Poppy Seed Cake Roll with Chocolate Ganache

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Imagine taking a big bite of this moist poppy seed cake roll generously filled with a cream cheese frosting, layered with velvety chocolate ganache and pummeled with salted pistachios. It’s moist, sweet, tangy, chocolaty and a teensy bit salty. We have a winner!

My sister said this was my best Poppy Seed Cake Roll yet and everyone who had a chance to try it (because we selfishly ate half of it), loved it! Roulades are great; they’re easy to put together and make you look like you got your degree in culinary arts (rather than business or nursing, or both ;)).

Ingredients for the Poppy seed Cake Roll:

4 eggs (cold or room temp)
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
2/3 cup all-purpose flour *measured correctly
1/4 tsp baking powder
2 Tbsp poppy seeds
1/2 cup shelled, salted pistachios

Ingredients for Syrup:

1/4 cup hot water
1 Tbsp sugar
1/4 cup rum

Ingredients for Frosting:

8 oz cream cheese, softened at room temp
3/4 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup cold heavy whipping cream

Ingredients for chocolate ganache (click here for ganache tutorial):

8 oz  (1/2 lb or about 1 1/3 cup of ) semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup heavy whipping cream

You will need:

Parchment paper
Wire rack – recommended
11×17 rimmed baking sheet

How to Make the Poppy Seed Cake Roll:

If you never made a European Sponge Cake, watch the video before you get started:

2. Beat 4 eggs with 1/2 cup white sugar on high speed for 5-7 minutes or until thick and tripled in volume. Fold in 1/2 tsp vanilla.

3. Whisk together 2/3 cup flour with 1/4 tsp baking powder and 2 Tbsp poppy seeds, then fold the flour mixture into the batter. Fold together with a spatula (not with the mixer) scraping from the bottom to make sure no flour pockets are left. Fold just until all of the flour is incorporated. Don’t over-work it since the volume of the eggs helps it rise.

4. Spread batter evenly onto your prepared baking sheet. I used this OXO Bent Icing Knife to even out the cake. Bake at 350˚F for 13-15 minutes or until top is golden.

5. Once the cake comes out of the oven, remove it from the baking pan, place a sheet of parchment or wax paper over it and roll the cake roll loosely (rolling it while it’s still warm helps prevent cracks).

Let the rolled cake cool to room temp, then you can remove the backing and lay it flat again keeping the same side up as before so you are rolling in the same direction after it’s frosted.

How to Make the Syrup:

1. In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine 1/4 cup hot water with 1 Tbsp sugar and stir to dissolve. Stir in 1/4 cup rum then set aside to cool to room temp while you work on the frosting.

How to Make the Cream Filling:

1. Beat 8 oz softened cream cheese with 3/4 cup powdered sugar until smooth (1 min).

2. While the mixer is on, beat in 1/2 cup cold heavy whipping cream. Turn the mixer up to high speed and continue to beat 3 minutes or until cream is thick and spreadable. Refrigerate frosting until ready to spread.

Assembly:

1. Brush the top of your unrolled cake roll (the side that will be the inside once it’s rolled up) evenly with the syrup. Let it soak it up for 5 minutes.

2. Spread your cream filling evenly over the top of the cake and start rolling your cake from the same side as before, keeping a tight(-ish) roll without squeezing out the frosting.

3. Next, follow these instructions on how to make the chocolate ganache and how to glaze the cake with minimal waste.

4. Sprinkle the chopped pistachios down the top center of the roll before the chocolate is set so they stick. Refrigerate the finished roll until ganache is set (at least 1 hr is best).

Serve generous slices to your eager friends and family 🙂

If you try it, let me know! 🙂 Have a fantastic and blessed day!

Poppy Seed Cake Roll with Chocolate Ganache

5 from 22 votes

Author: Natasha of NatashasKitchen.com

Imagine taking a big bite of this moist poppyseed roll generously filled with a cream cheese frosting, layered with velvety chocolate ganache and pummeled with salted pistachios. Moist, sweet, tangy, chocolaty and a teensy bit salty. We have a winner!

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Prep Time: 1 hour hr

Cook Time: 20 minutes mins

Total Time: 1 hour hr 20 minutes mins

Ingredients 

Servings: 8

For the Cake:

• 4 eggs, room temp
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 2 Tbsp poppy seeds
• 1/2 cup shelled, salted pistachios, coursely chopped

For the Syrup:

• 1/4 cup hot water
• 1 Tbsp sugar
• 1/4 cup rum

For the Frosting:

• 8 oz cream cheese, softened at room temp
• 3/4 cups powdered sugar
• 1/2 cup cold heavy whipping cream

For Ganache: (visit NatashasKitchen.com for ganache recipe & tutorial)

• 8 oz 1/2 lb or about 1 1/3 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream

You will need:

• Parchment paper
• Wire rack - recommended
• 11 x17 rimmed baking sheet

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Instructions

How to Make the Cake Roll:

• Preheat Oven to 350˚F. Line the bottom of a large an 11x17 rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Beat 4 eggs with 1/2 cup white sugar on high speed for 5-7 minutes or until thick and tripled in volume. Fold in 1/2 tsp vanilla.
• Whisk together 2/3 cup flour with 1/4 tsp baking powder and 2 Tbsp poppy seeds, then fold the flour mixture into the batter. Fold together with a spatula (not with the mixer) scraping from the bottom to make sure no flour pockets are left. Fold just until all of the flour is incorporated. Don't over-work it since the volume of the eggs helps it rise.
• Spread batter evenly onto your prepared baking sheet. Bake at 350˚F for 13-15 min or until top is golden.
• Once the cake comes out of the oven, remove it from the baking pan, place a sheet of parchment or wax paper over it and roll the cake roll loosely (rolling it while it's still warm helps prevent cracks). Let the rolled cake cool to room temp, then you can remove the backing and lay it flat again keeping the same side up as before so you are rolling in the same direction after it's frosted.

How to Make the Syrup:

• In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine 1/4 cup hot water with 1 Tbsp sugar and stir to dissolve. Stir in 1/4 cup rum then set aside to cool to room temp while you work on the frosting.

How to Make the Cream Filling:

• Beat 8 oz softened cream cheese with 3/4 cup powdered sugar until smooth (1 min).
• While the mixer is on, beat in 1/2 cup cold heavy whipping cream. Turn the mixer up to high speed and continue to beat 3 minutes or until cream is thick and spreadable. Refrigerate frosting until ready to spread.

Assembly:

• Brush the top of your unrolled cake roll (the side that will be the inside once it's rolled up) evenly with the syrup. Let it soak it up for 5 minutes.
• Spread your cream filling evenly over the top of the cake and start rolling your cake from the same side as before, keeping a tight(-ish) roll without squeezing out the frosting.
• Once the cake is done, follow the recipe and tutorial for chocolate ganache and how to glaze the cake with minimal waste on NatashasKitchen.com.
• Sprinkle the chopped pistachios down the top center of the roll before the chocolate is set so they stick. Refrigerate the finished roll until ganache is set (at least 1 hr is best).

• Full Nutrition Label
• Nutrition Disclosure

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Russian, Ukrainian

Keyword: Poppy Seed Cake Roll with Chocolate Ganache

Skill Level: Medium

Cost to Make: $$