Easy Cinnamon Apple Cake Roll made with fresh apples, cinnamon and cream cheese icing. A flavorful cake with a creamy filling!
Cake rolls happen to be one of my favorite desserts to make, I just don’t seem to make them as often as I would like to!
Click here to save this recipe on Pinterest!
When I originally made this cinnamon apple cake roll it was back 2015 where I was highlighting some of my favorite apple recipes! You can check out the other two recipes here: tarts and chips!
It has been fun making all of these new apple recipes that I now can add to my recipe box for the next time I am in the mood for apples.
As I was eating this cake I thought what a great alternative this could be for apple pie! It has the same flavors but with icing! Sounds even better to me!
This cake roll is your standard type of roll. It takes some patience and waiting around but it is worth it in the end so don’t give up.
I knew last year after we went apple picking I wanted to replicate my pumpkin roll and make an apple roll. Well it took me a whole other year before I actually did it and let me tell you, it didn’t last long in my house!
HOW TO MAKE CINNAMON APPLE CAKE ROLL!
Ingredients:
- FOR THE CAKE:
- 2 eggs
- 5 oz sour cream
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 4 ounces cinnamon applesauce
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1½ teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- FOR THE ICING FILLING:
- 1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 3 teaspoon unsalted butter, softened
- 8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
- 2 tablespoons milk
- FOR THE APPLE FILLING:
- 3 cups apples, diced (about 3 apples)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 4 tablespoons brown sugar
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 375. Line 15×10 or 9X13 cookie sheet (this would be a medium size) with parchment paper.
- In mixing bowl, mix the eggs, sour cream, sugar and applesauce together.
- In a separate bowl whisk together flour, baking powder and cinnamon.
- Slowly add to mixing bowl on medium till all incorporated.
- Pour into prepared cookie sheet, spread out and bake for 15 minutes.
- Take a dish towel that is the size of the cake. Cover with ½ cup powdered sugar.
- When cake is done and cooled for about 2 minutes. Remove from pan lay cake onto the dish towel. Starting at one end, roll the cake into the dish towel.
- Place in refrigerator to cool for an hour.
- FOR THE APPLE FILLING:
- On medium heat, using a medium size pot melt your butter.
- Add brown sugar and stir till the sugar has dissolved.
- Add cinnamon and apples.
- Let the mixture simmer for 15 minutes or until apples are soft.
- Drain and set aside.
- FOR THE ICING FILLING:
- Prepare filling by mixing butter and cream cheese together. Add powdered sugar and milk.
- When ready, take roll out of refrigerator, unroll. Spread icing onto cake.
- Top with half the apple filling. Roll the cake back up without the dish towel, in plastic wrap and refrigerator for 1 hour or until ready to serve.
- When ready to serve top with remaining apple filling. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and ENJOY!
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Cinnamon Apple Cake Roll
Equipment
Ingredients
- FOR THE CAKE:
- 2 eggs
- 5 oz sour cream
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 4 ounces cinnamon applesauce
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1½ teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- FOR THE ICING FILLING:
- 1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 3 teaspoon unsalted butter softened
- 8 oz cream cheese room temperature
- 2 tablespoons milk
- FOR THE APPLE FILLING:
- 3 cups apples diced (about 3 apples)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 4 tablespoons brown sugar
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375. Line 15x10 or 9x13 cookie sheet (this would be a medium size) with parchment paper.
- In mixing bowl, mix the eggs, sour cream, sugar and applesauce together.
- In a separate bowl whisk together flour, baking powder and cinnamon.
- Slowly add to mixing bowl on medium till all incorporated.
- Pour into prepared cookie sheet, spread out and bake for 15 minutes.
- Take a dish towel that is the size of the cake. Cover with ½ cup powdered sugar.
- When cake is done and cooled for about 2 minutes. Remove from pan lay cake onto the dish towel. Starting at one end, roll the cake into the dish towel.
- Place in refrigerator to cool for an hour.
FOR THE APPLE FILLING:
- On medium heat, using a medium size pot melt your butter.
- Add brown sugar and stir till the sugar has dissolved.
- Add cinnamon and apples.
- Let the mixture simmer for 15 minutes or until apples are soft.
- Drain and set aside.
FOR THE ICING FILLING:
- Prepare filling by mixing butter and cream cheese together. Add powdered sugar and milk.
- When ready, take roll out of refrigerator, unroll. Spread icing onto cake.
- Top with half the apple filling. Roll the cake back up without the dish towel, in plastic wrap and refrigerator for 1 hour or until ready to serve.
- When ready to serve top with remaining apple filling. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and ENJOY!
Video
Nutrition
Jamie @ Love Bakes Good Cakes
Absolutely perfect!!
Kelly
This cake roll looks fantastic, Nancy! Love the cinnamon apple combo! It’s perfect for fall!
Deb@ Cooking on the Front Burner
What a great idea to make an apple roll! I’ve been loving your apple recipes!
Cathy Trochelman
I’ve never made a cake roll! This one looks so delicious…..I need to try it!
Rachael
Mmm this looks so yummy. I love how the roll up cake, and love the apples! mmmm
Lane and Holly (withtwospoons)
So beautiful! I love the apples on the top!
Megan @ MegUnprocessed
That apple looks delicious – great photo!
Helen at the Lazy Gastronome
Just looking at that cream oozing from that moist, soft cake….. Oh yummm! Thanks for sharing on the What’s for Dinner link up and don’t forget to leave a comment at the party – Next week’s features that also leave a comment get pinned and tweeted!
Karren Haller
Oh my goodness this looks so good and a different twist on a fall dessert!!
I would love to have you stop by and share on my WW post this week.
Hope you have a great week!
Karren
Mother of 3
That looks heavenly! Perfect for the fall. Yum. Pinned. I’d love to see you link up with us at http://www.ourunschoolingjourney.com/2016/08/wonderful-wednesdays-with-omhg.html
Edye
Pinned! My family will love this 🙂
Cristina at Ava's Alphabet
Yum! This looks perfect for fall and just in time for apple season. Thanks for sharing at Family Joy Blog Link-Up Party. Hope you are having a great week.
Carlee
Oh my goodness! What a pretty and delicious looking cake! I wish I could sneak a bite right off the screen. Thanks so much for sharing at Throwback Thursday.
Theresa
Looks so good. I’d love to get a jelly roll pan. Thanks for sharing at the #InspirationSpotlight Pinned & sharing
Kelli
This looks amazing! Could you tell me what size cookie sheet you used?
Nancy P.
Hi Kelli! Thanks for your question. I used a 9×13 cookie sheet!
Gracie
The recipe called for a cookie sheet, which is what I used and I had trouble rolling without it cracking. I doubled checked the recipe before I started as I thought a cookie sheet was the wrong size and the batter would be too thin. Needless to say, it cracked and split. I’m disappointed.
Nancy Piran
Hi Gracie! I’m sorry to hear that this happened. Typically when a cake cracks while being rolled it’s because it was cooled down too much. Which size cookie sheet did you use. My size is 15×10, which is the medium standard size that I purchased at Walmart. This is just the one I’ve always used. I will definitely make a note in the recipe on which size to use.
Gracie
In a previous reply (Oct 31, 2016) you said you used a 9×13, in this comment you said 15×10?
Nancy Piran
Hi Gracie! Yes I did mention both because I have used both sizes of this sheet pan. They have both worked for me with no problems. Just trying to give people options in case they don’t have one size but they do have the other.
Anonymous
Henri
What would you have to change if you wanted to use canned apples?
Nancy P.
Hi Henri, although I haven’t used canned apples I sure it would be fine to use. Maybe just chop up the apples so they are smaller when spreading over cake! Thanks!
Jennifer
Do you know can these be put in the freezer to use for later?
Nancy P.
While
I haven’t tried I would say no. Because of the cream cheese you can not freeze the entire cake.
Laz
Followed the recipe to the letter but the filling turned out to be runny and it was too much of it.
Nancy Piran
Hi Laz! Which filling, the apple or icing? For the apple, you likely needed to cook it longer. For the icing, it should not be runny because of the cream cheese and you are using very little liquid. It’s okay to have too much, and you will likely have more than needed.
Tammy
I am not a pumpkin lover but I do love apple cider so Im usually on the hunt for something made with it, recently during my search your Apple roll popped up and I had the perfect opportunity to try it out at my
life group thanksgiving dinner and it was wonderful. The next day I took some to my oldest adult son who requested to try it and I was barely down the road when he texted me and said I needed to make a couple of these for thanksgiving day. This was first ever roll cake as they have always intimidated me but I’m happy to say I succeeded with no cracks. Thank you for sharing your wonderful recipe.
Nancy Piran
Thank you so much Tammy! That really made my day!