Honey Cake Roll with Condensed Milk Frosting
The BEST fluffy and moist Honey Cake Roll that is easier than any cake, filled with scrumptious sweetened condensed milk frosting and topped with hazelnuts for a hint of nutty flavor. This dessert is a family staple and such a crowd-pleaser!
Other honey dessert recipes you might like: Honey Cake, Honey Babka, and Honey Cupcakes.
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This cake roll recipe is an oldie! It had been in our family for over a decade. It’s fluffy, moist and literally melts in your mouth. The cake roll has the most common ingredients and the condensed milk frosting is so simple to make. Whenever I feel like eating cake, I quickly whip up this version, frost and enjoy couple hours later.
My family are huge honey fans. We love honey desserts and would choose them anytime over other flavors. For a little fun twist, thinly slice fresh kiwi and/or strawberries and single-layer over the frosting.
Cake rolls are the easier and faster version of cake. A regular cake usually takes hours to bake, frost and decorate, while cake roll can take as little as 1 hour. Both would have the same taste, just a different shape. They can be made a day in advance and taste as good the next day. In fact, this dessert is delicious up to 3 days.
Choose the Best Honey for Cake Roll
Not every honey brand brings the best results in sponge cake desserts. As much as I try my best using organic foods, it’s not always the case for honey. Many times I end up using non-organic honey for baking. There are several different forms of honey: liquid, crystallized or creamed. For best results, I use the organic honey from Costco in little teddy bears. Their honey is more on a thick side. Watery honey will prevent cake from being fluffy and light. You can read more about my observations of honey under Honey Cake recipe.
Sweetened Condensed Milk or Sour Cream Frosting?
This dessert turns out delicious with either sweetened condensed milk or sour cream frosting. The sour cream frosting like in the Honey Cake works just as good for this cake roll. In fact, I frost it with sour cream frosting half of the time. It’s also less sweet than the sweetened condensed milk frosting. (You can find the sour cream frosting option below as well).
How to Make Honey Cake Roll:
- Preheat the oven and line large baking sheet with parchment paper
- Microwave to heat honey and add baking soda – set to cool
- Beat eggs and sugar
- Add sifted all-purpose flour to the egg mixture
- Transfer batter onto baking sheet and bake
- Roll cake and let it cool completely before frosting
How to Make Sweetened Condensed Milk Frosting:
- Beat softened cream cheese
- Add condensed milk and vanilla extract
- Beat in frozen cool whip
- Refrigerate frosting until ready to use
Enjoy!!!
More Cake Recipes to Explore:
- Banana Cake Roll – easy dessert in under an hour
- Chocolate Cherry Bundt Cake – moist, filled with Ukrainian buttercream and cherries
- Strawberry Kiwi Cake – fluffy and moist, with layers of fresh kiwi and strawberries
Honey Cake Roll with Condensed Milk Frosting
Ingredients
Cake Roll Ingredients:
- 4 large eggs - room temp
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
Sweetened Condensed Milk Frosting and Decorating:
- 8 oz cream cheese - softened
- 1/4 cup sweetened condensed milk, - refrigerated
- 4 oz cool whip - frozen, do not thaw
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 40 hazelnuts, toasted* - optional
- 2 teaspoons powdered sugar , - for dusting (optional)
Sour Cream Frosting (another option for frosting):
- 1 cup sour cream
- 4 oz cool whip - frozen
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
How to Make Honey Cake Roll:
- Preheat the oven to a 350°F. Line a large baking sheet (11×17) with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a small bowl, microwave 3 tbsp honey for 40-60 seconds until it starts bubbling and rising. As soon as you take the honey out of microwave, stir in 1/4 tsp baking soda until mixture is fluffy (it will rise). Set aside to cool and stir occasionally while you prepare the next step.
- In a large bowl, using a mixer, beat 4 large eggs and 1/2 cup granulated sugar on high for 8-10 minutes until eggs are light in color and fluffy. Add the honey mixture and beat on low for 30 seconds.
- Sift 3/4 cup all-purpose flour in thirds into the batter, whisking gently by hand using a whisk or fork until flour is incorporated and no lumps of flour remain. (Do not over-mix or you will deflate the batter and the cake texture will turn out rough).
- Pour all the batter at once into the prepared baking sheet and level to the edges with a spatula. Bake for 13 mins, until the toothpick inserted comes out clean. Remove from oven and right away run a thin edged spatula around edges of your cake to loosen from baking sheet. While cake is hot**, invert it face down onto a clean piece of parchment paper (min 11x17"). Remove parchment paper from the bottom of the cake and roll cake into parchment paper. Let cool to room temp (30-60 mins).
How to Make Sweetened Condensed Milk Frosting:
- In a medium bowl, with an electric mixer, beat 8 oz cream cheese on medium-high for 1 minute. Add 1/4 cup refrigerated sweetened condensed milk and 1/4 tsp vanilla extract. Beat on medium for about 1 min. Add 4 oz frozen cool whip and beat on high for about 3 minutes until frosting is smooth. (Frosting will not be thick like buttercream, but it will be thick enough to frost this cake roll).
- Carefully, unroll cake and loosen from parchment paper***. Put dollops of frosting over the surface and spread evenly to the edges. Roll the cake tightly in the same direction you rolled it the first time. Slice off the edges - to make it pretty. Generously dust with powdered sugar, decorate with frosting and top with toasted hazelnuts.
Notes
Inna says:
Hi what size baking sheet did you use? And which direction did you roll it?
Olga in the Kitchen says:
Hi Inna! I use 11×17 baking sheet and start with the narrower (shorter) side. If you want a longer roll that is thinner with less swirls, then you would start with the wider side.
Lena K. says:
We make this cake roll at least once a month and usually double the recipe. No other honey cake roll can beat the fluffy texture and amazing taste of this dessert. It’s superb!
Olga in the Kitchen says:
That’s amazing, Lena! Sounds like you found a new favorite :).
Ina says:
Is there a way to pin your recipes to pinterest?…
Olga in the Kitchen says:
Hi Ina! Yes, every recipe post has the 4 social media buttons before the printable recipe card (middle of the page). Click on the Pinterest PIN and all the available images to pin will appear for you to pin.
Tristin says:
Can this cake be frozen and if so how do I do it?
Olga in the Kitchen says:
I have never froze any frosted cakes or cake rolls. The frosting with sour cream might not be successful because of the sour cream in the frosting. I’m afraid the sour cream might really thin and start sliding off sides after freezer and become a mess. If you do frosting with condensed milk, it might work? I can’t really suggest much since I haven’t experienced myself. Hope this helps 🙂
Joan says:
Why cool whip? How can I substitute whipped cream?
Olga in the Kitchen says:
The cool whip keeps cream thick and the cream stays in when you squeeze and roll the cake roll. I have never tried with heavy cream so not sure how thick the cream will turn out if you substitute. If you do decide to sub, use the same amount of heavy cream. It might be too thin to decorate with piping tip but you can whip up heavy cream, powdered sugar and vanilla for the decorating part. Hope this helps 🙂
Petunia says:
The fluffiest cake roll I’ve ever tasted. Love the texture the flavor. It’s my to-go dessert from now on.
Olga in the Kitchen says:
I’m so happy to hear that 🙂
Lilly P. says:
Ukrainian cake rolls are always winners. They turn out so fluffy, mouth-watering and so easy. Can never go wrong with them. Thanks Olga for the recipe!
Olga in the Kitchen says:
You’re welcome Lilly 🙂 I always say that they are the easy version of a cake!
Lida says:
Olga this cake roll turned out soooo DELICIOUS! I made 2 of these for my guests tonight and they are such a hit. Thank you thank you!!!
Olga in the Kitchen says:
Thanks Lida! I’m craving couple slices, reading your comment! 🙂
Brittany P. says:
Made this cake roll as soon as you posted and oh my, it turned out amazing!!! Thanks for another fantastic dessert recipe!
Olga in the Kitchen says:
Thanks Brittany, glad you liked it 🙂
Marina says:
Excellent recipe. Mouth watering. I did with sour cream frosting and it turned out so delicious, I’m saving this recipe.
Olga in the Kitchen says:
Sour cream frosting is the perfect choice!!