Lemon Roulade
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After a long and cold winter I’m happy to report that Spring has finally arrived! When I say winter was long and cold I’m not joking. We had close to 200 inches of snow where we live and many, many days where the temperature or windchill was under zero degrees.
In fact, it was so cold and snowy that my school district had fifteen snow days this year! That’s not counting all the delays and several early dismissals. I’m just happy that the snow is off the ground, the sun is out, and it’s officially spring.
Since it’s spring I had to make a bright and beautiful spring dessert. When I think spring I think of fresh fruits. I’ve been on a citrus kick and decided to stick with that and make a delicious Lemon Roulade. The tartness from the lemons pairs perfectly with the sweetness from the Dixie Crystals sugar. Then the cream cheese filling adds an additional lemon flavor to the mix. It’s was the perfect dessert to get me in the mood for spring!
The bright yellow color reminds me of Easter and flowers. I served it with fresh mint leaves and strawberry fans for some additional pops of color. The cake was soft and delicious while the filling was smooth and creamy
It was fabulous served with a cup of hot coffee out on our screened in porch. I sat in the sunlight sipping my coffee, enjoying my Lemon Roulade, and loving the warmer weather.
Lemon Roulade
PrintIngredients
For the lemon cake:
- 4 eggs
- 3/4 c. Dixie Crystals sugar
- 1 T. vegetable oil
- 2 T. buttermilk
- 1 lemon
- 5 drops yellow food coloring
- 1 c. flour
- 1 t. baking powder
- 1/2 t. salt
For the lemon cream cheese filling:
- 1 package 8 oz cream cheese
- 4 T. butter
- 1 lemon
- 2-3 c. powdered sugar
For decoration:
- 12 strawberries
- Fresh mint leaves
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9 x 13 jellyroll pan with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl beat the eggs with a hand mixer for 5 minutes. Add in the sugar and oil and beat until smooth.
- Add in the buttermilk. Zest the lemon and then squeeze the juice into the bowl. Add the food coloring and the mix until everything is well combined.
- In a small bowl combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add to the lemon and egg mixture and mix until combined.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth with a spatula.
- Bake for 14-18 minutes. Cake is done when it springs back when pressed with your fingers.
- Quickly sprinkle a clean dish towel with powdered sugar. Immediately turn the cake out onto the dish towel. Peel off the parchment paper and roll the cake in the towel, beginning at the narrow end. Roll as tightly and evenly as possible. Place the rolled cake on a wire rack and cool completely.
- To make the filling place the cream cheese and butter in a bowl. Beat with a mixer until smooth.
- Zest the lemon into the cream cheese mixture. Squeeze 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice into the bowl as well. Beat until combined.
- Add the powdered sugar to the cream cheese mixture a half cup at a time, beating after each addition, until the frosting is thick and smooth.
- Carefully unroll the cake. Frost the inside with the lemon cream cheese filling. Roll the cake up tightly. Cut into pieces with a serrated knife and serve with a strawberry and fresh mint leaves.
- If filling is too soft simply place the lemon roll in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before cutting.
Notes
Nutrition
The color of this cake makes it look like a big rolled lemon! It looks so light and tasty.
Ooh this looks so yummy! Can’t wait to try this recipe out!
Lemon is my favorite springtime flavor. Love this cake.
I’ve made pumpkin rolls and chocolate rolls, but never lemon. This would be such a pretty Easter dessert!
You know, I’ve never had much luck with roulade cakes. Yours looks perfect!
Roulades are so much fun, but I’ve only ever made pumpkin ones. How is it possible I’ve never made a lemon one? This looks amazing!
Oh yummy!!! Cake rolls are so pretty, look so fancy, and with such little effort. Great recipe!
Yum! I totally need to try my hand at a roulade. This version looks so bright and cheery!
Wow is that fancy-pretty!
This looks like the perfect spring dessert to me! Wish I had a piece right now 🙂
So beautiful! I love the contrast of the lemon yellow with the cream cheese filling…plus I can only imagine how fabulous the combination tastes!
Very classy Heather!
I want a little slice of this heaven! My dessert HAS to have lemon in it!! Yummy.
This is a bright pop of sunshine in my rainy day. Love lemon and cream cheese, and love your perfectly-rolled roulade.
Heather, I’m with you on the weather! SO glad that the snow is just about all melted and gone! I can’t believe you had fifteen snow days this year! WOW! Our school year was extended by one day because of all the snow days we took here in Madison. Love the lemon roulade! so pretty and perfect for Spring!!
I was really hoping but when I walked outside this morning it was pouring snow again! We’ve had 16 snow days this year and our school year extended by 10 days. I really wanted to get in the spring mood today!
I have never made a roulade! But I do enjoy them when other people make them. Maybe it’s time to try my hand at one.
Such a beautiful spring dessert. Your roulade looks perfect too. I’m inspired!
This is a beautiful, Springy dessert. I love that you made not only made the cake with lemon, but the cream cheese filling as well. Looks so good!!
Thank you! I’m a huge lemon fan so it gave it a little more of the lemon flavor adding it to the filling as well.
What a lovely dessert for spring. Makes me want to make my first roulade (yes, confessing that I’ve never made one before).
Thanks Renee! You definitely need to make one, they are delicious!