Description
This Christmas Gingerbread Swiss Cake Roll is a festive and delightful dessert perfect for holiday celebrations. Featuring a spiced gingerbread-flavored sponge rolled with a creamy, sweetened cream cheese filling enhanced with crystallized ginger, this cake brings warmth and seasonal flavors to your table. Garnished with powdered sugar and optional gingerbread cookies, it is as beautiful as it is delicious.
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
Garnish:
- Gingerbread cookies to garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 13x18x1 inch half-sheet baking pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, ground cinnamon, ground cloves, ground ginger, baking soda, and kosher salt until well combined.
- Beat Egg Yolks Mixture: In a large bowl, beat the egg yolks on high speed for about 3 minutes until thickened. Beat in the molasses and melted butter until smooth.
- Whip Egg Whites: In a separate, clean bowl, 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 sugar is dissolved and glossy stiff peaks form.
- Combine Mixtures: Gently fold the whipped egg whites into the egg yolk mixture. Then fold in the dry flour mixture carefully to retain the batter’s lightness.
- Bake the Cake: Pour the batter evenly into the prepared baking pan. Smooth and level with a spatula. Bake for 9 to 12 minutes, until the cake springs back gently when touched.
- Cool and Roll the Cake: Let the cake cool in the pan for 5 to 8 minutes. Dust a clean tea towel lightly with confectioners’ sugar, then turn the cake out onto it and peel off the parchment paper. Dust the top with confectioners’ sugar, then roll the cake up gently starting from the short side inside the towel. Allow it to cool completely rolled up.
- Prepare Filling: Beat together softened cream cheese, unsalted butter, vanilla extract, minced crystallized ginger, kosher salt, and confectioners’ sugar until smooth and creamy.
- Fill and Re-roll Cake: Once the cake is completely cool, carefully unroll it and spread an even layer of the cream cheese filling over the surface. Re-roll the cake without the towel.
- Chill and Serve: Place the roll onto a platter, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until ready to serve. Before serving, dust with confectioners’ sugar and optionally garnish with gingerbread cookies. Slice with a sharp knife and serve chilled. Store leftovers refrigerated.
Notes
- Be careful not to overbake the sponge to keep it flexible enough to roll without cracking.
- Rolling the cake while warm helps prevent cracking and makes it easier to roll.
- Use room temperature eggs for better mixing and volume in the batter.
- Decorate with additional gingerbread cookies or festive sprinkles for a holiday theme.
- Leftovers should be stored tightly wrapped in the refrigerator and consumed within 3-4 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/10th of roll)
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 28g
- Sodium: 180mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 9g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 38g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 85mg
