This easy apple roll cake is soft, fluffy, and filled with sweet spiced apples and a creamy filling. You can use any apples you have at home, and the sponge is quick to make with simple ingredients. The best part? It rolls beautifully for a pretty, bakery-style dessert everyone will love.
Ingredients Needed:
For the Apple Filling:
- 3 Fuji apples, peeled and finely grated
- 3 Gala apples, peeled and finely grated
- ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
- 2–3 tbsp orange juice
- 2 tbsp butter
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp pie spice
- ½ cup (60g) finely chopped walnuts
- 1 tsp orange zest
For the Sponge Cake:
- 1¼ cup (163g) all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp (9g) corn starch
- ½ tsp baking powder
- Pinch of salt
- 5 medium eggs
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp orange zest
For the Cream Filling:
- 1 cup (240ml) cold heavy whipping cream
- ½ cup (120ml) sweetened condensed milk
- 113g (½ package) cream cheese, room temperature
- ¼ tsp orange zest or vanilla extract
How To Make Apple Roll Cake
- Make the Apple Filling: In a medium pan, mix grated apples, sugar, and orange juice. Cook over medium-high heat for 18–22 minutes, stirring occasionally, until most liquid evaporates and mixture thickens. Stir in butter, cook 1 more minute. Remove from heat, then mix in cinnamon, pie spice, walnuts, and orange zest. Set aside.
- Make the Sponge Batter: In a small bowl, combine flour, corn starch, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, beat eggs with sugar using a hand mixer for 5–7 minutes until pale and fluffy. Sift dry ingredients over the egg mixture. Gently fold with a wooden spoon. Add vanilla and orange zest and fold until smooth.
- Layer & Bake: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 13”x18” (33x46cm) baking sheet with parchment. Spread the apple mixture evenly across the pan. Gently pour and spread the cake batter over it. Tap the pan 3–4 times to remove air bubbles. Bake for 18–20 minutes until lightly golden and just set.
- Roll the Cake: Dust a clean 13”x18” sheet of parchment with powdered sugar. Flip the hot cake onto the dusted parchment. Gently peel off the top parchment. Use the parchment to help roll the cake from the short side while still warm. Wrap the roll in the paper and let cool.
- Make the Cream: Whip the cream until soft peaks form. In another bowl, whisk cream cheese and condensed milk until smooth. Fold the whipped cream and zest or vanilla into the cream cheese mixture until well combined.
- Assemble & Serve: Once cool, gently unroll the cake, spread the cream evenly, then roll again. Dust with powdered sugar. Slice and serve with chopped walnuts and tea or coffee.
Recipe Tips:
- Roll the cake while it’s still hot: This keeps the sponge soft and prevents cracks. Don’t wait—roll it as soon as it comes out of the oven.
- Use parchment and powdered sugar: Dust parchment paper with powdered sugar before flipping the cake to stop it from sticking.
- Grate the apples finely: This helps the filling cook down smoothly and makes rolling easier without big chunks.
- Beat eggs and sugar well: Mix until pale and fluffy—this gives the sponge its light texture.
- Tap the pan before baking: Tapping removes air bubbles so your cake bakes evenly without holes.
How To Store Apple Roll Cake
- Refrigerate: First, let the leftover apple roll cake cool to room temperature. Then wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or place it in an airtight container. Store in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Freeze: Let the cake cool completely, then wrap it well in plastic wrap and foil. Store in the freezer for up to 2 months. To serve, thaw in the fridge overnight. Do not reheat—serve chilled or at room temperature.
FAQ
What’s the trick to keeping the roll cake from cracking?
Rolling the cake while it’s still hot from the oven is key—that’s when it’s most flexible. If you let it cool even a little, it’ll be more likely to crack when you roll it.
Can I use just one type of apple instead of two?
Definitely. Fuji and Gala balance each other with sweetness and texture, but you can stick to just one if needed—just avoid apples that turn mushy when cooked, like Red Delicious.
What if I forgot to dust the parchment with powdered sugar?
It might stick a little, but it’s not a disaster. Try gently loosening any stuck parts with a knife or offset spatula. Dusting helps, but the cake is still delicious even if it snags a bit.
How far ahead can I make this roll cake?
You can make it a day ahead—just store it wrapped in parchment and plastic wrap in the fridge. Add the cream and powdered sugar right before serving for the freshest look and texture.
Can I skip the nuts in the filling?
Totally fine. The walnuts add crunch and a toasty flavor, but the cake will still taste great without them if you’re nut-free or just not a fan.
Nutrition Facts
(Estimated per slice, based on 10 servings)
- Calories: 320
- Total Fat: 16g
- Saturated Fat: 9g
- Cholesterol: 105mg
- Sodium: 75mg
- Potassium: 170mg
- Total Carbohydrate: 38g
- Dietary Fiber: 2g
- Sugars: 27g
- Protein: 5g
Try More Turkuaz Kitchen Recipes:
- Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins
- Peach Rolls
- Homemade Graham Crackers
- Blueberry Galette With Toasted Coconut Ice Cream Recipe
Apple Roll Cake Recipe
Description
This easy apple roll cake is soft, fluffy, and filled with sweet spiced apples and a creamy filling. Made with simple pantry ingredients, it’s quick to prepare and rolls beautifully for a pretty, bakery-style dessert.
Ingredients
For the Apple Filling:
For the Sponge Cake:
For the Cream Filling:
Instructions
- Prepare the Apple Filling: In a medium pan, combine grated apples, sugar, and orange juice. Cook over medium-high heat for 18–22 minutes until the liquid is mostly absorbed. Stir in butter and cook 1 more minute. Remove from heat, add cinnamon, pie spice, walnuts, and orange zest. Mix and set aside.
- Make the Sponge Batter: In a bowl, mix flour, corn starch, baking powder, and salt. In another bowl, beat eggs and sugar for 5–7 minutes until fluffy and pale. Sift in the dry ingredients and fold gently. Add vanilla and zest and fold until fully combined.
- Bake the Cake: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 13″x18″ pan with parchment. Spread the apple mixture, then pour and smooth sponge batter over it. Tap to remove air bubbles. Bake 18–20 minutes until lightly golden.
- Roll the Cake: Flip the hot cake onto powdered sugar-dusted parchment paper. Peel off the top paper, then roll the cake from the short side using the bottom paper to help. Let it cool rolled up.
- Make the Cream: Whip the cream to soft peaks. In another bowl, mix condensed milk and cream cheese. Fold in the whipped cream and orange zest or vanilla until smooth.
- Assemble and Serve: Unroll the cooled cake, spread the cream, and roll again. Dust with powdered sugar, slice, and serve.
Notes
- For best results, roll the cake while it’s still warm to prevent cracking. You can use any sweet apples you have. If the cake cracks a little, don’t worry—powdered sugar and cream will cover it beautifully!