Introduction

This Candy Cane Roll is a festive and colorful treat perfect for the holiday season. With its peppermint flavor and beautiful red-and-white striped cake, it’s as fun to look at as it is delicious to eat. The cream cheese frosting with crushed candy canes adds a delightful minty finish.

A rolled cake is shown on a white rectangular marble tray with a spiral pattern of bright red and white layers. The cake has a soft pink cream filling that swirls together with the red and white cake layers in a tight spiral. The outside of the roll alternates thick red and white stripes, and a slice is cut and laid flat in front of the roll, showing the creamy center and cake layers clearly. Around the tray are small broken pieces and whole candy canes with red and white stripes, set on a white marbled surface. photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Ingredients

Cooking spray
3/4 cup (90 g) all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
9 large egg whites
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
1 teaspoon peppermint extract
2 drops (or more) red gel food coloring
2 1/2 cups (283 g) confectioners’ sugar
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 (8-oz.) package cream cheese, softened
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 small drop red gel food coloring
1/2 cup crushed candy canes
2 piping bags
2 round tips (5/8” to 1/2”)

Instructions

Step 1: Arrange a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Grease an 18″ x 13″ baking sheet with cooking spray and line the bottom with parchment paper.
Step 2: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt.
Step 3: In the large bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar on medium speed until starting to thicken. Slowly add granulated sugar, increase speed to high, and beat until glossy and stiff peaks form. Beat in the peppermint extract.
Step 4: Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the dry ingredients into the egg white mixture.
Step 5: Transfer a little more than half of the batter to a medium bowl (about 350 g for the red batter and 250 g for the white). Add red food coloring to the batter in the medium bowl and gently fold until the desired shade is reached.
Step 6: Divide the batters between two piping bags fitted with round tips. Starting in a corner, pipe diagonal white lines with the white batter, leaving about 1 inch between each line. Pipe red batter between each white line, completely filling the gaps. Hold the piping bag just above the tip and turn it up at the end of each row to prevent dripping.
Step 7: Bake the cake until it starts to pull away from the pan’s sides and springs back when gently pressed in the middle, about 12 to 15 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes.
Step 8: Lightly dust a clean kitchen towel with flour. Turn the warm cake onto the towel and peel away the parchment. Starting at a short end, carefully and tightly roll the cake into a spiral using the towel. Let cool completely, about 1 hour.
Step 9: Meanwhile, in the large bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the confectioners’ sugar, butter, and cream cheese on medium speed until smooth. Add peppermint extract and salt, then beat to combine. Add red food coloring and beat until the frosting is light pink. Finally, fold in the crushed candy canes.
Step 10: Unroll the cooled cake and remove the towel. Spread the frosting evenly over the cake, then gently roll it back up into a spiral. Use a pastry brush to dust off any excess flour before serving.

Tips & Variations

Use gel food coloring for a more vibrant red without thinning the batter.
If you don’t have cream of tartar, substitute with a small amount of lemon juice or vinegar.
For extra peppermint flavor, add a drop of peppermint extract to the frosting before adding the candy canes.
To make piping easier, practice on parchment paper before decorating the actual cake.

Storage

Store the filled Candy Cane Roll in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 day. Before serving, you can let it sit at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes to soften the frosting slightly. This cake is best enjoyed fresh.

How to Serve

The image shows a rolled cake with red and white striped pattern on the outside. The cake is long and cylindrical, with alternating thick diagonal red and white stripes on its surface. Three round slices are cut from the roll and placed beside it, revealing a spiral inside with bright red cake layers wrapped around a light pink creamy filling. The slices have a soft, fluffy texture for the cake and smooth, slightly glossy cream in the center. Small pieces of crushed red and white candy are scattered around the cake on a white marbled surface. photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I make the cake ahead of time?

Yes, the filled cake can be made 1 day ahead. Keep it refrigerated in an airtight container until ready to serve.

What if I don’t have a piping bag or round tips?

You can use a plastic sandwich bag with a small hole cut in one corner as a makeshift piping bag. The round tips help create clean lines, but careful piping without them can also work.

Candy Cane Roll Recipe

Print Recipe

★★★★★

4.6 from 87 reviews

This Candy Cane Roll is a festive, visually striking dessert perfect for the holiday season. Featuring a soft, peppermint-flavored sponge cake with distinctive red and white stripes, it is rolled with a creamy, smooth peppermint cream cheese frosting studded with crushed candy canes for added crunch. The cake is light, fluffy, and full of holiday cheer, making it an impressive yet approachable treat for celebrations.

Author: Kai
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
Yield: 12 servings 1x
Category: Dessert
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American
Diet: Vegetarian

Ingredients

Scale

Cake

Cooking spray
3/4 cup (90 g) all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
3 tbsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp kosher salt
9 large egg whites
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
1 tsp peppermint extract
2 drops (or more) red gel food coloring

Frosting

2 1/2 cups (283 g) confectioners’ sugar
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 (8-oz.) package cream cheese, softened
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1 small drop red gel food coloring
1/2 cup crushed candy canes

Equipment

2 piping bags
2 round piping tips (5/8” to 1/2”)

Instructions

Preheat and Prepare Pan: Arrange an oven rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 350°F (175°C). Grease an 18″ x 13″ baking sheet with cooking spray and line the bottom with parchment paper.
Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt until well combined.
Beat Egg Whites: Using a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar on medium speed until they start to thicken. Gradually add granulated sugar and increase speed to high. Continue beating until stiff, glossy peaks form. Beat in peppermint extract for flavor.
Fold Dry Ingredients: Gently fold the dry ingredient mixture into the egg white mixture with a rubber spatula, being careful to not deflate the batter.
Divide and Color Batter: Transfer a little more than half of the batter (about 350 g) to a medium bowl to color it red with gel food coloring, folding gently until the color is evenly distributed. Keep the remaining batter (about 250 g) white.
Pipe Stripes: Fit two piping bags with round tips. Fill one with white batter and the other with red. Starting at a corner of the prepared baking sheet, pipe diagonal white lines about 1″ apart. Pipe red lines between the white ones to fill the spaces completely. Hold the piping bags close and turn the tip upward at the end of each line to stop drips.
Bake the Cake: Bake in the preheated oven for 12 to 15 minutes until the cake pulls slightly from the edges of the pan and feels firm to the touch, without leaving an indent when pressed gently.
Cool and Roll: Let the cake cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Lightly dust a clean kitchen towel with flour using a small sieve. Carefully invert the warm cake onto the towel and peel away the parchment. Starting at a short end, carefully roll the cake into a tight spiral using the towel to help. Let it cool completely, about 1 hour.
Prepare Frosting: In the stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the confectioners’ sugar, softened butter, and cream cheese on medium speed until smooth. Add peppermint extract and salt and blend until combined. Add a small drop of red gel food coloring and beat until the frosting turns light pink. Gently fold in crushed candy canes.
Frost and Re-roll: Unroll the cooled cake and remove the towel. Spread the frosting evenly over the cake. Carefully roll the cake back into a spiral. Use a pastry brush to remove any excess flour from the surface.
Make Ahead: The filled cake can be prepared up to one day in advance and kept refrigerated until serving.

Notes

Be gentle when folding ingredients to keep the egg whites fluffy and the cake light.
Adjust red food coloring to achieve your desired shade in the batter and frosting.
Use a clean kitchen towel well-dusted with flour to prevent the cake from sticking when rolling.
Use crushed candy canes for added texture and a festive holiday crunch.
Refrigerate the rolled cake if making ahead to help the frosting set.
Remove excess flour carefully to keep the cake’s appearance clean and vibrant.

Keywords: Candy Cane Roll, Peppermint Roll Cake, Holiday Dessert, Christmas Cake, Cream Cheese Frosting