This charming and incredibly delicious Watermelon Cake Roll is a light and fluffy sponge cake rolled around a sweet and smooth cream cheese filling. Vibrant red and green food coloring and mini chocolate chips create an adorable dessert that looks just like a beautiful slice of ripe and juicy watermelon.
Watermelon Cake Recipe
This Watermelon Cake Roll is a fun and whimsical spin on the classic Swiss roll cake. It features a delicious, vibrant green sponge cake delicately wrapped around pretty pink frosting. Mini chocolate chips are sprinkled throughout like seeds, giving each bite little bits of chocolate crunch. The colors and design look so much like a slice of juicy watermelon, that your friends and family will have to do a double-take.
While it looks like something from a fancy bakery, making this watermelon cake is much easier than you might think. With just a clean tea towel and a bit of rolling, the sponge cake comes together with just a little effort. With its beautiful watermelon-inspired colors, light and fluffy texture, and the sweet creaminess of the frosting, this is the ultimate dessert for pool parties or any summer get-together.
For other fun watermelon-themed desserts, be sure to check out this Watermelon Dessert Pizza and these Watermelon Rice Krispie treats.
Why We Love This Recipe
- Seriously delicious – The fluffy and moist sponge cake and the creamy frosting are made from scratch, creating a delicious homemade dessert.
- Beautiful design – Its vibrant colors and eye-catching design make it resemble a slice of fresh watermelon.
- Perfect for parties – Whether it’s a birthday bash or a summer barbecue, this cake roll will be a hit for adults and kids alike.
Tools Needed:
- 10×17 rimmed sheet pan
- Parchment paper
- Cooking spray
- Clean tea towels (or lint-free kitchen towels)
- Large mixing bowl
- Stand mixer (or hand electric mixer) with whisk attachment
Ingredients
For the Cake
- Powdered sugar – Adds sweetness to both the cake and the filling.
- Eggs – Gives structure and moisture to the sponge cake.
- Granulated sugar – Sweetens the cake batter.
- Canola oil – Keeps the sponge cake moist and tender.
- Baking powder and salt – Acts as leavening agent to help the cake rise.
- Vanilla extract – Adds flavor to the cake.
- Cake flour – Creates a softer and lighter texture compared to all-purpose flour.
- Green food coloring – Gives the cake its watermelon rind color.
For the Filling
- Cream cheese – Provides a creamy and tangy base for the frosting.
- Unsalted butter – Adds richness and smoothness to the filling.
- Powdered sugar – Sweetens and thickens the frosting.
- Vanilla – Enhances the flavor of the cream cheese filling.
- Mini chocolate chips – Add a crunchy texture and resemble watermelon seeds in the cake roll.
- Red food coloring – Used to tint the cream cheese into a pink icing color, resembling watermelon flesh.
How to Make Watermelon Swiss Roll
Step One: Mix the Batter
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a 10×17 rimmed sheet pan with cooking spray. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper, then spray the parchment with spray as well.
- In a large bowl, mix together the eggs, sugar, oil, baking powder, salt, and vanilla on low speed.
- Add the flour and stir until thoroughly combined.
- Add a teaspoon of the green food coloring and stir to combine.
Step Two: Bake the Cake
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and lightly tap the pan on the counter to get rid of any air bubbles.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes. An inserted toothpick should come out clean and the cake should bounce back when pressed.
Step Three: Roll the Cake
- This is when it is time to move quickly. You want the cake to be hot when you do the roll. Flip the cake, upside down, onto the prepared towel and remove the parchment paper. Using the towel as your oven mitts, roll the short end of the cake and the towel together. Place the roll, seam side down, on a cooling rack to cool completely at room temperature.
Step Four: Add the Filling
- Once the cake is cool, we can start the filling. In the bowl to your stand mixer, beat the cream cheese and sugar together on high speed until fluffy.
- Add the heavy cream and vanilla and continue beating until the filling is smooth.
- Add a teaspoon of the red food coloring and stir to combine.
- Carefully unroll the cooled cake and set the towel aside. Slowly spread the filling in an even layer over the cake, leaving about a half-inch on the sides for the filling to spread a little.
- Sprinkle the mini chocolate chips over the top of the filling.
Step Five: Chill and Serve
- Carefully roll the cake back up into the roll as tight as you can manage to ensure that the frosting is “glued” to the cake. Wrap the entire thing in plastic wrap and put in the fridge to chill for an hour.
- After chilling, remove the cake roll from the plastic wrap and place on a serving tray, seam side down. Trim the edges off each side before serving. Slice and enjoy!!
Storage Instructions
Store leftovers, covered tightly with plastic wrap, in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Can I Freeze This Watermelon Cake Roll?
You can freeze this cake roll. Wrap the roll in plastic wrap, then wrap it in a layer of foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. To thaw, remove the tin foil but leave the plastic wrap on it and thaw in the fridge.
Variations
You can add other fun ingredients to change the theme, flavors, and texture of the cake:
- Fruit – Add finely chopped strawberries or blueberries to the cream cheese filling.
- Extracts – Substitute almond extract or lemon extract for the vanilla.
- Nuts – You can add finely chopped pistachios or almonds to the filling.
- Zest – Add about 1 teaspoon of lemon or lime zest in the batter or filling.
- Jelly or jam – For an added fruit flavor, spread a thin layer of strawberry or raspberry jam over the cake before adding the cream cheese filling.
- Colors – Swap the colors of food coloring and you can totally change the theme of the cake roll. Use holiday colors, team colors or just make in your favorite color combo.
Cake Roll Recipe Top Tips
- Everything happens so quickly with a cake roll so you’ll want to prep a clean tea towel on a flat surface by sprinkling a quarter cup of powdered sugar all over it, on both sides.
- If the color isn’t to your liking, just add 1/2 teaspoon more. Just remember, it will be a tiny bit darker once it’s baked.
- This pan is a little larger than the usual sheet pan used for a cake roll. If using a smaller pan, you will have to increase the bake time.
- Use a warm knife to cut this cake into slices. Wipe the knife clean between each slice.
- Cool the cake at room temperature. Quick temperature fluctuations can cause cracks.
Can I Use All Purpose Flour Instead?
Yes, you can use all-purpose flour instead of cake flour in this recipe. However, since cake flour is lighter and has less protein than all-purpose flour, you’ll want to make this adjustment: 1 cup of all-purpose flour minus 2 tablespoons, then add 2 tablespoons of cornstarch.
Why Did My Cake Crack?
This can happen if the cake is too cool when you roll it. Be sure to roll the cake while it’s still warm, using the powdered sugar-covered tea towel to help guide the roll.
Why Did My Colors Not Turn Out Vibrant?
Be sure to use gel food coloring rather than liquid. Gel colors are more concentrated and provide a more vibrant result.
Why Is My Cake Dense and Not Fluffy?
Make sure you are not over-mixing the batter, which can deflate the air needed for a light and fluffy cake. Also, make sure your baking powder is fresh, because expired baking powder can lead to a dense cake layer.
More Delicious Cake Recipes
- Honey Bun Cake
- Lime Jello Poke Cake
- Banana Pudding Poke Cake
- Pig Pickin Cake
- Chocolate Caramel Pecan Bundt Cake
Watermelon Cake Roll
Equipment
- jelly roll pan
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- 6 eggs
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups cake flour
- green food coloring
For the Filling:
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 3/4 cup mini chocolate chips
- red food coloring
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a 10 x 17 rimmed sheet pan with cooking spray. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper then spray the parchment with spray as well.1/4 cup powdered sugar
- Everything happens so quickly with a cake roll so I like to prep a clean tea towel on a flat surface by sprinkling the quarter cup of powdered sugar all over it, both sides.
- In a large bowl stir together the eggs, sugar, oil, baking powder, salt and vanilla.6 eggs, 1 cup granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons canola oil, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Add the flour and stir until thoroughly combined.1 ½ cups cake flour
- Add a teaspoon of the green food coloring and stir to combine. If the color isn’t to your liking, just add 1/2 teaspoon more. Remember, it will be a tiny bit darker once it’s baked.green food coloring
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and lightly tap the pan on the counter to get rid of any air bubbles.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes. An inserted toothpick should come out clean and the cake should bounce back when pressed.
- This is when it is time to move quickly. You want the cake to be hot when you do the roll. Flip the cake, upside down, onto the prepared towel and remove the parchment paper. Using the towel as your oven mitts, roll the short end of the cake and the towel together. Place the roll, seam side down on a cooling rack to cool completely at room temperature.
- Once the cake is cool, we can start the filling. In the bowl to your stand mixer, beat the cream cheese and sugar together on high speed until fluffy8 ounces cream cheese, 4 cups powdered sugar
- Add the heavy cream and vanilla and continue beating until the filling is smooth.1 cup unsalted butter, 2 teaspoons vanilla
- Add a teaspoon of the red food colouring and stir to combine.red food coloring
- Carefully unroll the cooled cake and set the towel aside. Gently spread the filling in an even layer over the cake, leave about a half an inch on the sides for the filling to spread a little.
- Sprinkle the mini chocolate chips over the top of the filling.3/4 cup mini chocolate chips
- Carefully roll the cake back up into the roll as tight as you can manage to ensure that the frosting is “glued” to the cake. Wrap the entire thing in plastic wrap and put in the fridge to chill for an hour.
- After chilling, remove the cake roll from the plastic wrap and place on a serving tray, seam side down. Trim the edges off each side before serving. Slice and enjoy!!
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