Michele says

    December 1, 2014 at 1:36 pm

    Yum! Thanks for sharing. Looking forward to making my first roll cake for xmas. Love the gingerbread recipe. Can't wait to try it.
    Reply
  74. Natalie says

    December 7, 2014 at 8:24 pm

    Yum! My mother and I decided to bake something together and this is what we made. It turned out wonderful :) definitely a lot tastier the next day once the cream and chocolate had a good chilling period. Instead of regular butter in the filling we used light and it still turned out extremely tasty. Also, we used sprinkles in the cake batter instead of the batter bits. Great recipe, thanks for sharing :)
    Reply
  75. Eileen says

    December 8, 2014 at 9:30 pm

    I looked up the batter bits on the Wilton website and ALL of them have been discontinued!
    Reply
    • Roxana says

      December 9, 2014 at 9:38 am

      Hi Eileen, Other people have used red and green confetti and they didn't bleed out during baking.
      Reply
  76. melissa says

    December 11, 2014 at 8:40 am

    Can anyone tell me if this will freeze well? I'm traveling for Christmas and would love to bring some of these with me to family and friends.
    Reply
    • Roxana says

      December 11, 2014 at 5:18 pm

      Hi Melissa, Yes, you can freeze the cake (wrap tightly in plastic), but make sure you don't decorate it prior to freezing. Pour the white chocolate coating and the sprinkles when it's back to room temperature.
      Reply
  77. medine says

    December 15, 2014 at 8:46 am

    Don't we need baking powder then? thank you
    Reply
    • Roxana says

      December 17, 2014 at 9:05 pm

      Hi Medine, There's no need to add any leavers. There will be plenty of air incorporated into the cake batter to help it rise without the help of baking powder/soda.
      Reply
  78. Valerie says

    December 15, 2014 at 7:28 pm

    Omg this cake is so pretty but OMG it's soooooo sweet. I couldn't even eat it. Good thing kids like stuff sweet. Wow
    Reply
    • Terri says

      January 9, 2015 at 10:18 am

      I agree - it was REALLY sweet. For some reason there was a ton of the icing in comparison to the cake. My husband who has a huge sweet tooth and my son-in-law who is a vanilla lover was not a fan. While it was beautiful it is not something I would make again.
      Reply
  79. jooly says

    December 23, 2014 at 8:33 pm

    Just made this! I was so nervous because I've never made a cake roll and it looks (to me) incredibly difficult, but it was super easy. The buttercream came out sweeter than I would have liked, but I'm sure everyone will LOVE it!
    Reply
  80. Clafoutis says

    December 28, 2014 at 12:45 pm

    I made this awesome Ginger bread roll cake , it was delicious. The texture was moist , tasty, and the filling to perfection " I add a bit more cinnamon " . Very easy to rolled. I will make it over and over again! :)) Well... I also made the Vanilla Christmas roll cake! It looked great!!! But ... It was like eating pure sugar! No taste at all . This cake is not refine when it comes to flavour! I will not make it again.
    Reply
  81. Katelin says

    October 4, 2015 at 7:47 am

    If I were to add some real peppermint extract to the frosting, how much would you recommend? I thought a peppermint vanilla cake for the holidays would be delightful.
    Reply
    • Roxana says

      October 21, 2015 at 11:57 am

      Hi Katelin, Peppermint extract is very powerful, I suggest only a few drops.
      Reply
  82. mary says

    November 10, 2015 at 1:21 pm

    Hi...l always read your recipe.but I need picture step by step.please put picture because these help us...thankfully
    Reply
    • Roxana says

      November 10, 2015 at 9:29 pm

      Hi Mary, thanks for the feedback, I appreciate it. I'll do my best to take step by step pictures for future recipes. Roxana
      Reply
  83. Angela says

    November 14, 2015 at 10:05 pm

    I tried making this and it was a disaster. There wasn't enough batter to fill the pan, the cake was thin and chewy. It didn't taste good at all. I really want this to turn out right. I followed the directions step by step so I can't figure out where I went wrong. Very disappointed in myself. This is only the second time I've tried a roll cake, both times were failures. What can I do to make this a success?
    Reply
    • Roxana says

      November 17, 2015 at 9:04 am

      Hi Angela, I'm sorry to hear this recipe did not work out for you. You're right, there is not a lot of batter. It's a very thin layer of cake. Not like a normal cake. You have to spread it all over the pan and quickly bake it. Making a roll cake is a little (maybe a lot at first) tricky. You have to work fast and there's not much room for mistakes or your cake will fall apart. Please email me if you still have issues with this recipe. I'm more than happy to help you out :) Roxana
      Reply
    • Donna says

      December 29, 2015 at 8:23 am

      Re Angela's thin cake...I think possibly the problem was your egg whites. You have to get them to stiff peaks and gently fold into the batter and try not to let them collapse too much. If the air came out of your whites that might be what happened. As a reference, the batter is sort of thick when it's ready to spread on the pan. You should try again...roll cakes are pretty and not that hard once you get it :)
      Reply
  84. Lisa says

    November 23, 2015 at 8:37 pm

    Can this cake be made ahead and frozen?
    Reply
    • Roxana says

      November 24, 2015 at 11:30 pm

      Hi Lisa, Yes, you can freeze this roll cake once it's filled. Just make sure you wrap it tight so it doesn't get freezer burns. Roxana
      Reply
  85. Rachel Woolsey says

    November 28, 2015 at 9:18 pm

    How can I make this gluten free?
    Reply
    • Roxana says

      December 1, 2015 at 7:38 pm

      Hi Rachel, I have not tried making this roll gluten free and don't have much knowledge about gluten free baking. I can't help you. Sorry, Roxana
      Reply
  86. Nicole says

    December 13, 2015 at 2:04 pm

    They discontinued the batter bits :-( will try with Christmas sprinkles. LOVE the way yours looks and wad really looking forward to recreating that. Thanks for sharing !
    Reply
  87. nicole (thespicetrain.com) says

    December 19, 2015 at 2:16 pm

    Roxana, your roll cake skills are AMAZING! I've never tried one but you've really got me interested now!
    Reply
  88. Kimberly Coleman says

    December 21, 2015 at 4:23 pm

    Well, my cake roll has been in the refrigerator for almost an hour now and I just realized that I didn't add the vanilla into the buttercream?. I guess there's no going back now. I hope it's still ok.
    Reply
  89. Phyllis says

    December 22, 2015 at 3:45 pm

    Just found your Web... and love it!
    Reply
  90. Donna says

    December 29, 2015 at 8:16 am

    I made one this year. It turned out great! I couldn't get batter bits so I used confetti. I also made one slight variation in that I made a white chocolate ganache frosting and covered the entire log. Looked great and tasted great too. (but yes, very sweet/rich). Great presentation! Thanks
    Reply
  91. K.L.F.Perera says

    January 20, 2016 at 11:18 am

    Well done. It's fabulous. Great effort. Thank you .
    Reply
  92. Tina says

    June 4, 2016 at 2:43 pm

    Just made this today as practice. I was looking for a vanilla cake roll recipe to use for my sons birthday. I'm going to be making a light saber cake and needed long and thin. I was a little worried at first because this does smell like an omelet while baking and i thought it would taste eggy. However, what it actually tastes like is spongy meringue, which makes sense since it's mostly egg and sugar. The cake itself is not overly sweet. The sweetness really comes from the icing. I omitted the wilton bits entirely, used store bought (with 3 kids under 5, i didn't want to spend time making the icing) funfetti frosting inside and used melted and poured pilsbury vanilla frosting over the top for a smooth shiny look. I also used A P flour instead of cake. Just weighed 30grams and double sifted with the corn starch called for. Worked just fine.
    Reply
  93. umi says

    October 13, 2016 at 11:29 pm

    Hi Roxana, wow, the colors are so pretty. I never made any roll cake before. But after reading your recipe, i found the courage to, lol. I will try this anytime soon, Wish me luck, and thanks for sharing
    Reply
  94. JJ says

    November 3, 2016 at 7:20 pm

    Hi Roxana! How long does this cake turn out? Is it the full 17"? Trying to determine how many this would serve
    Reply
    • Roxana says

      November 29, 2016 at 11:38 am

      Hi JJ, You're rolling the cake on the short size, that means it will be 12" long. I would say around 16 servings, depending how you slice it.
      Reply
  95. Rita says

    December 1, 2016 at 11:14 am

    I love all everything you post. I have tryed some of the things its grr888
    Reply
  96. Ann Weiskopf says

    December 3, 2016 at 7:01 pm

    Is there any kind of box cake mix that can be used for this recipe? Don't hate me people for asking, Lol! Thank You!
    Reply
    • Roxana says

      December 5, 2016 at 10:33 am

      Hi Ann, I do not know how to turn a box cake into a roll cake, sorry. Roxana
      Reply
      • Tavo says

        December 5, 2016 at 1:13 pm

        To have success with this beautiful cake, make sure you beat your eggs until they are thick and pale yellow. Also, if unsure how to beat egg whites, give it a Google., sponge cakes will fail if you do not get the egg mixture correct. I use a floursack towel, which is pure cotton to cool cake. Just soak in cold water after and throw it in the washer. Merry Christmas, thanks for sharing this beauty!
        Reply

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Hi there! I'm Roxana. I have a passion for all things food, a sweet tooth that can’t be tamed and a severe case of the wanderlust. I make midweek meals exciting by sharing approachable recipes, both sweet and savory, that taste completely sinful. Read More →

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