This moist poppyseed cake roll is generously filled with a cream cheese frosting, covered with velvety chocolate ganache and pummeled with salted pistachios. It’s moist, sweet, tangy, chocolaty and a teensy bit salty. We have a winner!

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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 ;)).

Poppy Seed Cake Roll with Chocolate Ganache. It's moist, sweet, tangy, chocolaty and a teensy bit salty. We have a winner! @NatashasKitchen

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

Poppyseed Cake Roll

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

Poppyseed Cake Roll-2

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:

1. Preheat Oven to 350˚F. Line the bottom of a large an 11×17 rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

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.

Poppyseed Cake Roll copy

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.

Poppyseed Cake Roll-12

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.

Poppyseed Cake Roll-14 

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.

Poppyseed Cake Roll-3

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.

Poppyseed Cake Roll-15

Poppyseed Cake Roll-4

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.

Poppy Seed Cake Roll with Chocolate Ganache. It's moist, sweet, tangy, chocolaty and a teensy bit salty. We have a winner! @NatashasKitchen

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

Poppy Seed Cake Roll with Chocolate Ganache. It's moist, sweet, tangy, chocolaty and a teensy bit salty. We have a winner! @NatashasKitchen

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).

Poppy Seed Cake Roll with Chocolate Ganache. It's moist, sweet, tangy, chocolaty and a teensy bit salty. We have a winner! @NatashasKitchen

Serve generous slices to your eager friends and family 🙂

Poppy Seed Cake Roll with Chocolate Ganache. It's moist, sweet, tangy, chocolaty and a teensy bit salty. We have a winner! @NatashasKitchen

Poppy Seed Cake Roll with Chocolate Ganache. It's moist, sweet, tangy, chocolaty and a teensy bit salty. We have a winner! @NatashasKitchen

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

Natasha's Kitchen Cookbook

Poppy Seed Cake Roll with Chocolate Ganache

5 from 22 votes
Author: Natasha of NatashasKitchen.com
This moist poppyseed cake roll is generously filled with a cream cheese frosting, covered with velvety chocolate ganache and pummeled with salted pistachios. It’s moist, sweet, tangy, chocolaty and a teensy bit salty. We have a winner!
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!
Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes

Ingredients 

Servings: 8

For the Cake:

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

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).
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Russian, Ukrainian
Keyword: Poppy Seed Cake Roll with Chocolate Ganache
Skill Level: Medium
Cost to Make: $$

 

Poppy Seed Cake Roll with Chocolate Ganache. It's moist, sweet, tangy, chocolaty and a teensy bit salty. We have a winner! @NatashasKitchen

Natasha Kravchuk

Welcome to my kitchen! I am Natasha, the blogger behind Natasha's Kitchen (since 2009). My husband and I run this blog together and share only our best, family approved and tested recipes with YOU. Thanks for stopping by! We are so happy you're here.

Read more posts by Natasha

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Comments

  • Valia
    October 10, 2023

    Easy and delicious. A family favorite. Made both this and the cake version many times 🙂

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      October 10, 2023

      Thank for the great feedback!

      Reply

  • Lin
    July 16, 2022

    HI Natasha, thanks for all your yummylicious recipes, but here I am a bit confused cus in the list of ingredients for the syrup which are water, sugar and rum. Fine with me, but in the Instructions- I see in ” How to Make the Glaze..these ingredients [water, sugar and rum]. .thanks

    Reply

    • Natasha
      July 18, 2022

      Hi Lin, you are correct, that was a bit confusing. I changed the verbiage to read “syrup” throughout rather than glaze.

      Reply

      • Lin
        July 23, 2022

        Thanks for your reply Natasha…let there be more yummy recipes to come!!!
        Cheers from Australia

        Reply

        • NatashasKitchen.com
          July 23, 2022

          You’re very welcome! Thank you for the support, Lin. 🙂

          Reply

  • Ruslana Tsitsyura
    October 27, 2021

    Hi Natasha, this roll looks delicious 😊 what kind of rum did you use?

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      October 28, 2021

      I used Bacardi Gold but you can also omit it if you want. It’s not absolutely crucial to the cake’s success but it does add nice flavor 🙂

      Reply

  • Renuka kularatne
    November 10, 2020

    I made this cake roll few days ago and we all loved it )! The ganache – mmmmmmm!!!!! It was my first time making a cake roll and it is so easy and beautiful! Thank you for your great recipes and tutorials!

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      November 11, 2020

      You are most welcome. I’m happy to know that everyone enjoyed this cake roll!

      Reply

  • Stef
    October 22, 2019

    At first I contemplated not doing the ganache topping out of sheer laziness (plus my husband was happily enjoying the cake without complaint). But i did it the next evening and NO REGRETS. I used dark chocolate buttons and baked almonds mixed with 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt. It added another depth and layer to the flavor and now everyone can’t get enough of it! Plus it was my first time making a swiss roll and it was so easy to make! Thank you for the recipe!

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      October 22, 2019

      You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Stef!

      Reply

  • Lina
    October 4, 2019

    Can I substitute cream cheese with cream cheese spread?

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      October 4, 2019

      Hi Lina, I haven’t tested that to advise. If you experiment, please let me know how you like the recipe.

      Reply

  • Alida
    May 23, 2019

    I am in love with “Skazka”. How very identical your cake to it! I adore your taste and choice of recipes. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      May 23, 2019

      I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing that with me, Alida!

      Reply

  • Oksana Vdovichenko
    December 19, 2017

    Hi Natasha
    Can I use juice from lemon instead rum?

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      December 19, 2017

      Hi Oksana, you could just use a simple syrup with water, sugar and lemon juice for a little more flavor, or you could use 1 can Sprite, 7-UP, or LaCroix with 2 Tbsp sugar.

      Reply

  • eliza
    December 14, 2017

    Great recipe. Used my paleo sponge cake recipe instead (60g almond f, 30 g arrowroot, 6 eggs with the whites beaten stiff, a gulp of olive oil, 80g non-refined cane sugar, a shot of cognac) plus the poppy seeds, and it came out really wonderfully. Thanks!

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      December 14, 2017

      You’re welcome Eliza! Thanks for sharing your great review with other readers!

      Reply

  • Marina
    October 9, 2017

    Hi Natash, my poppyseed base got all cracked when I rolled it. What did I do wrong?

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      October 9, 2017

      Hi Marina, It is very important to roll it while the cake sponge is hot out of the oven – it molds itself to the roll shape and is much less likely to crack. I hope that helps1

      Reply

  • Natasha S
    April 5, 2016

    Hi Natasha, I really want to try making this cake roll. Can I use coffee extract instead of rum? You think it’s gonna taste good?

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      April 5, 2016

      I think that would work well to turn it into a sort of tiramisu cake roll.

      Reply

  • Katie L
    March 24, 2016

    Natasha I made this twice in past 2 weeks, and it was absolutely delicious! It was a hit both times, people asking for seconds….. no leftovers :))))))
    Thanks again for a great recipe!

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      March 24, 2016

      That’s so great Katie! It sounds like you have a new favorite!

      Reply

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