Gingerbread Swiss Roll with Spiced Buttercream

This lovely russet Swiss Roll is a continuation of our Search for Delicious this holiday season, and the desire for soft (not rock-hard) gingerbread dessert items. Instead of heading in the direction of cookie-cutter vaguely-human shapes with limbs that may  be harder to break than actual bones, we did a 180 and drafted a gingerbread version of our favorite (if you can’t tell from all of the other similar posts) recipe: the Swiss Roll. If you’re new to the blog, you may want to do a bit of background research on our burgeoning obsession with this light, aesthetically-pleasing sponge cake (see the Pistachio Rose roll, or the Chocolate Coffee roll, or the ‘Oregon’ roll with hazelnuts and marionberry jam, the list goes on…). Now that we line them up side by side in writing, it looks like we’ve dedicated the better part of a month and a half to making very creative sushi. Not so – these are, indeed, rice-based, but they lean heavily on sugar+eggs rather than nori+raw fish (though we’re not opposed to anything involving the latter).

Now, if you’re going for the most festive of canvases to test your icing, piping, and candy-dropping genius, we highly recommend you search around for an actual gingerbread cookie recipe because this elegant, pillow-like version of the holiday classic will not satisfy your desires. You can definitely make extra spiced buttercream and pipe away on the top of the cake, adding swirls of festive, creamy frosting, you can even toss on candied ginger for a bit of flair! But if your goal is something akin to the tiny gum-drop-buttoned man from Shrek, you’ve come to the wrong place.

This roll cake, like most, if not all, other Swiss rolls, is extremely versatile. It can be presented, sliced, and eaten without any frills, like we’ve shown here. In its humblest version, it is a perfect, warming winter treat that will please guests with a sweet tooth and those looking for something a bit more earthy. It can also be dressed to the 9s with any of the additional steps we just mentioned above – just grab a few extra ingredients and you’re good to go! This fabulous roll can leave the house au naturel or wearing it’s most glamorous holiday decor – totally up to you. In any case, happy holidays everyone and do what tastes good!

Print Recipe

5 from 1 vote

Gluten Free Gingerbread Swiss Roll with Spiced Buttercream

Source: Sisters Sans Gluten

Prep Time1 hour hr

Cook Time15 minutes mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Diet: Gluten Free

Keyword: banana cake, cream cheese, gingerbread, swiss roll

Servings: 16 slices

Calories: 100kcal

Author: Amelia Farber

Equipment

• Cookie sheet
• Towel
• Parchment paper

Ingredients

For the sponge cake:

• 6 Large eggs separated
• 2/3 Cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 Cup black strap molasses
• 1/2 tsp each: ground cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon
• 1 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 Cup gluten free flour 1-1 mix
• 1/4 Cup arrowroot starch
• 1/4 Cup almond meal
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 Cup Powdered sugar for dusting/cake rolling

For the filling:

• 1 8 oz package cream cheese, room temperature
• 1/2 Cup butter room temperature
• 1 tsp powdered sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/8 tsp each: ground cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• 1-2 Tbsp milk

Additional optional topping:

• More spiced buttercream piped on top of the cake
• Thinly sliced candied ginger

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 375° Fahrenheit. Grease a cookie sheet (15x10x1 inches) and line with parchment paper. Grease the parchment paper and be sure the corners are pushed in; set aside. Separate the eggs into two medium bowls (be sure that the whites are in a clean, dry bowl and be sure no yolk gets into the whites). Using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form (it will take a few minutes), then set aside. Using the same mixer in the other bowl, beat the egg yolks with the brown sugar for 2 minutes until lighter and fluffy. Add in all other ingredients (vanilla, molasses, spices, flour, starch, almond meal, salt) until fully combined.
• With a baking spatula, fold in the egg whites 1/3 at a time, careful not to deflate the mixture. When combined, pour the batter into the prepared pan and carefully smooth so that it evenly coats the pan, making sure that the batter is distributed evenly. Bake for 13-15 minutes until the sponge cake is firm to the touch but not brown around the edges.
• Let the cake cool for a few minutes out of the oven, then dampen a kitchen towel and lay it flat on a counter. Lift the parchment paper and cake onto the kitchen towel, and dust the cake with powdered sugar. Roll the entire thing up, towel and all, from short end to short end, and let the cake sit, rolled, until completely cool. This will form the cake into a spiral which will make it easier to re-roll once you fill it.
• While the cake is cooling, make the filling. In a large bowl, using the electric mixer, beat together the room temperature butter, cream cheeses, powdered sugar, spices, and vanilla until blended. Add the milk and beat until you have a slightly thinner consistency but not runny.
• Once the cake is cool, carefully unroll and, using a spatula or a butter knife, spread the the cream cheese filling evenly the cinnamon roll filling. Carefully roll the cake back up in a tight spiral, the same direction you rolled before.
• The cake can be stored in the fridge or freezer before serving to hold its shape, but we recommend serving soon after cake is complete!

Tag @sisterssansgluten on Instagram if you snap a photo of your gingerbread Swiss roll!

Food photography and styling by Amelia Farber