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!
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
*To toast hazelnuts: preheat the oven to a 350°F. Place hazelnuts onto baking sheet (no parchment paper needed) and bake for 8-10 mins. **To prevent cracks in cake roll, it should be rolled in parchment paper right after it comes out of oven. ***If you're not planning to decorate cake roll, you might consider dusting powdered sugar onto parchment paper when you roll the cake roll first time (from the oven). Otherwise it will stick to the parchment paper and the interior will have peeled off spots.