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Homemade lemon cake roll recipe sliced on a white marble counter with lemon cream filling and powdered sugar dusting.

Lemon Cake Roll Recipe

A light and fluffy Lemon Cake Roll filled with tangy lemon cream and wrapped in a soft sponge. A bright, zesty dessert that’s perfect for spring and summer gatherings.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Cooling Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 40 minutes
Servings: 10 slices
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American, European
Calories: 285
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Sponge Cake
  • 4 large Eggs Separated, room temperature
  • ¾ cup Granulated sugar Divided (½ cup for yolks, ¼ cup for whites)
  • 1 tablespoon Lemon zest From about 2 lemons
  • 2 tablespoon Fresh lemon juice Bright citrus flavor
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract Balances tartness
  • ¾ cup All-purpose flour Sifted
  • 1 teaspoon Baking powder Helps cake rise
  • ¼ teaspoon Salt Enhances flavor
  • Powdered sugar For dusting towel during rolling
For the Filling
  • 8 oz Cream cheese Softened
  • ½ cup Powdered sugar For sweetness
  • ¼ cup Lemon curd Adds tangy citrus flavor
  • 1 cup Heavy whipping cream Whipped to stiff peaks
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract Rounds out flavor
Optional Glaze
  • 1 cup Powdered sugar Base for glaze
  • 2–3 tablespoon Fresh lemon juice For consistency
  • ½ teaspoon Lemon zest Enhances lemon flavor

Equipment

  • 1 10x15-inch Jelly Roll Pan Proper size ensures the cake doesn’t crack
  • 1 Electric hand mixer or stand mixer For whipping eggs and cream
  • 1 Fine-mesh sieve For sifting flour and removing lumps
  • 1 Rubber spatula For gently folding batter
  • 1 Clean kitchen towel Used for rolling the cake while warm
  • 1 Offset spatula For spreading batter and filling evenly
  • 1 Parchment paper Prevents sticking
  • 1 Wire cooling rack For cooling the rolled cake
  • 1 Zester or Microplane For fine lemon zest without bitterness

Method
 

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 10x15-inch jelly roll pan with parchment paper and lightly grease.
  2. Beat egg yolks with ½ cup sugar until thick and pale. Add lemon zest, juice, and vanilla.
  3. In a separate bowl, whip egg whites with remaining sugar to stiff peaks.
  4. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt; fold into yolk mixture. Gently fold in egg whites.
  5. Spread batter evenly in pan, tap to remove air bubbles, and bake 12–15 minutes until springy.
  6. Invert hot cake onto a powdered-sugar-dusted towel, peel parchment, and roll up with towel inside. Cool 1 hour.
  7. Beat cream cheese and powdered sugar, add lemon curd and vanilla, then fold in whipped cream.
  8. Unroll cooled cake, spread filling, and roll again without towel. Wrap in plastic and chill 2 hours.
  9. Dust with powdered sugar or drizzle with glaze before serving.

Notes

  • Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.