Save to Pinterest A festive, whimsical cake roll decorated to resemble a classic holiday ugly sweater, using store-bought ingredients for a fast and fun dessert perfect for parties.
This is a great recipe for holiday parties when you want a festive treat without spending hours baking from scratch.
Ingredients
- Cake: 1 store-bought vanilla or chocolate Swiss roll cake (about 13–16 oz / 370–450 g)
- Filling (optional, for extra flavor): 1/2 cup (120 ml) whipped cream or vanilla frosting
- Decoration: 1 1/2 cups (180 g) vanilla or cream cheese frosting
- Decoration: Red and green gel food coloring
- Decoration: Assorted holiday sprinkles, mini candies, and colored sugar
- Decoration: 1/4 cup (30 g) mini chocolate chips or candy pearls
- Decoration: 1/4 cup (25 g) shredded coconut (optional, for snow effect)
Instructions
- Step 1:
- Carefully unroll the store-bought Swiss roll cake. If desired, spread an even layer of whipped cream or frosting over the inside, then gently re-roll the cake.
- Step 2:
- Place the cake roll seam-side down on a serving platter.
- Step 3:
- Divide the vanilla frosting into three bowls. Tint one portion red, one green, and leave the third white.
- Step 4:
- Using an offset spatula or butter knife, frost the cake roll with the colored frostings in sections or fun patterns to mimic the look of a holiday sweater.
- Step 5:
- Decorate with sprinkles, mini candies, chocolate chips, colored sugar, and coconut as desired to create playful sweater designs: zig-zags, polka dots, snowflakes, or reindeer.
- Step 6:
- Chill in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes to set the decorations before slicing and serving.
Save to Pinterest This cake brings joy and laughs when families decorate their pieces together, creating festive memories.
Required Tools
Offset spatula or butter knife, medium mixing bowls, food-safe gloves (optional, for coloring frosting), serving platter.
Allergen Information
Contains Wheat (gluten), eggs, milk (dairy). May contain soy and nuts, depending on store-bought cake and decorations. Always check ingredient labels for potential allergens.
Nutritional Information
Calories: 320, Total Fat: 14 g, Carbohydrates: 46 g, Protein: 3 g per serving.
Save to Pinterest This festive cake roll is perfect for holiday celebrations and easy to customize with your favorite decorations.
Common Recipe Questions
- → Can I use chocolate Swiss roll instead of vanilla?
Yes, chocolate Swiss roll works well and pairs nicely with peppermint or vanilla frostings for added flavor.
- → How should I store leftovers to keep them fresh?
Cover the cake roll and refrigerate for up to three days to maintain freshness and decoration integrity.
- → What tools are needed for decorating?
An offset spatula or butter knife and medium mixing bowls are ideal for spreading and coloring frostings easily.
- → Can kids help with decorating?
Definitely! This activity is fun for kids to personalize sections with various frostings and sprinkles at parties.
- → What flavors complement this dessert best?
Sweet dessert wines or hot cocoa pair beautifully with the creamy and festive flavors of the cake roll.