Banana Cake Roll Cream Cheese (Print Version)

Moist banana cake with cream cheese, cranberries, pecans, ginger, and a sweet glaze.

# Ingredients:

→ Cream Cheese Filling

01 - 7 ounces cream cheese, softened
02 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
03 - 1 large egg
04 - 3 tablespoons whole milk

→ Cake Batter

05 - 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
06 - 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
07 - 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
08 - 4 large eggs, separated
09 - 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
10 - 2/3 cup granulated sugar, divided
11 - 2/3 cup mashed banana (1 large or 2 small bananas)
12 - 1/3 cup pecans, chopped
13 - 1/4 cup dried cranberries
14 - 1/4 cup candied ginger, chopped

→ Glaze

15 - 1 ounce cream cheese, softened
16 - 3/4 cup powdered sugar
17 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
18 - 2 to 3 teaspoons whole milk

# Steps:

01 - Grease a 15 x 10 x 1 inch jelly roll pan and line it with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 375°F.
02 - In a small bowl, blend 7 ounces of softened cream cheese with 1/2 cup granulated sugar until smooth using an electric mixer. Add 1 egg and 3 tablespoons whole milk, beating on medium speed until fully incorporated. Evenly spread the cream cheese filling into the prepared pan.
03 - Coarsely chop pecans, candied ginger, and dried cranberries together on a cutting board. Set aside 1/3 cup of this mixture for the batter and reserve the remainder for topping.
04 - Whisk together 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, and 1/4 teaspoon baking soda in a bowl. Set aside.
05 - In a large bowl, beat 4 egg yolks with 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract on medium speed for about 5 minutes, until thick and lemon-colored. Gradually beat in 1/3 cup granulated sugar. Mix in mashed banana and 1/3 cup of chopped pecan, cranberry, and ginger blend.
06 - In a clean separate bowl, beat 4 egg whites at medium-high speed until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining 1/3 cup granulated sugar, beating on high until stiff peaks are achieved.
07 - Gently fold the egg yolk mixture into the beaten egg whites. Add half of the flour mixture and fold gently; then add the remaining flour mixture and fold until just combined without overmixing.
08 - Carefully pour the cake batter over the cream cheese filling in the pan, spreading evenly to corners. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until cake is set and light golden.
09 - While the cake is baking, lay out a clean kitchen towel and dust it generously with powdered sugar to prevent sticking.
10 - After baking, let the cake cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Release the edges with a knife, flip the cake out onto the powdered sugar-dusted towel, and remove parchment. Beginning at the short end, roll the cake with the towel into a log. Place seam-side down and cool for 10 minutes to set the shape.
11 - Transfer the rolled cake to a serving platter and let it cool completely before glazing.
12 - In a small bowl, blend 1 ounce softened cream cheese with 3/4 cup powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and 2 to 3 teaspoons milk until smooth and drizzleable.
13 - Spread the glaze evenly over the cooled cake roll, then sprinkle with the reserved chopped pecans, cranberries, and candied ginger.

# Notes:

01 - For a clean cut, use a serrated knife wiped clean between slices to maintain the decorative filling swirl.

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