Introduction

The Christmas Roll is a festive, light sponge cake filled with creamy buttercream and adorned with colorful holiday sprinkles. This delightful dessert is perfect for holiday gatherings, combining fluffy texture with sweet, buttery flavors and a touch of white chocolate on top.

A rolled cake is shown on a white rectangular plate placed on a white marbled surface. The cake has two main layers: a light tan sponge cake with small red and green sprinkles mixed inside, spiraled with a thick white cream filling. The outside of the roll is coated with a smooth, pale yellow glaze and decorated with red, green, and white sprinkles mainly on the top. One slice is cut and laid flat, showing the spiral layers clearly. In the background, a white plate holds more slices, partially visible. A few sprinkles are scattered around the plate. photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Ingredients

¾ cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt
4 large eggs, room temperature, separated into whites and yolks

1 teaspoon white vinegar
¾ cup granulated sugar (divided into ½ cup and ¼ cup)

¼ cup whole milk
1 tablespoon whole milk
1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract

½ teaspoon almond extract
1½ tablespoons red and green holiday sprinkles
½ cup powdered sugar (for dusting)

½ cup salted sweet cream butter, softened
¼ cup vegetable shortening
1 teaspoon clear vanilla flavor

½ teaspoon almond extract
2 cups powdered sugar
2-3 tablespoons heavy cream

1½ tablespoons red and green holiday sprinkles
1½ cups white chocolate chips (preferably good quality, like Ghirardelli)
3 tablespoons heavy cream

Holiday sprinkles (red, green, and white nonpareil or decorating sprinkles for optional garnish)

Instructions

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line the bottom of a 10x15x1 inch baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly spray with nonstick cooking spray.
Step 2: In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

Step 3: Using a stand or handheld mixer on high speed, beat the egg whites and white vinegar to medium peaks. Slowly add ¼ cup granulated sugar and continue beating until stiff peaks form, about 5-7 minutes. Set aside.
Step 4: In another bowl, beat the egg yolks on medium-high speed until pale yellow, about 2 minutes. Add ½ cup granulated sugar, ¼ cup milk, vanilla, and almond extracts and mix for 1½ to 2 minutes.
Step 5: Add half of the flour mixture to the yolk mixture and mix just until combined. Add the remaining flour and mix until incorporated.

Step 6: Fold the egg white mixture into the batter gently, a quarter at a time, until fully combined.
Step 7: Evenly sprinkle the red and green sprinkles on the prepared baking sheet. Pour the batter over the sprinkles and gently tap the pan to release air bubbles.
Step 8: Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until the cake is just golden.

Step 9: While baking, dust a thin tea towel with ¼ cup powdered sugar and prepare a large cutting board.
Step 10: When the cake is done, run a knife along the edges. Flip the tea towel dusted side down onto the cake, leaving a small tail on one short edge.
Step 11: Place a cutting board on top of the tea towel and quickly invert the baking sheet onto it. Peel off the parchment paper and dust the top of the cake with powdered sugar.

Step 12: Use the tail of the towel to gently roll the cake along the short edge. Transfer the rolled cake to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Step 13: For the buttercream, beat butter and shortening together for 1 to 1½ minutes. Add vanilla and almond extracts and mix until well combined.
Step 14: On low speed, gradually add powdered sugar ½ cup at a time, alternating with heavy cream. Increase speed and beat until smooth and fluffy.

Step 15: Once cooled, carefully unroll the cake. Spread the buttercream evenly, avoiding the edges. Sprinkle with red and green sprinkles.
Step 16: Roll the cake back up firmly but gently. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and chill for 6 hours or overnight.
Step 17: To make the topping, melt white chocolate chips with heavy cream in 45-second intervals in the microwave, stirring until smooth.

Step 18: Remove the cake from plastic wrap and place on a cooling rack over parchment paper. Drizzle melted white chocolate over the top and sprinkle with holiday sprinkles.
Step 19: Transfer to a serving plate. Slice into ½-inch pieces and serve.

Tips & Variations

For an extra festive look, use colorful holiday sprinkles both inside the batter and on the buttercream filling.

You can substitute almond extract with extra vanilla extract if preferred.
Use a silicone or offset spatula to spread the filling smoothly and evenly.
Ensure eggs are at room temperature for better volume in the meringue.

If you don’t have a stand mixer, a handheld mixer works well for beating egg whites and buttercream.

Storage

Store the rolled cake wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and kept in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Before serving, let it sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes for the best texture. Leftover slices can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge. Reheat is not recommended as the texture may change.

How to Serve

A slice of a rolled cake is held by a woman's hand spatula, showing three visible layers: the outer thin white frosting layer covered with red and green sprinkles, the light yellow cake layer with a soft texture, and an inner thick white cream layer spiraled inside the cake. The cake is on a white marbled surface, with the rest of the uncut roll blurred in the background, also decorated with red and green sprinkles. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I make this cake roll ahead of time?

Yes, the cake roll can be made a day ahead and stored in the refrigerator wrapped tightly in plastic wrap. This also helps it hold its shape better.

What can I use if I don’t have white vinegar?

You can substitute white vinegar with lemon juice or cream of tartar, which both help stabilize the egg whites.