Carrot Cake Swiss Roll
This vegan carrot cake Swiss roll turns the spiced flavors of classic carrot cake into a light, rollable sponge wrapped around a tangy vegan cream cheese filling. Made with grated carrots, coconut sugar, warm cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg, it bakes in just 10 minutes, then chills until the spiral holds its shape. Fancy-looking, fully plant-based.
If you followed my blog before, you know two things about me. One: I love dessert. Two: I love Swiss roll. There is something about that light texture, the taste, and the fact that you feel like you are eating something incredibly fancy that I cannot resist. I have tried lots of different flavors and pretty much enjoyed them all, but today I chose to share a more special one with you: carrot cake.
As I mentioned last time, when I made a vanilla version, making a Swiss roll from scratch might seem intimidating at first, but do not freak out. And to be fair, I have yet to hear of a better way to sneak in your vegetables than in a dessert. I like to serve this as a snack with a nice cup of tea or coffee, or, socially, during brunch, because let me tell you, this dessert is sure to impress anybody.
This Recipe Works If You Need
- A dessert that looks impressive at brunch or a celebration but is far easier than it appears.
- A fully plant-based treat with no eggs, no dairy, and no animal products anywhere.
- A clever way to get more vegetables into a sweet, since two cups of grated carrots disappear into the sponge.
- A spiced, cozy bake for autumn or the holidays that is not another loaf or muffin.
- A make-ahead dessert you can bake one day and serve the next, since it needs chilling time anyway.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It bakes in 10 minutes. A thin sponge baked at 170 C cooks fast, so you are rolling it while it is still warm and flexible.
- The filling is the classic carrot cake pairing. Vegan cream cheese whipped with vegan butter gives you that tangy frosting taste folded right inside the spiral.
- Coconut sugar adds depth. Its mild caramel note works with the warm spices far better than plain white sugar would.
- It is genuinely showstopping. A clean spiral cross-section looks like bakery work, but the towel-rolling trick does most of it for you.
- It hides the vegetables. Nobody tasting it would guess how many carrots are tucked into each slice.
Ingredient Notes
Carrots are the backbone of this roll, with two cups grated into the batter. Grate them finely on the small holes of a box grater rather than the large ones; thick shreds add moisture but also create lumps that make the thin sponge harder to roll without cracking. Pick firm, bright carrots, since older, bendy ones taste dull and release less of that natural sweetness.
Coconut sugar does double duty here, sweetening both the sponge and the filling. It has a soft caramel, almost toffee-like flavor that complements the spices. For the filling and for dusting the towel, you blend it with cornstarch until it turns to powder, which is your homemade vegan substitute for powdered sugar, so you get a smooth, lump-free cream.
Coconut yogurt replaces the eggs that would normally give a sponge its structure and lift. Use a plain, thick, unsweetened variety; a runny yogurt will throw off the batter consistency. Creamed with the sugar, it adds moisture and a faint tang that reads as classic carrot cake.
Vegan cream cheese is the heart of the filling, and quality matters more here than anywhere else. I use Creamy by Violife because it has a neutral taste that lets the vanilla and spices come through. Make sure you buy the unsalted version, since a salty cream cheese fights the sweetness. Keep it cold until you whip it.
Vegan butter whips with the cream cheese to give the filling body so it stays put when you spread and re-roll. Use a block-style baking butter rather than a soft tub spread, and let it soften slightly at room temperature so it creams smoothly without splitting.
The warm spices, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg, are what make this taste like carrot cake rather than plain sponge. Fresh grated ginger gives a brighter, more fragrant heat than the dried powder. Grate your nutmeg fresh if you can, since pre-ground loses its aroma fast.
Tips
- Roll it while it is warm. The single biggest mistake with any Swiss roll is letting the sponge cool flat. As soon as it comes out of the oven, turn it onto a towel and roll it up; a warm sponge is pliable, while a cold one cracks the moment you bend it.
- Dust the towel with powdered coconut sugar first. This keeps the sponge from sticking to the cloth and gives it a sweet outer coat. A bare towel will grab the cake and tear it as you unroll.
- Roll the warm cake with the towel inside, then chill it rolled. Refrigerating it for an hour in its rolled shape trains the spiral so it remembers the curl when you unroll, fill, and roll it back.
- Whip the filling cold. Cream cheese and butter that are too warm will turn loose and weep. You want a thick, spreadable cream that holds its edge, so chill the bowl if your kitchen is hot.
- Do not overbake. Ten minutes at 170 C is enough for this thin layer. The sponge is ready when the top springs back to a light touch; a dry, overbaked sheet is what cracks.
Substitutions and Variations
- Add nuts. Carrot cake loves a bit of crunch. Fold chopped walnuts into the batter, or even better in my opinion, pecans, for that traditional carrot cake texture.
- Swap the sweetener. If you do not have coconut sugar, light brown sugar works in both the sponge and the filling and keeps a similar caramel note.
- Brighten the filling. A little lemon zest or extra vanilla in the cream cheese mixture lifts the whole roll and plays nicely against the spices.
- Adjust the spice. Like it warmer? Push the cinnamon and ginger up a touch, or add a pinch of ground cloves for a more gingerbread-leaning roll.
Storage and Make Ahead
This roll is a make-ahead dream, because it needs chilling time to set anyway. After you fill and re-roll it, it has to refrigerate for at least two hours before slicing, so you can easily bake it the day before you want to serve it. Keep it covered in the fridge for up to three days; the spiced sponge actually deepens in flavor by the second day. Slice it cold with a sharp knife, wiping the blade between cuts for clean spirals.
If you love this kind of plant-based baking, you might also enjoy my vegan carrot cake with frosting for the full layered version, or the vegan vanilla cheesecake when you want something cool and creamy. And if you need a reliable homemade base for the filling, here is how I make my own vegan cream cheese from scratch.
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Carrot Cake Swiss Roll
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 2 cups carrots grated
- ¾ cup flour
- ½ cup coconut sugar
- 4 Tbsp coconut yogurt
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp ginger grated
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
- ½ tsp salt
For the filling:
- 6 oz vegan cream cheese unsalted (Creamy by Violife has a neutral taste)
- ¼ cup vegan butter
- 1 cup coconut sugar + 2 tsp cornstarch blended until turned into powder
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a bowl, cream the coconut yogurt and 2/3 cup sugar, then add 1 tsp of vanilla extract.
- In a separate bowl, mix your dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt).
- Add the dry ingredients to the yogurt mixture and stir. Add the grated carrots and ginger.
- Mix well and transfer to a greased and lined baking pan.
- Bake at 170 degrees C (340 degrees F) for 10 minutes.
- As soon as it comes out of the oven, turn it out onto a clean towel dusted with powdered coconut sugar.
- Remove the parchment paper.
- Use the towel to help you roll up the cake while it is still warm.
- Refrigerate for 1 hour.
- To make the filling, beat the vegan butter and cream cheese together while gradually adding the powdered coconut sugar.
- Add 1 tsp of vanilla at the end.
- Unroll the cake, spread the filling evenly, and roll it back up.
- Refrigerate for another 2 hours before slicing and serving.
Notes
Frequently Asked Questions
Cracking almost always means the sponge cooled flat before you rolled it, or it was overbaked. Turn the cake onto a sugar-dusted towel and roll it up while it is still warm and flexible. A thin layer like this only needs 10 minutes at 170 C, so pull it out as soon as the top springs back to the touch.
Yes, it is fully vegan. It uses coconut yogurt in place of eggs, vegan cream cheese and vegan butter for the filling, and coconut sugar to sweeten. There are no eggs, dairy, or other animal products anywhere in the recipe.
This recipe makes its own vegan powdered sugar by blending 1 cup of coconut sugar with 2 teaspoons of cornstarch until it turns into a fine powder. The cornstarch keeps it from clumping and helps the cream cheese filling set, so you do not need store-bought powdered sugar at all.
It is an excellent make-ahead dessert. The filled roll needs to chill for at least two hours before slicing, so baking it the day before is ideal. It keeps covered in the fridge for up to three days, and the spiced sponge actually tastes better by the second day.
Choose a neutral, unsalted vegan cream cheese so the vanilla and spices come through. I use Creamy by Violife for its neutral taste. Whip it cold with softened vegan butter so the filling stays thick and holds its shape when you spread and re-roll the cake.
Chill the finished roll fully, for at least two hours, before cutting. Slice it cold with a sharp knife and wipe the blade clean between cuts. A cold, set roll holds its spiral, while a warm one squashes and smears the filling.
This recipe is simply divine, thanks for the inspiration! 🙂