Description
This Christmas Gingerbread Swiss Cake Roll is a festive and spiced dessert perfect for holiday celebrations. Featuring a soft and tender gingerbread-flavored sponge rolled with a creamy cream cheese and crystallized ginger filling, this cake combines warm spices with a smooth, tangy filling for a delightful treat. Finished with a dusting of confectioners’ sugar and optional gingerbread cookie garnish, it’s a showstopper perfect for sharing with family and friends.
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
Optional Garnish:
- Gingerbread cookies
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare the pan: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 13x18x1 inch half-sheet baking pan and line the bottom with parchment paper for easy cake removal.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, ground cinnamon, ground cloves, ground ginger, baking soda, and kosher salt until evenly combined.
- Beat egg yolks and add liquids: In a large bowl, beat the egg yolks on high speed for about 3 minutes until thickened. Then blend in the molasses and melted butter until smooth.
- Whip egg whites and sugar: In a clean bowl with clean beaters, 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 speed after each addition until the sugar is fully dissolved and the mixture is glossy with stiff peaks.
- Combine mixtures: Gently fold the whipped egg whites into the egg yolk mixture using a spatula. Then fold in the dry flour and spice mixture carefully to maintain the batter’s lightness.
- Pour and bake: Pour the prepared batter into the lined baking pan, smoothing and leveling the surface with a spatula. Bake in the preheated oven for 9 to 12 minutes until the cake is set and springy to the touch.
- Cool and roll cake: Let the cake cool for 5 to 8 minutes. Turn it out onto a clean tea towel lightly dusted with confectioners’ sugar. Remove the parchment paper. Dust the top of the cake lightly with confectioners’ sugar, then gently roll the cake up in the towel starting from the short side. Allow the rolled cake to cool completely while rolled.
- Prepare the filling: While the cake cools, 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.
- Assemble the roll: Once the cake is fully cooled, carefully unroll it. Spread an even layer of the cream cheese filling over the cake. Roll the cake up again tightly but without the towel this time. Place on a platter and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate the roll until ready to serve.
- Serve and garnish: Before serving, dust the Swiss roll with confectioners’ sugar and optionally garnish with gingerbread cookies or your preferred decorations. Use a sharp knife to slice the cake into even portions. Store any leftovers refrigerated.
Notes
- Beating egg whites until glossy stiff peaks is crucial for the light texture of this sponge cake.
- Rolling the cake while still warm helps prevent cracking and makes it easier to roll smoothly.
- Make sure the cream cheese and butter are softened to avoid lumps in the filling.
- Use a sharp serrated knife for cleaner slices of the roll.
- Leftover cake can be refrigerated for up to 3 days, wrapped tightly.
- Optional garnish with gingerbread cookies adds festive appeal and extra ginger flavor.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (approx. 1/10th of the roll)
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 24g
- Sodium: 160mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 33g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 90mg
