Easy Luscious Lemon Roll Cake Recipe Is How to Roll Into Spring Cakes/Cupcakes Desserts Snacks Holidays Fruit Gluten-free

It is officially spring and I am ready for blooming flowers, warm weather and ... lemon! According to my parents, I have loved lemons and lemon-flavored desserts since I was a child. My favorite pie was my mom’s lemon meringue. I still love all the lemon desserts, especially lemon bars, lemon cobbler, lemon cookies, lemon mousse and more!

I used to feel intimidated by the idea of making a cake roll. Surely cake rolls were meant for more experienced bakers than myself. They looked too complicated, too beautiful for me to make. But I was wrong! Rolled cakes are not as difficult as they may seem!

If cake rolls are a new adventure for you, too, it may be worth it to try something new. This lemon cake roll recipe is bursting with lemon flavor and filled with a delectable lemon cream cheese filling. It’s the perfect dessert to kick off spring or celebrate Easter. It also looks very impressive, so you can impress your guests with you baking skills! Bonus: you can make it in less than 40 minutes (plus chill time). 

Slice the cooled cake and serve with a tall glass of homemade lemonade.

Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 20 minutes plus 2 hours to chill
Cook Time: 17 minutes
Total Time: 37 minutes plus chill time
Servings: 8

Ingredients

Cake 

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (or gluten-free flour)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 4 eggs
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 lemon, zested
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons milk

Filling

• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 2 cups powdered sugar, plus more if filling is not thick and fluffy
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/4 cup heavy cream

Here’s how to make it:

1. Line a baking sheet or jelly roll pan with parchment paper. Spray paper with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
2. In a bowl, beat eggs and granulated sugar on high for 2 to 3 minutes. Beat in vegetable oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, vanilla, milk, flour and baking powder until evenly combined. Pour cake batter into prepared baking sheet, ensuring that it reaches all edges. Fresh is always best when it comes to lemon juice, but even more so for a lemon cake roll! Squeeze fresh lemon juice if you can for this recipe. For a gluten-free cake use gluten-free flour.
3. Bake in a preheated 350-degrees F oven for 14 to 18 minutes or until edges begin to turn golden. 
4. Lay a small tea towel on your surface and generously sprinkle with powdered sugar. Once the cake is baked, turn it out onto towel and peel off parchment paper. It’s important to roll it out immediately to prevent cracking. Sprinkle powdered sugar on the top side, then roll the cake up around the towel. Set lemon cake aside to cool completely.
5. To make the filling, beat together powdered sugar, cream cheese, lemon juice and heavy cream. The filling should be thick and fluffy. If it’s not, feel free to add up to 1/2 cup more powdered sugar.
6. Once cake has cooled, unroll it and spread filling over the top. Next, roll it back up. Be careful not to roll too tightly, you don’t want the filling to spill out. Your cake roll is now complete with its lusciously lemon cream cheese filling. All that’s left to do now is chill it. First, wrap aluminum foil around it and seal, then refrigerate or freeze a minimum of 2 hours up to overnight. You can add even more sweetness and tartness to this lemon roll cake by drizzling with a powdered sugar glaze and topping with fresh lemon slices. To make a basic powdered sugar glaze, stir together 1 cup powdered sugar, 3 to 4 tablespoons milk and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Store the cake roll in an airtight container in the fridge.

Recipe cooking times, nutritional information and servings are approximate and provided for your convenience. However, 30Seconds is not responsible for the outcome of any recipe, nor may you have the same results because of variations in ingredients, temperatures, altitude, errors, omissions or cooking/baking abilities. Any nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and it is up to the individual to ascertain accuracy. To ensure image quality, we may occasionally use stock photography.

Take 30 seconds and join the 30Seconds community, and follow us on Facebook to get recipes in your newsfeed daily. Food, fun, health, happiness.