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Candy Cane Roll Recipe

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★★★★★

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.

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

  1. 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.
  2. Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt until well combined.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. 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.
  7. 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.
  8. 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.
  9. 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.
  10. 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.
  11. 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

Find it online: https://kitchenwithkai.com/candy-cane-roll-recipe/