Carrot Cake Roll with Walnut & Cream Cheese Frosting

We love carrot cake – but this Easter it was just the 4 of us and I didn’t need a HUGE cake, because we really don’t need that much.  I had such luck with a pumpkin roll at Thanksgiving, I thought I’d try a carrot cake roll.  This cake doesn’t have the walnuts baked in, which was interesting because that’s a yummy part.  I decided to sprinkle the frosting with walnuts before I rolled it back up.

So Yummy.

Carrot Cake Roll with Walnut & Cream Cheese Frosting

Author Carrie Hill

Ingredients

  • 3 eggs
  • 2/3 C granulated sugar
  • 2 Tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp ginger
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 3/4 C flour
  • 2 C shredded carrots
  • 3/4 C walnuts minced
  • Powdered sugar to aid in rolling

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
  2. Line a baking pan with Parchment Paper and spray the edges REALLY well - you need to get the cake out, so be sure you spray liberally. My Jelly Pan is about 15x10 - don't do any larger than that, because you wont have enough batter to fill it.
  3. In the bowl of your mixer, beat eggs at high speed for 5 minutes until they're fluffy - then beat in vanilla, oil and sugar.
  4. In another small bowl, beat in flour, baking powder, ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt. I know the 3/4 C flour looks like it's not enough - but it is, I promise.
  5. Add the flour mixture to the egg mixture gently and then fold in carrots until just blended
  6. Spread into your jelly roll/baking pan. It will be thin, use your rubber spatula to spread it out into all corners and make it even.
  7. Bake in your 350 degree oven for about 10-15 minute - mine took about 15 minutes, but I was using a stoneware pan, yours will likely take less.
  8. I make this easy and use store-bought frosting, but if you want to make your own, go ahead.
  9. While cake is baking, pull out a clean tea towel and sprinkle it liberally with powdered sugar. I'd use about 3-4 Tablespoons - this keeps it from sticking to the fibers and is VERY important.
  10. As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, run a knife around the edges to separate from the pan. Turn pan over onto the towel with powdered sugar and carefully remove the parchment paper.
  11. Working at the short end, fold the edge of the towel up to the cake, then roll it up tightly, while it is still warm, and put it on a plate in the fridge. Let it cool for at least one hour.
  12. When the cake cools, carefully unroll it and spread with the frosting and sprinkle on the walnuts. Roll the cake back up, WITHOUT the towel, very tightly. Place on a plate and cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge. When you're ready to serve, sprinkle with powdered sugar & enjoy!