Easter Cake Roll

Make this brightly colored, beautiful Easter Cake Roll for the holiday this Spring! Light and fluffy vanilla cake is rolled around sweet marshmallow buttercream and topped with cute marshmallow peeps – Everyone is going to love this Easter dessert.

When it’s time to bake desserts for Easter, it can finally feel like Spring! I love the bright colors in this Easter Cake Roll, and how they match up perfectly with the pink, blue, and yellow Easter Peeps perched on top.

I’ll teach you how easy it is to make a cake roll, from scratch, that is light and tender and expertly wrapped around buttercream frosting made with fluffy marshmallow creme.

Do you like to decorate cakes with Peeps as much as I do? I hope so! Check out my Easter Peep Cake, and Sunflower Peep Cake recipes too. You’re sure to find the perfect cake for your Easter dinner.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

1. Scratch Cake Recipe – The texture of this cake is so amazing! It’s light and springy while also being rich and moist at the same time. The method used, with whipped egg whites, makes it similar to an angel food cake in that way.
2. Easy to Decorate – All of the frosting in this cake recipe goes on the inside, so there’s no need to be too perfect about it! The main decorations on the outside of your Easter cake are adorable baby chick Easter peeps.
3. Versatile Recipe – While we’ve dressed up this cake roll for Easter, you can easily change up the colors and decorations to make it suit other occasions. The basic cake roll recipe can be used over and over again, with your own special touches.

Key Ingredients

Here’s what you need to make this beautiful Easter cake:

• Eggs: Separate the eggs so that you have the whites and the yolks in their own bowls. This cake recipe uses both, but they’re added to the batter at different times.
• Cream of Tartar: This is a stabilizer that is whipped with the egg whites to keep them light and fluffy.
• Peeps! You need just a few of each color to decorate the top of this cake roll. Save the others for a sweet snack for later.
• Butter: I’m using salted butter to make the buttercream for this cake, but you can also use unsalted butter and add about ¾ teaspoon of salt to the frosting.
• Marshmallow Creme: This sweet and sticky spread is tasty on a fluffernutter sandwich, but it also makes delicious desserts.
• Food Coloring: To make the frosting match the color of the peeps, You’ll need pink, blue, and yellow food coloring.
• The rest of the ingredients needed to make this Easter cake roll are basic baking staples that you should have on hand, like flour, cornstarch, sugar, and vanilla extract.

Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.

How To Make an Easter Cake Roll

Start by preheating the oven to 350°F/180°C, and lining an 11×17-inch baking sheet with parchment paper.

1. Whip the Egg Whites: Place the egg whites and cream of tartar in the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, and start whipping at medium speed. Once the eggs are frothy, turn the speed up to medium-high. Very slowly stream in the granulated sugar, then turn the mixer all the way up to high and whisk until stiff peaks form.
2. Mix Wet Ingredients: In a separate bowl, combine the egg yolks with milk, oil, and vanilla extract. Whisk to combine.
3. Add the Flour: Sift flour and cornstarch into the bowl with the wet ingredients, and mix again.
4. Fold in the Whites: Scoop about 1 cup of the egg whites into the batter, and gently fold together. Then combine the mixture with the rest of the egg whites, gently again, until totally combined.

1. Pour: Now, pour the cake batter into the prepared baking sheet. Spread the batter out evenly, then gently tap the sheet on the counter. This will release some of the air bubbles, and ensure that the cake bakes evenly.
2. Bake: Bake the cake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes, or until you can gently press on the surface and the cake springs back. Let the cake cool for 2-4 minutes, then get ready to roll it up in a clean kitchen towel. Place another piece of parchment paper on top of the cake, then slice the cake off of the cookie sheet and onto a towel. Remove the top piece of parchment, and begin to roll the cake up with the towel, starting from a short side. Set the rolled-up cake aside while you make the frosting.

7. Make the Buttercream: Cream the butter and powdered sugar until light and fluffy. Add half of the marshmallow cream and beat until combined, then add the remaining marshmallow and beat again until light and fluffy. Separate the frosting into three bowls, and tint each bowl a different easter color using the food coloring.

8. Unroll the Cake: Very carefully, and only when the cake is fully cooled, unroll it, leaving the towel and parchment paper underneath. Trim away the edges.
9. Frost and Roll Up: Gently apply the icing to the cake in a striped pattern, saving a bit of frosting for gluing the peeps on later. Wrap the cake up tightly, removing the parchment paper as you go. Then wrap the cake in fresh parchment or plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

10. Decorate: Slice the ragged ends off of the cake roll, dust with powdered sugar, and top with a line of peeps. Use leftover buttercream to keep them in place.

Recipe Tips

• Measure Correctly: When following a cake recipe, it’s important to properly measure all of the ingredients. See all of my measuring tips and tricks if you need a reminder.
• When separating eggs, it’s important not to have any bits of egg yolk in with the whites. They won’t whip up properly if there is yolk in with them.
• Use Gel Food Coloring: You’ll get the most vivid and bright colors in your baked goods using a gel based food coloring rather than a liquid. Wilton gel food colors are my favorites. The set linked here has all of the basic colors and will last you a long time.
• Be sure to roll the cake while it’s hot. If you let the cake cool too long in the pan, it will become too tricky to roll it up without breaking it. Be careful not to burn your fingers!
• Don’t frost the edges. Leave a bit of unfrosted cake on the outside edges. We’ll be slicing them away before serving anyways.
• For Perfect Presentation, make your first 1 or 2 stripes of frosting (the ones that will be in the center of the roll) thinner than the others. It will look extra pretty that way!

Storing Tips

Store this cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The peeps are best added right before serving unless you enjoy them a little bit stale (which is completely acceptable)!

More Recipes You Need for Easter

• Deviled Eggs
• Seven Layer Salad
• Funeral Potatoes
• Pineapple Ham
• Asparagus Casserole
• Velveeta Mac and Cheese
• Easy Cheese Danish

Recipe FAQs

More Easter Dessert Recipes

Traditional Russian Kulich

Bunny Bait

Easter Basket Cookie Cups

Flower Cupcakes

All Desserts →

This easy cake roll recipe is perfect for Easter! Enjoy the holiday with this sweet treat on the table and enjoy watching your family devour every last delicious crumb!

Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!

Recipe

5 from 16 votes

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Easter Cake Roll

Prep Time: 35 days d

Cook Time: 15 days d

Chill Time: 30 minutes mins

Total Time: 50 days d 30 minutes mins

Author: Diana

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This easy Easter Cake Roll is a light and fluffy vanilla cake wrapped around marshmallow buttercream and topped with cute marshmallow peeps.

8 servings

This easy Easter Cake Roll is a light and fluffy vanilla cake wrapped around marshmallow buttercream and topped with cute marshmallow peeps.

Equipment

• Cookie Sheet, 11×17-inches or similar size pan
• Stand-mixer
• Mixing Bowl

Ingredients 

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For the Cake

• ▢ 6 large eggs separated
• ▢ ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
• ▢ 1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar
• ▢ ¼ cup (60 ml) canola oil
• ▢ ⅓ cup (80 ml) whole milk
• ▢ 1 tablespoon (15 ml) vanilla extract
• ▢ ¾ cup (90 grams) all-purpose flour
• ▢ 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• ▢ 3 yellow Peeps
• ▢ 2 blue Peeps
• ▢ 2 pink Peeps
• ▢ Powdered sugar for dusting

For the Marshmallow Buttercream

• ▢ 1 ½ cups (340 grams) salted butter
• ▢ 1 ½ cups (170 grams) powdered sugar
• ▢ 14 oz (392 grams) marshmallow cream
• ▢ Gel Food Coloring in yellow, pink, and blue

Instructions 

• Preheat oven to 350°F/180°C (160°C fan oven) and line the bottom of an 11"x17" or similar size cookie sheet with parchment paper.
• Place the egg whites and cream of tartar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Turn the mixer on medium speed.
• Once the egg whites have become frothy and bubbly, turn the speed up to medium high. Very slowly stream in the granulated sugar while the mixer is running, the slower the better. Once all of the sugar has been added, turn the speed up to high and whisk until you reach firm stiff peaks, then turn the mixer off.
• In a separate bowl combine the egg yolks with the milk, oil, and vanilla. Mix until the wet ingredients are well combined.
• Then sift the flour and cornstarch into the bowl. Mix again until combined.
• Scoop about one cup of the egg whites into the bowl with the egg yolks, gently fold together. Then pour all of that mixture into the bowl with the remaining egg whites and fold together until totally combined.
• Pour the batter onto the prepared cookie sheet. Spread the batter out evenly. Gently but firmly tap the bottom of the cookie sheet on the counter, this will help to release some of the air bubbles and ensure the batter is level.
• Bake in the preheated oven for about 15 minutes. The cake is done when you can gently press a finger on the surface and the cake springs back.
• Remove the cake from the oven and let cool for just a couple of minutes. Place a second sheet of parchment onto the top of the cake. Then slide the cake off of the cookie sheet and onto a clean tea towel on the counter.
• While the cake is still warm, remove the top piece of parchment paper and carefully begin to roll the cake up with the towel starting at one of the short sides. If you are concerned about the cake sticking to the towel you can sprinkle a little powdered sugar over the top before rolling. Set aside to cool while you make the buttercream.
• To make the buttercream, cream together the butter and powdered sugar until light and fluffy. Add half of the marshmallow cream and beat until combined. Add the remaining marshmallow fluff and beat again until combined and light and fluffy.
• Separate the buttercream into 3 bowls, one for each of the colors blue, yellow, and pink. Mix each of the bowls until the desired color has been reached and no more white is showing.
• Carefully unravel the cooled cake roll. Slice the brown edges off of each side. Gently apply the 3 colors of buttercream in a striped pattern going parallel to the short ends of the cake. You can make as many or as few stripes of color as you’d like. Save any leftover buttercream to use as glue for the Peeps.
• Roll the cake back up tightly, gently remove the bottom piece of parchment as you roll. Wrap the rolled up cake in some parchment or plastic wrap or the tea towel again and place in the refrigerator to set for at least 30 minutes.
• When you are ready to serve, slice the ragged ends off of the cake roll, dust with powdered sugar and top with a line of Peeps, alternating in color. You can use a little leftover buttercream to help the peeps stick.
• Slice and serve. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Notes:

• When separating eggs, it’s important not to have any bits of egg yolk in with the whites. They won’t whip up properly if there is yolk in with them.
• Use Gel Food Coloring: You’ll get the most vivid and bright colors in your baked goods using a gel based food coloring rather than a liquid. Wilton gel food colors are my favorites. The set linked here has all of the basic colors and will last you a long time.
• Be sure to roll the cake while it’s hot. If you let the cake cool too long in the pan, it will become too tricky to roll it up without breaking it. Be careful not to burn your fingers!
• Don’t frost the edges. Leave a bit of unfrosted cake on the outside edges. We’ll be slicing them away before serving anyways.
• It’s important to chill the cake roll before serving. If you slice into this while the frosting is too soft, it will ooze out everywhere. 
• For Perfect Presentation, make your first 1 or 2 stripes of frosting (the ones that will be in the center of the roll) thinner than the others. It will look extra pretty that way!

Nutrition Information

Calories: 840kcal, Carbohydrates: 106g, Protein: 7g, Fat: 46g, Saturated Fat: 24g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g, Monounsaturated Fat: 15g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 233mg, Sodium: 328mg, Potassium: 120mg, Fiber: 0.3g, Sugar: 85g, Vitamin A: 1275IU, Calcium: 44mg, Iron: 1mg

This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.

© Little Sunny Kitchen