Poppy Seed Cake Roll with Chocolate Ganache
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.
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:
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.
4. Spread batter evenly onto your prepared baking sheet. I used this OXO Bent Icing Knife
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
Ingredients
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
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).
Natasha Kravchuk
Hi! I'm Natasha Kravchuk. Here you'll find delicious, trusted recipes with easy step-by-step photos and videos. 
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
Hi Lin, you are correct, that was a bit confusing. I changed the verbiage to read “syrup” throughout rather than glaze.
Thanks for your reply Natasha…let there be more yummy recipes to come!!!
Cheers from Australia
You’re very welcome! Thank you for the support, Lin. 🙂
Hi Natasha, this roll looks delicious 😊 what kind of rum did you use?
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 🙂
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!
You are most welcome. I’m happy to know that everyone enjoyed this cake roll!
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!
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Stef!
Can I substitute cream cheese with cream cheese spread?
Hi Lina, I haven’t tested that to advise. If you experiment, please let me know how you like the recipe.
I am in love with “Skazka”. How very identical your cake to it! I adore your taste and choice of recipes. Thanks for sharing!
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing that with me, Alida!
Hi Natasha
Can I use juice from lemon instead rum?
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.
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!
You’re welcome Eliza! Thanks for sharing your great review with other readers!
Hi Natash, my poppyseed base got all cracked when I rolled it. What did I do wrong?
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
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?
I think that would work well to turn it into a sort of tiramisu cake roll.
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!
That’s so great Katie! It sounds like you have a new favorite!
I made this cake yesterday for Super Bowl Sunday. It was a huge hit. Lovely delicate flavor of the rum liquid, I believe, was its best feature. My husband said that he liked the “sponginess” of the cake itself. We were thinking about adding orange zest to the cream cheese mixture next time, and oh, Natasha, we did add about a half teaspoon of kosher salt to the cream cheese mixture to cut the sweetness, and also, I added some vanilla without changing the color. A wonderfully written recipe. I followed the directions to a “T,” even when I thought I would never be able to roll the baked cake. I did, though. Now, what to do with the leftover ganache. And Natasha, I would love to see you each day on the Food Network! You would bring back the “how-to” that is used to be before it became so heavily involved in the food competitions.
Thank you so much for your awesome review and what you said about the Food Network! You’re so nice :). That’s quite a compliment!
It has the advantage of being true. Your TV-Q is sky-high……I hope that is your goal.
You are so nice, thank you 😃.
Hi,
Can I make this cake the night before serving it?
Thanks
Yes! You sure can! You can even make it 2 days before if you really need to. If you like this one, you’ll love my next cake post. Stay tuned! 🙂
Do you think the juice from jarred sour cherries would work instead of the rum?
Kari
Hi Kari, yes it would be a little bit different flavor but a juice would work if you wanted to omit the alcohol.
Made this for the second time today, this time doubled it and made 2 rolls for both the Thanksgiving parties we’re going to. It’s even better with actual chocolate instead of chocolate chips! Even though it does require an extra step (chopping the chocolate)
Oh yeah, and of course I received multiple compliments 🙂
Nelya, thank you for the great review 😀 . Looks like you had a busy Thanksgiving day with two parties 🙂 .
Sweet, gonna make this today! I just bought shelled pistachios at Costco and happen to have the rest of the ingredients 🙂 woo-hoo!
Mmm I need to make this cake again. Every time someone comments on a recipe, I get to craving it. 🙂 I hope you love it!
absolutely beautiful looking cake and I’m sure it tastes even better. Will have to add this to my collection. Thank you
Thank you so much for the compliment :). I hope you love it!
Made this yesterday, it’s going to be one of my favorites now. Easy to make and soooo good!
Thank you Angelina! I”m so glad you enjoyed it 🙂
I don’t have pistachios on hand, would any other nuts work as well?? like pecans, walnuts or hazelnuts? and you think i should toast them before topping off the roll? thanks so much!
Victoria, other nuts would work great as well, just toast them for few minutes first :).
Natasha,
This recipe calla for 1/4 cup rum. Can I replace it with Kajmir 20% alc by vol vanilla favored liquor that is a blend of premium brandy, fine vodka, and natural vanilla flavors? If so, how much of it do you suggest to use?
Thanks much!
Since I haven’t tried it, it’s hard to say how much of it you’d need. It sounds like it’s going to be much stronger than rum since it’s a liquor. I’d say you should add it to taste; start with a teaspoon and maybe work up to a Tablespoon of it. It’s perfectly fine to replace it. I’ve even used plain sugar water before with great results. The Kajmir would probably add nice flavor to the cake.
Thank u very much Natasha for this recipe, I made it last night and it was delicious!!!
Love all your dishes!!!
Awww thanks so much Irina! I’m so happy you loved it 🙂
I want to try making this cake roll but I don’t like chocolate ganache, is there anything else that I could use to coat the cake roll?
You could increase the frosting and spread a thin layer over the top and then add cookie crumbs to the surface. Or use a chocolate frosting over the top; spread thinly and cover with crumbs if desired, or top chocolate frosting with berries.
Is it possible to use imitation rum extract instead of the alcohol rum??? Thank you
Yes, you can, just add a small amount since the extract will be much more potent than rum. You can also omit it if you want. It’s not absolutely crucial to the cake’s success but it does add nice flavor 🙂
Hi Natasha,
So happy I stumbled across your website, I want to try EVERY recipe on your website…the ones I have tried so far turned out AMAZING. Thank you for taking the time to post these for us to enjoy! On this poppyseed roll cake, is it possible to substitute rum for imitation rum extract?
Yes. I just got the same question earlier today. 🙂 Just add a small amount since the extract will be much more potent than rum. You can also omit it if you want. It’s not absolutely crucial to the cake’s success but it does add nice flavor 🙂
I have to say that I had my doubts about pulling this off, but things went exceedingly well thanks to your clear and concise instructions. Coupled with your experience and ability to anticipate potential problems, your website stands head and shoulders above most recipe sites.
Today is Thanksgiving here in Canada, and you have allowed me to bring a dish to the family dinner that I can be proud of. One more thing to be thankful for. Thanks for that.
Happy Thanksgiving to you! Thank you so much for the wonderful comment and compliments. I’m so inspired right now 🙂 You’re awesome and I’m thankful for great readers like yourself 🙂
Oh my gosh, this sounds and looks AMAZING! Buying poppy seeds first thing Monday! Thank you!!!!
Thank you so much Ruti and Enjoy! 🙂
I did the roll… OMG, nobody’s come yet but I hope they do before I finish it! It SUPERB! Thank you so much, Natasha!!
I’m so happy you enjoyed it! Thanks Ruti for a great review!
I made this cake roll few days ago and we all loved it (made this one and your Medovik 🙂 )! 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!
The first time I made one, I remember being pleasantly surprised about how simple cake rolls were. They always looked so intimidating, but they really aren’t. Anyway, I’m so happy you are enjoying the recipes. Thanks Vicki! 🙂
Made this yesterday and between three adults, it’s about 3/4 gone in one sitting! So so delicious! I didn’t have a wire rack to coat the roll and reuse the drippings so once the ganache set, I scraped off the extras off the wax paper before moving the roll to it’s final plate and sort of, well, ate the extra ganache!!! It was that good!!! I will be making this again SOON!
I’m so happy you liked it! 🙂 Thank you so much for the great review. I ate alot of ganache too the last time I made this 😉
I have poppy seed filling in a can. Would it be possible to use that instead of just the poppy seeds?
I don’t think the filling would blend well and might deflate the cake batter by the time it’s well incorporated. It’s a good thought, but I would still recommend using plain, dry poppy seeds.
Hi Natasha,
I stumbled over this recipe this afternoon and had to try it out right away. The flavors match wonderfully! But,following your instructions for the cream cheese frosting, the frosting turned out runny,even after spending an hour in the fridge. To save the dessert I changed it into a simple trifle layering the cut-up cake, nuts, chocolate ganache and the frosting.it did not look as pretty as the roll, but it certainly was delicious.
what could I have done wrong? I looked the instructions over again and I seem to have followed them, except for adding a couple drops of vanilla extract.
Did you make sure to use HEAVY whipping cream rather than just whipping cream? The fat content in the HEAVY whipping cream will keep it firmer, longer. If you used the correct heavy whipping cream, make sure it’s very cold and straight out of the fridge when using it and you could also try beating it longer.
Loved it! So tasty and easy!
Thank you so much for a great review! I’m so happy you loved it 🙂
Natasha, can I use anything to substitute the rum syrup?
Hi Masha, 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.
Made your recipe today, absolutely heavenly!
I’m so happy you loved it. 🙂 That’s a very nice way to describe it 😉 Thank you so much Cathy for a great review!
Ok so when I saw your gorgeous pics of this cake roll, I drooled and I just knew I had to make it. And let me tell you, it was SO worth it! Absolutely delicious, great job on this recipe and thank you!
I’m so happy you loved it! Thanks for letting me know!:)
Hi! Thank you for posting this recipe- looks simply amazing! 🙂 I was wondering if I could use already prepared poppy seeds? They’re soaked in a sweet syrup and I don’t know if that will alter the roll itself dramatically.
The poppyseeds really should be dry for this recipe. I hope you love it! 🙂
WOW! This roll was AMAZING! I am so glad i saved a piece of it at home because it was gobbled up at the Easter get-together)) great instructions and fantastic combination of salty and sweetness. Definitely making it again!
Natash, if you make a recipe book…im buying it. 🙂
Sveta (can I call you Sveta?) 😉 you’re so sweet. It’s in my future plans to write a cookbook. I’ll be cutting down on hours at work very very soon and I’m so excited to pursue things I haven’t had time for 🙂
Just finished making this for Easter & it looks delish!! I was so nervous for making the ganache but it came out great, & I say it looks pretty close to what your pics look like. That’s a good sign 🙂
Yay!! Good work! Wasn’t the ganache easy? Happy Easter!
Wow. I just made it. Turned out beautiful!!!!! Thank you for such a great recipe. Totally in love with it. It was a little hard tho the korzh would crack
I’m so glad you liked it. I haven’t had a problem with the cake cracking. I wonder if it might be related to the kind of flour you used? Also when you measured the flour, did you spoon it into a dry ingredients measuring cup and scrape off the top? That is a more accurate way to measure.
Can I make it without alcohol?
Yes, you can just omit it altogether and use the sugar water as a syrup to make it moist 🙂
i just did this rulet and the cake part turned out amazing but when i poured the ganache on top after waiting 15min for it to thicken up it just soaked right into the roll without leaving a glazed top:((( idk what i did wrong…. maybe the chocolate ganache has not thickened up enough???
Hi Galina! Did you use all of the same ingredients for the ganache that I used? Semi-sweet chocolate chips and heavy whipping cream? Those exact ingredients are important or the proportions will change. If you did use both, it’s probably best to wait a little longer. You know the ganache is ready when it coats a spoon nicely and you can’t see through the chocolate on the spoon after you dip it.
Hi Natasha! I wanted to make this recipe today but don’t have any “rum”. I have brandy, vodka, and whisky. Can I substitute with any of these? I really don’t want to leave the soaking part out and don’t know anything when it comes to alcohol. Thanks in advance!
I think brandy might work well but you can omit the alcohol and just use sugar water to make it moist if you want to. 🙂
I think brandy might work well but you can omit the alcohol and just use sugar water to make it moist if you want to. 🙂
I think brandy might work well but you can omit the alcohol and just use sugar water to make it moist if you want to. 🙂
I did end up using brandy and it turned out AMAZING. Thanks for the recipe!
You’re so welcome 🙂
Hi natasha!! So I tried to make the roll again and the cream is came out runny, what should I do., how should I fix it??
Refrigerate the cream until it firms up to the right consistency then spread it on. You could also whip some heavy whipping cream and fold it in. Did you do anything differently?
Thank u so much for this amazing recipe!!! It turned out delicious!! My husband LOVED it!! Made 2 yesterday and making 2 today!!! May God Bless u and ur family!! Thank u for such delicious recipes !!!
That’s a great idea to make 2 at a time! The last time I made it, the cake roll was eaten way too quickly! Thank you for your sweet words. God bless you as well! 🙂
hey! this recipe looks lovely. But when I made it, after I unrolled it to brush the syrup on it, my roll ripped in half and got stuck to the parchment paper.. do you know what I did wrong? it was already cooled down …
I used to use wax paper and it would stick badly, but haven’t had that problem with parchment paper. You used parchment paper, correct? Lets, see what else,… could it have been a tad underbaked? How did your cake look compared to mine; lighter, darker, denser? I hope we can figure it out together! 🙂
Thank you for this awesome recipe!!!! I had to make 2 of them within 2 days because my family just swallowed the first one within a day!!! God bless you and if hope to see lots more of these kind of awesome recipes in the future!!!
That’s so awesome!! Thanks for your great review! 🙂 it just made my day!
hey so im making this right now, and I got confused. For the frosting ingredients it says I need 1 cup heavy whipping cream but when I go down to make the frosting it says to use half a cup… can you tell me which one is right please! thanks!!
It’s a half cup. Sorry about that! I’ll fix it when I get home. Thanks for bringing that to my attention 🙂
I’m not going to lie… I’m drooling! This is so creative! Looks absolutely amazing!
Olga, thank you so much. That’s quite a compliment! It was pretty amazing 🙂
Love the combination of poppy seed and pistachios on top! Bet it tastes delicious. Great photos too.
Thank you so much 🙂 It was a really good combination. My only regret is that we ate it way too quickly! I’ll have to make another one soon! 🙂
I made this yesterday! It doesn’t look as good as yours but it is delicious. I think I could have cooked the cake a bit less (I always forget my oven is a bit too hot) and I forgot to let it cool down before removing from parchment paper so some cake stuck, oops! But still absolutely delicious! I love the cream cheese filling. Yum! Also I just love all your recipes, it gets me to try something different and you always make it so easy to follow. Honestly best blog for that. Thanks Natasha!
Lisa, thank you for your sweet and encouraging words 🙂 I’m so happy you are enjoying the blog and loving the recipes!
You killed it with this recipe! Amazing job girl 🙂
Ha ha, thanks! 🙂
Hi Natasha!! once again, and great recipe to try. You surely keep me busy
in the kitchen and my family is always pleased !! ! — and a request if you can help …. do you have a recipe for “xrustiky” and “babka” (spelling??) my mom use to make them all of the time and I cannot find the recipes 🙁 She always made them for Easter…..
Thanks again for I always check your blog on a daily basis………..:)
I have something similar to a babka but not exactly. https://natashaskitchen.com/2012/12/30/moms-poppy-seed-roulade-roulette-recipe/ Hope that helps! I’m so glad you find the site useful. I also have a Pasta recipe that works well for easter. I’m still in search of the perfect xrustiky recipe. I’ll be sure to post it when I develop the perfect one! 😉
Hi Natasha… thank you .. you are sooo helpful, much appreciated.
oops but my bad, I meant “paska” …(senior moment here)
Thanks again and no worries……..
looks delish! I love cake rolls, they are my fav. Quick question, i browsed through ingredients too quickly and got the poppy seed spread in a can from baking isle… ooops! You are using just poppy seeds!? Where do i find them? Also would it be ok to still use mine?
i just thought about it, prob not.. i have to find a good substitute for the poppy seeds..any ideas?! anyone?
You could just omit them if you don’t have them. It will still be delicious 🙂
I’ve recently seen chia seeds used in place of poppy, but I don’t know if you’ll have an easier time finding them. This cake does look beautiful with the seeds.
I’m not sure how chia seeds will affect this cake so I can’t say for sure.
They are sold in most grocery stores. I’ve purchased them in Winco, Fred Meyer, Whole foods,…
Ahh….this was delicious!! love the combination with pistachios. thanks for another great recipe.
The flavors were amazing together! 🙂 You’re so welcome 🙂
Perfection!!. My hubby will love this combo. Pictures are amazing!.:). 🙂
Thank you Valentina :).
This looks so good I’m ganna make it today
I would love to hear the results :).
Hi Natasha, do you think I could freeze this cake roll without the ganache and add the ganache before serving??
Hi Ellina, I haven’t tested freezing that but I imagine that could work. If you experiment, please let me know how you like the recipe.
Yum, this cake roll looks so delicious. I have never worked with poppy seeds before and would like to give this cake a try. Do you grind and soak the poppy seeds first? Thanks so much for sharing such great recipes with us Natasha! Btw, this frosting is a winner!
No need to do anything with the poppy seeds, just add them as is 🙂
Wow!!! I just had to say that Natasha!!! Thanks!! Now i wont find peace until i make and eat this beauty!!
You are welcome Kristina, I hope you’ll find peace soon :D.
In the picture it looks as if the cake has pistachios in it but the directions never mention adding them into the cake.. I was wondering if they are actually in the cake or no?
They are only on the top, not inside the cake 🙂
okay thank you!! can’t wait to try it! 🙂
Yummy! It looks amazing. I love poppy seeds 🙂
Thanks Lea, it tastes as good as it looks :).
Thank you. And, the same to you – have a blessed weekend filled with fun and laughter.
Thanks Liz!! 🙂
It looks delicious !!!!!! What is the syrup for? Can I omit the rum?
Syrup is for additional moistness, you can omit rum if you like. Hope this helps :).
WOW, Natasha! 🙂 This looks amazing! Thank you for sharing! 🙂
You’re so welcome 🙂
I would have to agree that a roulade is a easy way to fool everyone into thinking you spend hours in the kitchen preparing dessert! This pistachio version looks amazing! Hubs and I LOVE pistachios! And I’m pretty sure I spied rum in that ganache…mmm hmmm. Yum!
We love pistachios as well, they compliment this cake roll very well :).
I’ve haven’t made a roll cake yet but this one looks gorgeous!
Thanks Chloe, you just might have to make one now :).
Oh my…I am imagining having a very big bite of your cake! This cake sounds completely amazing! Pinning!
Thank you Sommer! I hope you LOVE it! 😉
Natasha, I love the sound of this. I have pinned many of your recipes and tried a several. They all turn out great!
I live in Moscow, Russia and I was wondering if I could use Tvordag in place of cream cheese? Have you done that before and did it change the taste at all?
Thanks!
Judi
I love the creaminess of the cream cheese. I haven’t tried it but I’m not sure how well a drier cheese like tvorog will incorporate with the sugar. I haven’t tested it…
Judi, you should be able to find cheese similar to cream cheese. I gave recipe to my friend in Russia and she said she’ve seen something like sweet cream cheese spead in store.
Okay, I will look and see what I can find. Thank you!
I can barely stand the goodness on the screen and not being able to dig into it! I love the combo of tangy cream cheese and dark choc ganache. Then you go and add pistachios. This rocks!
Thanks so much! That’s how I feel too if it makes you feel any better. This one went fast!
where can i find the poppy seeds at? what grocery stores?
Winco, FredMeyer, whole foods, or most grocery stores 🙂
This looks amazing! !!! My mouth is watering, I showed my husband this cake rylet, he was like wow that looks so good. See im not the only one 🙂
Aww thanks so much! What a super nice comment! It tastes as good and even better than it looks 🙂
Wow yamm yamm… look soooooo good I beat it taste even better… older daughter bday is coming up in beginning of April defenetly will try this… thanks
I hope you and your daughter love it! Happy birthday to your daughter 🙂
Oh la la wow looks yummy
(You know what Natasha sometimes I wonder if you’ll ever will ran out of recipes lol love your site and each time u surprise me with new recipes, giveaways or just update. I’m checking ur blog daily like abcnews 🙂
That’s funny I was just saying the same thing to my hubby, it feels like we will never run out of recipes. Thank you for your sweet compliments! Abc news huh? Thanks! Lol that just made my day!!
Thank you for this easy-to-make dessert recipe, (i haven’t yet made it, but it looks so delicious!) this goes on my list to-do over the weekend!
Liza I hope you love it!! It didn’t last long when I made it 😉