Neapolitan Ice Cream Cake Roll

I realized last week that it’s been way too long since I posted a cake roll. I’m sorry, can you forgive me?

I’ll make it up to you today with my favorite new recipe: an Ice Cream Cake Roll. With neapolitan flavors!

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So I have a confession to make. Ready? Until last week, I didn’t like strawberry ice cream.

I KNOW, right? Weird Dorothy sitting over there doesn’t like ice cream made with the best fruit ever. Are you surprised? You shouldn’t be.

So I’ve pretty much gone through life telling myself I didn’t like strawberry ice cream. I’m sure at one point in my childhood I had it and didn’t like it. Most likely it was one of those kinds with huge chunks of strawberries that get all icy and weird.

Needless to say, I also didn’t like neapolitan ice cream as a kid. If you don’t like strawberry ice cream, that pretty much rules out neapolitan. Oh my gosh, how much I missed out on as a kid. I’m sad for myself.

Anyway, when I was in Tillamook a few weeks ago, I had their strawberry ice cream. And I fell in loooooove. Big, fat, strawberry ice cream love.

I had to go to two stores to find the Oregon Strawberry when I got home, because I wanted a huge bowl of it. So I did and then I decided if I didn’t do something with the ice cream I was going to eat the whole carton and that, unfortunately, is not in my eating plan. So I did the logical, food blogger thing.

I shoved the ice cream inside of a cake roll. There’s totally less calories that way.

I used my favorite chocolate cake roll for this recipe. It’s the same one I used for my Mint Chip Cake Roll and it’s similar to one that’s in my book.

Then I filled the roll with strawberry ice cream. I used Tillamook because I love their product, but you can use your favorite brand. The strawberry ice cream filling along with the chocolate cake and the whipped cream or Cool Whip topping makes this cake full of neapolitan flavors.

But what if you don’t like neapolitan? Or if you don’t like strawberry ice cream? No worries – use your favorite flavor ice cream to make this cake your own! (I can bet my daughter will be begging for one with Mint Chip soon!)

Now, before you get all scared about making a cake roll, please know it’s not hard at all. Last year I wrote a post with a photo tutorial for how to make a cake roll. Then I wrote a list of cake roll rules you must follow. But really, it’s super easy. I just have a couple tips for you (but refer to those posts for more in depth instructions):

1. Make sure the cake is done. They don’t cook very long – about 10 minutes. Normally I under bake everything, but not cake rolls. It’s almost better if it’s a tad over baked. A toothpick should come out clean in the center of the cake. Again, my cakes always take about 10 minutes.

2. Lots of powdered sugar when rolling. Err on the side of too much. I like to say that if my entire kitchen doesn’t have powdered sugar on it after I flip the cake out of the super hot pan, I didn’t use enough.

3. Cakes crack. It’s going to happen, no matter how many times you’ve baked a cake roll from the same recipe. There are so many variables in play that it’s sometimes unavoidable. In those instances, use lots of frosting. Then no one will know!

I think ice cream cake rolls are kind of a game changer. Think of the combinations!

*peanut butter and chocolate
*lemon cake and vanilla ice cream
*chocolate cake and caramel ice cream
*coffee and chocolate
*vanilla and peppermint ice cream

Do I need to continue? Or are you drooling yet?

Now I need more strawberry ice cream…

{Neapolitan} Ice Cream Cake Roll

4 from 3 votes

The perfect chocolate cake roll is filled with strawberry ice cream and topped with whipped cream for a neapolitan ice cream cake roll! Or, use your favorite flavor ice cream instead to make your perfect ice cream cake roll.

Yield 10 -12 servings

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Ingredients

 

For the Cake

• ▢ 3 eggs
• ▢ 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• ▢ 2 teaspoons brewed coffee or water
• ▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ▢ 1/4 cup usweetened cocoa powder I used special dark to get that dark chocolate flavor
• ▢ 1/4 teaspoon salt
• ▢ 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ▢ 3/4 cup all purpose flour
• ▢ Powdered sugar to aid in rolling

For the Filling & Topping:

• ▢ About 4 cups Strawberry Ice Cream or your favorite flavor
• ▢ Whipped Cream or Cool Whip for topping
• ▢ Sprinkles if desired

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a jelly roll (10x15”) pan with foil and spray with cooking spray (I like to use the spray with flour).
• Beat eggs at high speed for 3 minutes, until frothy and dark yellow. Beat in sugar, coffee, and vanilla extract.
• Whisk together cocoa, salt, baking powder, and flour. Stir into wet ingredients just until blended.
• Spread in prepared pan. Batter will be in a very thin layer and you will need to use a wooden spoon or spatula to spread it to all the corners of the pan. Bake for 9-11 minutes (mine took 10).
• While the cake is baking, set a clean kitchen towel out on a large work surface. Sprinkle liberally with powdered sugar (about 1/4 cup). As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, turn it over on the kitchen towel sprinkled with powdered sugar. Remove foil carefully.
• Working at the short end, fold the edge of the towel over the cake. Roll tightly, rolling up the cake into the towel. Let cool completely while rolled, at least one hour (or overnight).

Assemble Cake

• Once the cake has cooled, unroll it carefully. Leave ice cream on the counter to soften for 5 minutes. Spread ice cream in an even layer on the cake. Roll up tightly, cover with plastic wrap, and re-freeze for at least 4 hours before serving.
• When ready to serve, remove cake from the freezer and remove plastic wrap. Place on serving plate and frost with whipped cream or Cool Whip. Top with sprinkles.
• (Extra cake can be placed in a resealable container and re-frozen. This works best with Cool Whip, but whipped cream will be fine too.)

Nutritional information not guaranteed to be accurate

Author Dorothy Kern

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Get all my No Churn Ice Cream Recipes here.

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Mint Chip Cake Roll

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Sweets from friends:
Pumpkin Roll by Something Swanky
Neapolitan Cheesecake by i am baker
Gingerbread Roll Cake by Roxana’s Home Baking

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Last Updated on January 19, 2023