Red Velvet Roll Cake with Cream Cheese Filling
A red velvet roll cake sounds fancy, but it’s actually one of the easiest showstopper desserts you can make. The thin, velvety chocolate cake gets rolled up with a tangy cream cheese filling, creating that signature red and white swirl that slices beautifully.
This version skips the fuss of a towering layer cake without giving up any of that classic red velvet flavor. Plus, it bakes in about 15 minutes, so you’re not stuck in the kitchen all afternoon.
What Makes This Red Velvet Roll So Good
The cake itself has that whisper of cocoa, a tender crumb, and just enough tang from buttermilk and a splash of vinegar. It bakes into a thin, flexible sheet that’s ready for the spiral of cream cheese filling.
Because it’s a roll, every slice gets the perfect ratio of cake to filling. And there’s something undeniably fun about pulling a striped roll from the fridge, dusting it with powdered sugar, and watching it disappear fast.
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup cake flour: gives the cake its delicate texture; all-purpose works in a pinch but the roll may be slightly less tender.
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder: use natural cocoa, not Dutch-process, or the red color will dull.
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup neutral oil (vegetable or canola): keeps the cake moist and flexible for rolling.
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon liquid red food coloring: gel color is more concentrated; use about 1 teaspoon if going that route.
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup buttermilk: if you don’t have it, stir 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice or vinegar into 1/2 cup whole milk and let it sit 5 minutes.
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar: reacts with the baking soda for lift and helps preserve the red hue.
- For the filling:
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened: full-fat gives the best flavor and structure.
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup powdered sugar: sifted if lumpy.
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Variations / Substitutions
- Swap the filling: use mascarpone instead of cream cheese for a milder, Italian-style filling.
- Go natural: replace liquid red food coloring with 2 to 3 tablespoons beet powder or a few teaspoons of beet juice. The color will be more burgundy than fire-engine red, and the taste remains the same.
- Add a little coffee: stir 1/2 teaspoon instant espresso powder into the dry ingredients to deepen the cocoa note without tasting like coffee.
If you love this red velvet roll, our classic red velvet layer cake is just as good.
How to Make Red Velvet Roll Cake
Step 1: Mix the Batter
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a 10×15-inch jelly roll pan with parchment paper, leaving a couple inches of overhang on the short sides. In a medium bowl, whisk together 3/4 cup cake flour, 2 tablespoons cocoa powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, and 1/4 teaspoon salt.
In a large bowl, beat the 1/2 cup sugar, 1/4 cup oil, egg, 1 tablespoon food coloring, and 1 teaspoon vanilla until smooth and the sugar looks dissolved, about 1 minute. Add the dry ingredients in two additions, alternating with the 1/2 cup buttermilk, starting and ending with the flour mixture. Stir in the 1 teaspoon white vinegar just until no streaks remain. The batter will be thin, bright red, and pourable. Stop mixing as soon as it comes together, because overworking the flour can make the cake chewy instead of tender.
Step 2: Bake the Sheet Cake
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread it into an even layer with an offset spatula. Bake at 350°F for 12 to 15 minutes, until the top feels dry and springs back when you press it lightly with a fingertip.
The cake will look dull red and the edges might just start to pull away from the sides. Don’t let it bake until the surface is crusty; an overbaked cake will crack when you roll it. Let the pan sit on a cooling rack for 2 minutes, then run a knife around the edges if they’re sticking at all.
Step 3: Roll the Warm Cake
While the cake is still warm, lightly dust a clean, lint-free kitchen towel with powdered sugar. Invert the cake out onto the towel and carefully peel off the parchment paper. Starting at one short end, gently roll the cake and the towel together into a spiral.
Rolling the cake while it’s warm sets its shape and teaches it to curl without cracking later. Let the rolled cake cool completely on a wire rack, about 1 hour. The towel keeps the layers from sticking together and absorbs a bit of moisture so the surface isn’t tacky.
Step 4: Whip the Filling
In a medium bowl, beat the 8 ounces cream cheese and 1/4 cup butter with an electric mixer until smooth and lump-free, about 2 minutes. Add the 1 cup powdered sugar and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla and beat on low until combined, then increase to medium and whip until light and fluffy, another 1 to 2 minutes.
The filling should be spreadable but not runny. If it’s too soft, pop it in the fridge for 10 minutes while the cake cools. If you prefer a little tangier filling, you can skip the butter and use only cream cheese, but the texture will be denser.
Step 5: Fill and Re-roll
Gently unroll the cooled cake. It may hold a slight curl, which is fine. Spread the cream cheese filling evenly over the whole surface, leaving a 1/2-inch border on all sides. Roll the cake back up, this time without the towel, starting from the same end you rolled before.
The filling will squish a little toward the ends, so it’s okay if some peeks out. Wrap the finished roll tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to overnight, so the filling sets and the slices come out clean.
Step 6: Slice and Serve
Unwrap the chilled roll and set it seam-side down on a serving plate. Trim the ragged ends with a serrated knife for a clean look, then dust the top generously with powdered sugar. Slice into 8 to 10 rounds, using a gentle sawing motion so you don’t squish the filling.
Serve the slices cold or let them sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes if you prefer a softer bite. The swirl of red cake and white filling is the whole reason you made a roll, so show it off on a platter where everyone can see it.
Tips for a Red Velvet Roll That Won’t Crack
- Use a clean, lint-free towel: A dish towel that sheds will transfer fibers to the cake. A tightly woven tea towel or a piece of parchment works best.
- Get that true red: Gel food coloring gives the brightest, most stable red without adding extra liquid that could change the batter texture. Add it with the wet ingredients and beat well so it doesn’t streak.
- Fix small cracks with filling: If the cake splits a little when you unroll, don’t worry. The cream cheese filling acts like glue, and once it’s rolled and chilled, nobody will notice.
- Let the roll rest before slicing: A good chill not only sets the filling but also makes the cake firm enough to slice cleanly, so your rounds look like a bakery’s.
Keeping Leftover Roll Cake Fresh
Wrap any leftover roll tightly and store it in the fridge for up to 4 days. The cake stays moist and the filling stays firm. Slice off what you need straight from the refrigerator; there’s no need to bring the whole thing to room temperature.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is red velvet just chocolate cake with red dye?
No, it’s different. A good red velvet has a light cocoa flavor and a distinctive tang from the buttermilk and vinegar, nothing like a deep chocolate cake.
What’s the secret to a roll that doesn’t crack?
Bake just until the top springs back, then roll it up with a towel while the cake is still hot. Cooling it in that curled position and chilling the filled roll before slicing both help prevent cracks.
Can I leave out the food coloring entirely?
You can. Without it the cake will be a reddish-brown from the cocoa and baking soda reaction, but the taste will be identical.
Can I use a different pan if I don’t have a jelly roll pan?
A 10×15-inch pan is ideal because it gives the right thickness. A slightly smaller rimmed baking sheet works, but the cake will be thicker and may need an extra minute or two in the oven, which can make it less flexible.
Red Velvet Roll Cake Recipe
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a 10×15-inch jelly roll pan with parchment. In a bowl, whisk cake flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt.
- In a separate bowl, beat sugar, oil, egg, food coloring, and vanilla. Mix in dry ingredients alternately with buttermilk, then stir in vinegar.
- Spread batter in pan and bake 12 to 15 minutes until the top springs back.
- Cool in pan 2 minutes, then invert onto a powdered-sugar-dusted towel. Peel off parchment, roll up cake with the towel, and cool completely.
- Beat cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla until fluffy. Unroll cooled cake, spread filling, and roll back up. Wrap and chill at least 30 minutes.
- Unwrap, trim ends, dust with powdered sugar, and slice.
