Lemon Angel Food Cake Roll with Cream Cheese Filling features a lemony, fluffy angel food cake filled and frosted with creamy lemon cream cheese. Add coconut on top if you like, or leave it off. It's impressive, easy to make, and perfect for Easter, spring and summer parties, or any special occasion.
Lemon lovers, try Easy Lemon Bars and Lemon Poke Cake next!
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🎥Video: How to Make Angel Food Cake Roll with Cream Cheese Filling
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❤️You're Going to Love This
- Deceptively easy to make with a boxed angel food cake mix, simple ingredients, and no special equipment
- Make-ahead lemon dessert that's ready when you are
- Light and refreshing with bright, tangy lemon flavor
- Filled and frosted with fluffy lemon cream cheese filling, and topped with coconut (or not!)
- Beautiful and impressive lemon cake roll for Easter, spring brunch, or summer parties
I used to think cake rolls were a recipe for disaster, what with all that flipping and rolling. But the first time I made one, it turned out perfectly. And so did my second and my third. Because it's so easy!
If you love angel food cake and lemon desserts, you're going to love this light, fluffy lemon angel food cake roll with cream cheese filling that goes in and on the cake. I love the sweet coconut on top, but you can also leave it off and still have a really delicious cake.
🍋Ingredients
See recipe card at the bottom of the post for the full recipe and exact amounts.
- Angel food cake mix. Use a one-step, just-add-water angel food cake mix, so there's no need to whip a bunch of egg whites. You can also use your favorite homemade angel food cake recipe.
- Fresh lemon juice and zest. Lemon zest adds fresh lemon flavor to the cake and the cream cheese filling.
- Cream cheese. Use a block of cream cheese softened to room temperature for smooth, creamy filling without lumps.
- Sweetened condensed milk. I always have the best luck with Eagle Brand condensed milk. Store brands I've tried tend to be runnier.
- Whipped topping. I use Cool Whip, but if you're not into it, I recommend giving Truwhip a try. I haven't tested it with real whipped cream, but it should also work well, as the cream cheese will stabilize it.
- Powdered sugar. Powdered sugar helps keep the cake from sticking while it's rolled up in the towel.
- Coconut. If you like coconut, sprinkle it on top of the creamy lemon frosting. For even more coconut flavor, use toasted coconut.
🍓Variations
- Not into coconut? Skip it all together or top the cake with shaved white chocolate or chopped nuts!
- You can also make this with fresh lime juice and lime zest -- it's super delicious!
- For even more fresh flavor, add fresh strawberries, raspberries, or blueberries on top of the filling before rolling it up.
- Add a little lemon extract to the cake batter or cream filling for even more puckery flavor.
- If you'd like a yellow-colored cake or filling, stir in a little yellow food coloring until it reaches your desired hue.
🥣How to Make an Angel Food Lemon Cake Roll with Cream Cheese Filling
Step 1: Mix angel food cake mix, lemon juice, lemon zest, and water. Pour batter into an 18 x 13 jelly roll pan lined with parchment paper.
Step 2: Bake cake in preheated oven at 350 for 18-20 minutes until golden brown. Cool 5 minutes on wire rack.
Step 3: Sprinkle confectioners' sugar onto a clean tea towel. Invert baked cake pan onto towel. Remove pan and parchment paper. Sprinkle more powdered sugar onto the cake.
Step 4: Fold short side of the towel onto the cake and roll the warm cake up with the towel. Place the rolled cake seam side down on a baking rack. Let the cake cool completely, 1-2 hours.
Step 5: Beat cream cheese and condensed milk. Mix in lemon juice and lemon zest. Fold in the whipped topping. Cover and chill for 30-60 minutes.
Step 6: Unroll the cooled cake and spread a little more than half of the filling in an even layer onto the cake, leaving a 1" border. Roll the cake back up and place on a serving plate.
Step 7: Frost the top and sides of the lemon cake roll with the remaining filling.
Step 8: Place coconut on the top and sides of cake. If desired, sprinkle with lemon zest and decorate with lemon curls.
Chill until ready to serve. Store leftovers in the refrigerator.
✅Expert Tips
- Lemon angel food cake roll will look its best the day you make it. When stored overnight, it may settle slightly and appear less round. But it's still delicious!
- Lemon angel food cake roll is very delicious served frozen! Freeze the whole cake or individual slices. Thaw for a few minutes to slightly soften, then enjoy (we sure did!).
- Rolling the cake in a towel while it's still warm helps it hold its shape and keeps it from sticking together or cracking.
🧊Storage & Freezing
Store the angel food cake roll -- tented with toothpicks and plastic wrap to protect the topping-- in the refrigerator for 3-4 days
Freeze the entire cake or individual slices for 2-3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator or enjoy as a frozen dessert!
❓FAQs
Yes. The cake mix makes the recipe quick and easy, but you can also use your favorite homemade angel food cake recipe if you prefer.
To keep this lemon roll cake from cracking, roll the cake up in a towel dusted with powdered sugar while it's still warm and let it cool completely.
No, the coconut is optional. It adds a sweet, nutty flavor and texture, but the cake is delicious even without it.
Yes, wrap the cake roll tightly in plastic wrap and then foil, and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before serving, or enjoy it slightly frozen.
Use a sharp serrated knife and slice gently in a sawing motion to keep the slices neat and prevent squishing.
You can flavor the filling with another citrus zest and juice, like lime or orange, or arrange fresh berries or fresh fruit on top of the filling before rolling it up.
✨More Delicious Lemon Desserts
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📖 Recipe
Lemon Angel Food Cake Roll with Cream Cheese Filling
Ingredients
Lemon Angel Food Cake
- 1 box angel food cake mix (the 'just add water' kind)
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 1 lemon
- 1 ¼ cups water
- ⅓ cup powdered sugar
Lemon Cream Cheese Filling
- 8 ounces block of softened cream cheese
- 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- ⅓ cup fresh lemon juice about 3 lemons
- 8 ounces whipped topping Cool Whip or Truwhip
Toppings, optional
- 1 cup sweetened coconut
- grated lemon zest, lemon twists
Instructions
Lemon Angel Food Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line an 18 x 13 rimmed half sheet pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
- In a large bowl, mix angel food cake mix, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 2 teaspoons lemon zest, and water on low speed for 30 seconds, then 1 minute on medium speed.
- Pour cake batter into prepared pan. Bake 18-20 minutes or until the cake is golden brown and springs back when gently pressed. Cool cake for 5 minutes on a baking rack.
- While the cake cools, sprinkle ¼ cup powdered sugar onto a clean kitchen towel. Quickly flip cake pan over so the cake is face down onto the towel. Remove the pan and gently peel off parchment paper. Sprinkle a few more tablespoons of powdered sugar onto the cake.
- Fold the short end of the towel onto cake and roll it up. Place roll on baking rack to cool completely, 1-2 hours.
Lemon Cream Cheese Filling
- In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and condensed milk together until smooth. Mix in ⅓ cup lemon juice and 2 teaspoons lemon zest. Fold in the whipped topping with a spatula until creamy. Cover with plastic wrap and chill to thicken, 30-60 minutes, while the cake cools.
- Gently unroll the cake and spread ½ to ⅔ of the filling over the cake, leaving about an inch border on all sides. Carefully roll the cake back up (without the towel) and transfer it to a platter.
- Frost the top and sides with the remaining cream cheese filling. If desired, sprinkle coconut on top of the cake, gently pressing it onto the sides, and add lemon zest and lemon twists. Cover and chill until ready to serve.
Video
Notes
- Lemon angel food cake roll is best served the same day. The roll may settle a bit overnight and not be as round, but it will still taste great!
- Try it frozen! Freeze the whole cake or individual slices. Thaw for a few minutes to slightly soften, then enjoy (we sure did!).
- Rolling the cake in a towel while it's still warm helps it hold its shape, and keeps it from sticking together or cracking.
Lynda Czekay says
The recipe neglects to tell you whether you make the cake mix according to the package (i.e. eggs?) or just use water and lemon juice. I did not following the box directions and just followed this recipe. It does not work. Should have added the eggs.
Cara Lanz says
Lynda, I am so sorry it didn't turn out, the angel food cake mixes I use do not require adding the egg whites -- only water. With an "add water only" angel food cake mix, the ingredients listed in the recipe are exactly what need to be used. I will add that note of clarification. I am curious what kind of angel food cake mix you used that required adding eggs -- the only ones I have ever seen are gluten-free angel food cake mixes. Thank you, Lynda. Cara