A twist on the classic pumpkin roll, this zucchini roll comes together surprisingly easily. Made with a zucchini-flecked cake rolled around a sweet cream cheese filling, this zucchini roll makes a perfect summertime dessert and a great way to use up excess zucchini from your garden.
My oven broke on Friday.
After meticulously designing my first rendition of the batter for this zucchini roll I peeked through the glass to confirm the oven temperature (jelly roll pan full of hopeful batter in hand) and realized something was definitely wrong. Within a few hours (and after a substantial amount of googling on my husband’s part as well as a visit from my dad) it was determined–my oven was dead.
Since the majority of my baking for this blog is done Friday evening through Sunday (and I already had a full Sunday planned), this incident caused more anxiety and frustration than an oven should ever be able to incite in a human being, and the search for a new one began immediately. Then, when Zach and I finally decided on an oven that we liked (shiny, self-cleaning, stainless steel), we were told it couldn’t be delivered for three weeks.
Three weeks was simply not a feasible option for us, so fortunately (thanks to the powers of the internet) we were able to find the same oven a just a bit further away, deliverable before the end of this week.
After being told about the three-week wait time, several days without an oven suddenly didn’t seem so bad after all.
So, now I’m waiting for my new oven (which I’m quite excited about) and am very, very fortunate that my parents and their fully-functioning oven live only 15 minutes away from me.
This roll took too many attempts to get just right (I think I made it half a dozen times) and I am very grateful that my parents (and bake-happy siblings) allowed me to commandeer their counter and oven-space for such a long period of time. In the end, they were rewarded with this zucchini roll, which was eaten quite gratefully and quickly, and I hope considered a fair trade.
The filling was fairly easy, a subtle variation of my well-loved cream cheese frosting. You can’t have a zucchini roll without this, zucchini and cream cheese go together perfectly, much like carrot cake and cream cheese frosting.
With oversized zucchini overwhelming gardens and farmers markets everywhere this time of year, it’s nice to be able to convert this beautiful, emerald-skinned squash into something other than the typical bread or grilled/sauteed dish. This zucchini roll offers a nice twist, a sweet, slightly cinnamon-y, zucchini flecked cake rolled around a cream cheese filling.
I highly recommend that you make more than one.
More Recipes to Try:
Enjoy!
Ingredients
Roll
- 3 large eggs
- ¾ cups granulated sugar
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1 Tbsp canola oil vegetable oil would also work
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- 1 cup grated zucchini absorb excess moisture by patting with paper towel
- Powdered sugar for dusting
Cream Cheese Filling
- 8 oz cream cheese softened to room temperature
- ½ cup butter softened to room temperature, 1 stick
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F
- Line 15x10 jelly roll pan with aluminum foil and spray with baking spray
- In KitchenAid (or with hand-mixer) beat together eggs, sugars and oil on medium speed until well-combined (about 1 minute).
- Stir in vanilla extract.
- In separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.
- Gradually stir flour mixture into egg mixture with spatula.
- Fold in grated zucchini.
- Spread batter evenly into prepared jellyroll pan and bake on 350 for 13-15 minutes (edges may just begin to turn slightly golden).
- While the cake is cooking, lay out a clean baking towel at least as wide as your jellyroll pan and dust generously with powdered sugar (this will help keep the cake from sticking to the towel while you are rolling it up).
- As soon as cake is done cooking, remove from oven and invert immediately onto prepared dishtowel.
- Remove jellyroll pan and very carefully peel foil away from cake.
- Immediately, carefully, roll cake, starting with one of the 10" sides, using the towel to help you roll the cake but taking care to keep the towel from being rolled into the roll.
- Allow cake to cool for one hour.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- In mixer, cream together cream cheese and butter.
- Stir in vanilla extract.
- Gradually stir in powdered sugar, pausing to scrape down sides of mixer until all sugar is incorporated.
- Carefully unroll the cake.
- Evenly spread frosting over surface of cake (be sure to go to the edges) and then carefully re-roll.
- Cut and serve. If not eating immediately, store in refrigerator in airtight container (or covered with plastic wrap) until ready to eat.
Christa
So I tried this today because I’ve pulled an abundance of zucchini off of my 3 plants. It cracked when rolling…I’m not sure what I did wrong?
Sam
O no! I’m so sorry this happened, Christa! Sometimes these rolls can really be tricky and they just crack. I have had them crack on me before as well and it’s frustrating, but then I get to keep that one for myself. 😊
L Caulkins
I have this about eight times and it is deliouse. My family loves it just as much as pumpkin roll. I have changed the flavoring at times to lemon, which is just as wonderful.
Sam
I am so glad you and your family enjoyed!! Thank you so much for commenting 🙂
Bonnie
Should have baked the roll longer. Baked it 17 min. But it still wasn’t done I could tell when I unrolled it for the filling. It was kind of gooey. Went ahead anyway put cream cheese filling on it and sprinkled some blueberries(suggested by my grandson) on it. Let’s hope it tastes as good as everyone says
Sam
Hi Bonnie! How did it taste? Unfortunately different ovens can run a little differently which is why I try to provide other cues as well (golden edges). I hope everyone still enjoyed!
Jan
My family really loved this recipe. The cake was very moist and the filling was not too sweet. I’d make it again!👍🏻
Sam
I am so glad everyone enjoyed it so much, Jan! 🙂
Selah Howard
Hi there!
So, I’m wondering… Will you be making a pumpkin roll recipe? Just curious because my family and I aren’t big fans of zucchini treats. But absolutely love pumpkin anything. ;D Thanks!
Sam
Hi Seleh! I have been working on one for quite a while, but I have not quite perfected it yet. Hopefully sometime this year. 🙂
Selah Howard
Okay, great! Thank you! Good luck!
Flourchild
Just pulled some zucchini from my garden and can’t wait to try this roll! Looks amazing!
Kathy @ Beyond the Chicken Coop
Oh no! Poor you with no oven! You will be sooo happy once the new one arrives! Luckily you had a back up oven you could use! Love the zucchini roll. Zucchini must be the most versatile veggie around!
Sam
I am SO impatient for the new one! Thank you, Kathy!
Maureen | Orgasmic Chef
What a clever idea. I’ve had loads of zucchini bread but never cake and this would suit me perfectly. I love it!
Sam
Thank you, Maureen!
Shelby @ Go Eat and Repeat
This zucchini roll looks amazing! I love how you mixup the traditional pumpkin roll with this!
Sam
Thank you, Shelby!
Zainab
I wouldn’t survive without an oven either especially over the weekend. I do all my baking for the blog Friday night to Sunday and would be very angry without one. So glad your parents were close by and you could use theirs. Love this spin on a roll cake!!
Sam
It’s SO frustrating! Thank you, Zainab!
Heather - Butter & Burlap
Seriously, you’re oven broke! Gah! That’s awful! I’ve been reading about a lot of ovens breaking lately, and that’s no bueno! These pictures look GORGEOUS though, and I can’t wait to dive into that cake! It only took you 12948095 times, but I bet it’s well worth it! 🙂
Sam
Thank you, Heather!
Anu-My Ginger Garlic Kitchen
This cake roll looks so delicious and full of YUM! Absolutely loving this goodness! 🙂
Sam
🙂 Thank you, Anu!
Vanessa @ VanessaBaked
I love this new spin on cake rolls! Such a great way to use zucchini. Looks delicious!
Sam
Thank you, Vanessa!
Sneha
Hey..I truly, truly love this roll, it looks so moist and flavorful, and that cream cheese frosting is abundant in a good way and The cream in the middle looks so perfect and mouthwateringly tasty too 🙂 mmm! Thanks for a great weekend. 🙂
Sam
Thanks so much!
Cheyanne @ No Spoon Necessary
Total bummer about your oven, I can only imagine your frustration. I totally would have thrown a temper tantrum equivocal to that of a 4 year old. And 3 weeks for a new oven?!? What the? Um NO! So glad you are getting a brand spankin’ new one much sooner and that your super cool ‘rents live close and allow you to use theirs. This roll is genius and sounds Hella good! Love that you took the over played pumpkin roll and totally revamped it into this deliciousness! I absolutely know what I will be making next time I have a surplus of zucchini! ♡ cheers, girlfriend- to shiny new ovens!!
Sam
Thanks so much, Cheyanne! 🙂
Oh, and I definitely came close to a temper tantrum!