Learn how to make the perfect Vanilla Sponge Cake Roll with homemade Funfetti Whipped Cream filling. Enjoy this rolled cake for a birthday treat or to celebrate any occasion!
Today’s recipe is oozing with childhood nostalgia. If you loved Funfetti cake as a kid, here’s an Funfetti Dip recipe you’ll love just as much as a grown-up!
What is a Cake Roll
A Cake Roll is a sponge cake that’s baked in a sheet pan, topped with a creamy filling, then rolled into a cylinder. Each slice of cake roll reveals the spiraled layers of filling and cake inside!
Most people think of pumpkin rolls when they think of a cake roll.
Cake rolls like this one are also known as “Swiss rolls” or “roll cakes” depending where you live. When jelly is used instead of a whipped cream filling, this tasty dessert is usually called a jelly roll.
Today’s Vanilla Funfetti Cake Roll starts with a light vanilla sponge cake and a rich whipped cream filling. A generous amount of rainbow sprinkles rolled inside give the Vanilla Cake roll a fun, festive touch!
Ingredient Notes
To make this Funfetti Cake Roll, you’ll need your standard cake baking staples including eggs, sugar, and flour. You will also need these key ingredients for a perfect roll.
- Vanilla Extract. As the primary flavor of the sponge cake and filling, a good quality pure vanilla extract is essential. Try my Instant Pot Vanilla Extract recipe for this cake if you have time to plan ahead!
- Heavy whipping cream. Use this to make a fluffy homemade whipped cream to spread across your baked sponge cake.
- Sprinkles. We used assorted colors of jimmies sprinkles to give this cake roll a classic Funfetti look.
- Powdered sugar. This is dusted on a dish towel that’s then used to roll up the baked cake. The powdered sugar keeps the warm cake from sticking to the towel. I also use it to garnish the finished cake roll before slicing.
Things You Need To Know
Have you made a cake roll before? Here’s some tips:
- TIP#1: don’t use a regular cake mix or cake recipe when making a cake roll. They will fall apart.
- TIP#2: have your towel with powdered sugar ready when the cake comes out of the oven!
- TIP#3: Have your broom ready when you spill powdered sugar all over your kitchen trying to flip the towel and cake together.
Recipe FAQs
No, a boxed mix will NOT work for this cake rolling method! The sponge cake recipe here is specifically formulated to be rolled in to the desired shape.
A 15 x 10 inch baking sheet (also called a jelly roll pan) works best for this recipe.
Do not use a smaller pan or the cake will bake too thick and bread when you attempt to roll it.
Before slicing and serving, store the roll cake tightly wrapped with plastic wrap in the refrigerator. It is best enjoyed within 1 -2 days of making.
I use a rainbow colored assortment of jimmies sprinkles. The “official” Funfetti sprinkles from Nestle would be great in this cake too!
Readers Favorite Recipes
- Thin Mint Puppy Chow: Love the taste of Thin Mint cookies but hate that you can’t eat them all year long? This muddy buddies recipe TASTES like the cookies, but none are actually used. Try it out yourself!
- Lemon Cupcakes with Lemon Buttercream: I make a lot of cupcakes, and these are the most requested! This recipes uses my favorite white cake recipe as it’s base. Delish!
- Santa Fe Stuffed Peppers: This year I’ve committed to sharing one savory recipe every week. These stuffed peppers really took off, and it’s no wonder. They are so good…and healthy too!
- English Toffee: I love making homemade candy. This is a recipe we make in our family every Christmas. We make dozens of batches to share with family and friends. Try it and you’ll understand why one batch is never enough.
- Reese’s PB Cookie Dough Dip: And of course, I can’t forget this dip. THIS DIP. This is my most popular recipe on the blog, all time. ENJOY!
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Ingredients
For the cake:
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup water
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ cup powdered sugar for dusting towel
For the filling:
- 1 ½ cup heavy whipping cream
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup sprinkles jimmies
Instructions
- Line a 15x10x1 baking sheet with parchment paper. Spray with baking spray (or grease and flour). Set aside. Sprinkle powdered sugar onto a large, clean dish towel (same size or bigger than baking sheet). Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl beat eggs for 2-3 minutes. Add sugar, water and vanilla and beat an additional minute until fully incorporated. Beat in flour, baking powder and salt. Pour into prepared baking sheet. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 11-13 minutes.
- Remove from oven and immediately flip cake onto powdered sugar towel. Peel off parchment paper. Place a clean sheet of parchment paper over back of cake and roll cake up in towel carefully (from short end to short end). Cool for one hour.
- To make filling, beat heavy cream for several minutes until soft peaks form. Add in granulated sugar and vanilla and continue beating until desired consistency. Very gently, fold in sprinkles. Try not to over stir the sprinkles or the colors will start to bleed.
- When cake is cooled, unroll gently. Remove parchment paper and spread filling in the cake. Re-roll the cake without the towel. Sprinkle with extra powdered sugar or sprinkles, if desired. Refrigerate cake on a plate with plastic wrap over the top. Serve and enjoy! This cake is best served within 1-2 days.
Notes
- Don’t use a regular cake mix or cake recipe when making a cake roll. They will fall apart.
- Store cake in airtight container in the refrigerator.
Happy blog birthday!!! Your cake looks amazing! I have always wanted to do a roll cake. Yours looks so light and fluffy!!! Oh and pretty too!!
This recipe is pretty fool proof, no cake breaking for me! Thanks so much for stopping by Jennifer!
Happy 2 year anniversary! You’ve got a great thing going on here. I could really live here! The cake roll looks fun and dee-licious!
Oh you’re too sweet Marcie! I appreciate all the time you take to leave sweet comments!
Happy Blog Birthday!! What a fun dessert for celebrating!
Thanks Lauren! I appreciate you coming by for the celebration 🙂
Happy blogiversary! Looking forward to many more of your stories and recipes!
Thanks Eva! I’m so glad to have “met” you through this blog! Thanks for always taking the time to comment 🙂
Happy 2 year blog birthday!!! I am so happy to call you my blog bestie and one of my real life besties too!! We share so many of the same likes and passions, and I am so thankful blogging brought us into each other’s lives! Love ya girl!!! Now this cake…this is so fun and I love that you photographed it with the 2 candles. So fun!!!!
I’m so glad to have you in my life too!!! Can’t wait to see you next week!
What a gorgeous and delicious-looking cake roll! Love it!!
Thanks Tracy!
I never tried a cake roll before so thanks for the tips! Happy Bloggiversary! 🙂
Thanks Liz. Give it a try 🙂
What a great way to celebrate! Happy 2 years of blogging!
Thanks girl 🙂
Happy 2 year Anniversary! That sounds like a lifetime, since I’ll just be celebrating my 3 month Anniversary in two days. Such a gorgeous “happy” cake. Who doesn’t love sprinkles?
Oh I remember the early days 🙂 Seems like yesterday! Thanks for stopping by Laurie!
I would be the happiest gal ever if someone made me this for my birthday!! Love!
I wish you lived next door and I’d totally make this for you 🙂
So cute. Ha, love your tips.
Thanks Meg! I only speak the truth. Most of the time 😉
Happy 2 years! Such a fun recipe!
Thanks so much Sheila 🙂
Happy, happy blogiversary! I know that I certainly hope you are around for years to come sharing awesome recipes!
Awww Keri, you’re too sweet! Thanks for visiting on a regular basis, I truly appreciate it 🙂
Ha! Tip #3. SO totally true. 🙂 LOVE this cake roll! I’m slightly obsessed with them and thinking of all sorts of variations!
You make beautiful cake rolls Dorothy! Thanks for your friendship, I can’t wait to meet you next week. OMG NEXT WEEK!!!!!
This is so fun!!! I can’t wait until I have a birthday or something fun to make this for!
Hmmmm, tomorrow is a Wednesday. that’s a perfectly good excuse to make a cake, in my opinion 🙂
Congrats on 2 yrs! I swear I thought your blog was like 4-5 years old! Wow, Aimee! You have done SO MUCH in 2 yrs! amazing!!!!!
And this cake roll (and your tips – very helpful!) look wonderful. That filling…I need that!
Awww you’re too sweet Averie! Nope, just two years as a food blogger. I did have a previous family blog that merged over unfortunately..so you may see the occasional link below to a family thing!
thanks for all the sweet comments and support! hopefully one day we will meet 🙂
Congrats on the two years!!! This cake roll looks super yummy, fluffy, and easy. Now, I have tried on an off for a few years now to make cake rolls only to have them fall apart when rolling no matter the amount of tips I had to try. Of course, I will try again and again. Besides, they never go to waste…they taste very good crumbled up! 🙂
I’ve had so many fails too Lisa (which turned into many a trifle). This recipe is pretty fool proof, I’ve made a few times!! good luck 🙂
Yum! This looks so fun! And you make it sound so easy! Congratulations on two years! That’s awesome!
Awww thanks Kathy! With the right recipe, cake rolls can be pretty easy!
Yummy and so pretty. Yeah, I am pretty sure I see that Reese’s dip EVERY TIME I get on Pinterest! That is so awesome.
I think about that dip every day too 😉 thanks for stopping by Jenn!
I love a good cake roll and this one is beautiful!
Thank you Kelli 🙂