Hot Chocolate Cake Roll
This amazing chocolate cake roll is a perfect dessert for winter holidays. It’s like a cup of hot chocolate in a cake form!
If you need a holiday dessert that will please everyone, don’t look any further! This chocolate cake roll is perfect because the flavors are everyone’s favorite: chocolate and marshmallows!
Another things that makes is great for holidays, is the comfort aspect. It’s Hot Chocolate themed because what is more comforting in cold weather than a cup of hot chocolate?
The soft, moist chocolate sponge cake, smooth creamy frosting, and marshmallows all make it a perfect holiday dessert.
Don’t be too intimidated by the cake roll! It’s really not a difficult process. Just read the tips and as long as you work carefully and remember the tips, you will be good to go!
How to Make Chocolate Cake Roll
- Making a cake roll is a lot easier than it looks. It’s a simple beating of ingredients for cake batter and then baking for a few minutes. The hardest part is rolling it but really, it’s also quite simple.
- Start by getting a rimmed large baking sheet that’s 17 in x 11 in x 1 in. Prepare the baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper all over the bottom and make sure to make it large enough to get it up the sides too.
- Beat your cake ingredients like it says in the recipe and evenly spread it all over the prepare baking sheet. Tap the baking sheet on the counter a couple of times to get the air bubbles out.
- Bake the cake for 7-9 minutes. Once you take the cake out, run a spatula along the edges to separate it from the pan, if needed.
- Generously sprinkle a clean kitchen towel with cocoa and powdered sugar. Turn the cake pan upside down onto the towel. Carefully remove parchment paper. Trim off crusty edges if necessary.
- While the cake is still hot, gently roll cake with the towel from narrow end (don’t make it too tight and don’t press).
- Cool on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes. Make the frosting while cake is cooling.
- After about 30 minutes, gently unroll the cake and spread frosting all over, leaving about an inch and a half one of the short ends.
- Carefully roll the cake back up (starting with the side that has frosting) and place cake on the serving dish seam down.
Tips For Success!
- Make sure to beat the eggs and sugar for a few minutes to whip them until the color changes to light yellow and the texture is thickened and fluffy.
- Spread the cake batter evenly all over the pan! Tap the baking pan on the counter a few times to make sure it spreads well and gets the air bubbles out.
- Yes, the layer of the cake will be thin! Don’t try to use a smaller baking pan. For best results, use a rimmed 17 in x 11 in x 1 in.
- Don’t overbake!
- Use a generous amount of powdered sugar and cocoa powder to dust the towel. If there is not enough, the cake will get stuck to the towel.
- Roll the cake in the towel right after baking, while still hot or it will crack.
- Cool the cake to room temperature in the towel, don’t try to rush.
- Add frosting to cooled cake or it will start to melt.
How To Store A Cake Roll
It’s best to store this cake roll in the refrigerator because the frosting contains dairy ingredients. You can store it right on the serving platter but make sure to wrap it air-tight in your preferred food wrap. If not wrapped, it will dry out in the refrigerator. Refrigerated, it should last 3-4 days.
During a holiday party of an event, you can keep the chocolate cake roll at room temperature for 2-4 hours. Longer than that, it should be refrigerated.
Can I Make The Cake Roll Ahead Of Time?
Yes, you can make the cake ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator for a day. Don’t add the chocolate or marshmallows until ready to serve.
Make the cake completely and wrap it in food wrap air-tight. Refrigerate it until ready to use. To soften the cake, pull it out of the refrigerator about 30 minutes before serving. Add chocolate topping and marshmallows and serve.
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Hot Chocolate Cake Roll Recipe
Ingredients
Cake:
- 3 eggs room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup water
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¾ cup all purpose flour
- ¼ cup unsweetened baking cocoa
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- Unsweetened baking cocoa and powdered sugar for rolling the cake
Frosting:
- 8 oz cream cheese softened
- 1/3 cup white granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup marshmallow fluff
- 1 1/2 cups Cool Whip in tub not can
- 1 1/2 cups mini marshmallows
Topping:
- Chocolate syrup
- Mini marshmallows
Instructions
Making The Cake:
- Preheat oven to 375℉ and line 17x11x1 pan with parchment paper large enough to go up the sides as well.
- Beat eggs with electric mixer on high speed for 5 minutes until thick and light yellow.
- Slowly pour in granulated sugar white still beating.
- Lower speed to low and add water and vanilla extract.
- Still on low, slowly add flour, ¼ cup cocoa, the baking powder and salt. Beat just until batter is smooth.
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and spread evenly. Tap the baking pan on the counter a few times to help spread the batter and get air bubbles out.
- Bake for 7-8 minutes and do a toothpick test (or touch the center to make sure it's baked. (Run a spatula around edges of the pan to loosen cake if needed).
Rolling The Cake:
- Generously sprinkle a clean kitchen towel with cocoa and powdered sugar. Turn the cake pan upside down onto the towel. Carefully remove parchment paper. (Trim off crusty edges if necessary.)
- While the cake is still hot, gently roll cake with the towel from narrow end (don't make it too tight and don't press).
- Cool on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes.
Frosting:
- While the cake is cooling, make frosting.Beat cream cheese with sugar on medium-high for about 2 minutes, until light and smooth. Scrape sides and bottom of the bowl and add marshmallow fluff. Beat until combined.
- On low speed, beat in Cool Whip just until combined. Scrape sides and bottom of the bowl and add marshmallows. Fold them in with a spatula until all incorporated.
Rolling Cake With Frosting:
- Unroll cake carefully. Gently, spread frosting all over the cake a few dollops at a time, leaving about an inch and a half one of the short ends.
- Carefully roll the cake back up (starting with the side that has frosting) and place cake on the serving dish seam down.
- Drizzle with chocolate syrup and top off with some mini marshmallows.
Notes
- Make sure to beat the eggs and sugar for a few minutes to whip them until the color changes to light yellow and the texture is thickened and fluffy.
- Spread the cake batter evenly all over the pan! Tap the baking pan on the counter a few times to make sure it spreads well and gets the air bubbles out.
- Yes, the layer of the cake will be thin! Don’t try to use a smaller baking pan. For best results, use a rimmed 17 in x 11 in x 1 in.
- Don’t overbake!
- Use a generous amount of powdered sugar and cocoa powder to dust the towel. If there is not enough, the cake will get stuck to the towel.
- Roll the cake in the towel right after baking, while still hot or it will crack.
- Cool the cake to room temperature in the towel, don’t try to rush.
- Add frosting to cooled cake or it will start to melt.
Nutrition
More Holiday Baking Recipes To Make
This recipe was originally posted on Will Cook For Smiles on December 23rd, 2014.
All images and text ©Lyubov Brooke for ©Will Cook For Smiles. Please do not use my images without prior permission. If using my posts in collections and features, please link back to this post for the recipe.
Disclaimer: Nutrition information shown is not guaranteed to be 100% accurate as most ingredients and brands have variations.
Ok so I want to make this for Christmas, but my family and I aren’t huge fans of buttercream. Would whipped cream in a tub be good? I’ve seen people do it but I’m worried it would melt and sink into the cake.
I think it would melt and sink into the cake. You could use my cream cheese frosting instead of the buttercream. Here is the link if you’d like to try it.
https://www.willcookforsmiles.com/cream-cheese-frosting-two-ways/