Things that happen when you have a big paper due on Monday morning: you push off your blog post until past 10pm. But I’m yet to skip a Sunday entry since starting law school, and I refused to let a little assignment get in the way.

Plus, this weekend I got to go home for Easter! I feel like I’m home way less now that I live so close, which seems counterintuitive, but having a night with family and getting to see my cousins (and the new babies!) for brunch was a much-needed treat in the middle of what’s becoming a crazy busy semester.

I even got to bake two different things: carrot cake roll, which I’m posting today, and coconut cupcakes, which will show up sometime in the near future.

This is my second cake roll (my first was pumpkin), and I have to admit they are quickly becoming a favorite to bring to parties. They are pretty quick to make, fun (because who doesn’t want to roll up a cake?), and look really impressive when you cut into them. Basically everything you want when you’re tasked with bringing dessert somewhere.

First, beat the eggs on high speed in a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment for 3 minutes. They’ll turn frothy and dark yellow. Next, whip in the sugar, oil, and vanilla extract until incorporated. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, ginger, nutmeg, and cinnamon.Using a rubber spatula, stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Stir in the shredded carrots. (Shout out to my roommate, Lauren, who came home for Easter with me and was a champ shredding all the carrots without our good grater!)Line a 10×15 inch jelly roll sheet with tinfoil and spray with cooking spray. Spread batter evenly throughout pan.Bake at 350°F for 10-12 minutes, or until cake is pretty well done. This is the only time I’ll tell you that you don’t want to undercook a baked good – normally I’m all about that. But cake rolls don’t roll if they aren’t cooked enough.

Meanwhile, dust a kitchen towel with 1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar.Immediately when the cake is done, remove it from the oven and turn it onto the clean towel.Starting on a small side, roll the cake up tightly in the towel. Allow to cool for at least an hour.To make the frosting, start by beating the butter and cream cheese on medium-high speed in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the vanilla extract and beat to combine. Add the powdered sugar and beat, starting on low, and gradually increasing speed until smooth and easy to spread. Unroll the cake and spread the cream cheese frosting over the entire thing, leaving a little bit of a border on the short sides.Roll the cake back up the same way as before, but without wrapping the towel into it.

Wrap in plastic wrap and put in the fridge overnight to allow flavors to come together.Remove from fridge and dust with powdered sugar before serving. I took a lot of pictures of this. Not ashamed. And how dramatic does it look with the black backdrop?!Anyways, store it in the fridge if you aren’t eating it, and it should keep for awhile. With the carrots and cream cheese, I don’t see why this couldn’t be a breakfast food – we served it as brunch dessert.

Enjoy!

Carrot Cake Roll

Ingredients:

Cake

• 3 eggs
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 2 cups shredded carrots
• confectioners’ sugar

Cream Cheese Filling

• 6 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
• 4 tablespoons butter, room temperature
• 2 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

Cake

1. Beat eggs on high speed using whisk attachment of stand mixer for 3 minutes until frothy and yellow.
2. Beat in sugar, oil, and vanilla extract until incorporated.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking powder, ginger, nutmeg, and cinnamon.
4. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and stir to combine.
5. Stir in shredded carrots.
6. Pour batter into a 10×15 inch jelly roll pan lined with aluminum foil and sprayed with cooking spray. Spread into all corners using a rubber spatula.
7. Bake at 350°F for 10-12 minutes or until dry and done.
8. Flip immediately onto a kitchen towel sprinkled with 1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar. Roll cake with towel starting at short end and allow to cool for at least an hour.

Cream Cheese Filling

1. Beat the cream cheese and butter on medium-high speed using the paddle attachment of the stand mixer until light and fluffy.
2. Beat in the vanilla extract to incorporate.
3. Add the confectioners’ sugar and beat starting on low speed, increasing until smooth enough to spread.
4. Unroll cooled cake and spread filling evenly on top, leaving a small border on short edges.
5. Re-roll cake without towel, wrap in plastic wrap, and store in fridge until ready to cut into slices and serve.