Festive Sweater Cake Roll

A festive, whimsical cake roll decorated to resemble a classic holiday ugly sweater, using store-bought ingredients for a fast and fun dessert perfect for parties.

I first made this Ugly Sweater Cake Roll for our annual holiday party, and everyone loved customizing their own slice with different sprinkles and designs. It turned a simple dessert into a creative centerpiece.

Ingredients

• Cake: 1 store-bought vanilla or chocolate Swiss roll cake (about 13–16 oz / 370–450 g)
• Filling (optional, for extra flavor): 1/2 cup (120 ml) whipped cream or vanilla frosting
• Decoration: 1 1/2 cups (180 g) vanilla or cream cheese frosting, red and green gel food coloring, assorted holiday sprinkles, mini candies, colored sugar, 1/4 cup (30 g) mini chocolate chips or candy pearls, 1/4 cup (25 g) shredded coconut (optional, for snow effect)

Instructions

Dispense soap hands-free for quick handwashing and easier cleanup while cooking and handling ingredients.

Check price on Amazon

Prepare Cake:

Carefully unroll the store-bought Swiss roll cake. If desired, spread an even layer of whipped cream or frosting over the inside, then gently reroll the cake.

Arrange for Decorating:

Place the cake roll seam-side down on a serving platter.

Color Frosting:

Divide the vanilla frosting into three bowls. Tint one portion red, one green, and leave the third white.

Decorate Sweater:

Using an offset spatula or butter knife, frost the cake roll with colored frostings in sections or fun patterns to mimic a holiday sweater.

Add Toppings:

Decorate with sprinkles, mini candies, chocolate chips, colored sugar, and coconut for playful sweater designs like zig-zags, polka dots, snowflakes, or reindeer.

Chill:

Chill in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes to set decorations before slicing and serving.

Save

My sister and I decorated the cake together, laughing at our wonky reindeer and polka dot snowflakes. It created some of our favorite holiday memories with just a simple dessert.

Required Tools

You'll need an offset spatula or butter knife, medium mixing bowls, and a serving platter. Food-safe gloves help when coloring frosting for less mess.

Allergen Information

This cake contains gluten, eggs, and dairy. Some decorations may contain soy or nuts. Always check ingredient labels if you have allergies.

Nutritional Information

Each slice has about 320 calories, 14 g fat, 46 g carbohydrates, and 3 g protein.

Save

Cook complete meals by frying, sautéing, simmering, and boiling with easy nonstick cleanup every day.

Check price on Amazon

This cake roll is sure to be the star at your next holiday party. Slice and serve right from the platter for the most cheerful dessert spread.

Recipe FAQ

→ Can I use different cake flavors?

Yes, vanilla or chocolate Swiss roll cakes both work well with the frosting and decorations.

→ How do I tint the frosting evenly?

Divide frosting into separate bowls and add gel food coloring gradually, mixing until you reach desired hues.

→ What decorations work best?

Assorted sprinkles, mini candies, colored sugar, chocolate chips, and shredded coconut add texture and festive colors.

→ How long should the decorated cake chill?

Chilling for at least 15 minutes helps the frosting set and decorations stay in place when slicing.

→ Can kids help decorate?

Absolutely! Decorating sweater sections with colorful frostings and candies makes a fun party activity for children.