Spiced Sweet Potato Roll Cake
A soft, cinnamon-spiced sweet potato sponge rolled around whipped cream cheese filling. Rolling the cake hot out of the oven is what keeps it from cracking.
Servings 12 slices
Ingredients
For the Sponge
- nonstick spray for the pan
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup brown sugar packed
- ⅔ cup sweet potato puree roasted and mashed, or canned
- powdered sugar for the towel and dusting
For the Cream Cheese Filling
- 8 oz cream cheese full fat, room temperature
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Make and Roll the Sponge
- Heat the oven to 375F. Line a 10x15-inch rimmed sheet pan with parchment and spray the parchment lightly. Lay a thin kitchen towel on the counter and dust it heavily and evenly with powdered sugar.
- Whisk the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg together in a small bowl.
- Beat the eggs with the granulated and brown sugars on high for 4 to 5 minutes, until pale, thick, and falling from the beater in a ribbon. Beat in the sweet potato puree on low just until the color is even.
- Fold in the dry ingredients by hand with a spatula, stopping as soon as the flour disappears.
- Spread the batter evenly to the corners of the sheet pan. Bake 12 to 15 minutes, until the top springs back to a light press.
- Run a knife around the edges, flip the hot cake onto the sugared towel, and peel off the parchment. Roll the cake and towel together from a short end and cool completely on a rack, about 1 hour.
Fill and Chill
- Beat the cream cheese and butter until completely smooth. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla and beat on medium 2 minutes, until light and spreadable.
- Unroll the cooled cake gently and spread the filling to within ½ inch of the edges.
- Re-roll the cake without the towel, wrap in plastic, and chill at least 1 hour. Trim the ends, dust with powdered sugar, and slice with a hot, dry knife.
Notes
- Roll it hot: the first roll must happen within a minute of the pan leaving the oven, while the sponge is still flexible.
- Do not overbake: check at 12 minutes. An overbaked sponge cracks no matter how fast you roll it.
- Drain wet puree: press loose sweet potato puree in a strainer for a few minutes so the sponge sets properly.
- Storage: refrigerate wrapped up to 4 days, or freeze up to 2 months and thaw overnight in the fridge.