Turn any seasonal celebration into a winter wonderland with a Polar Bear Cake Roll. The Polar Bear Cake Roll is deceptively easy to make. Now, anyone can decorate a festive centerpiece that will effortlessly impress adults and kids alike at their next holiday gathering. The best part? It’s as delicious as it is adorable.
A decadent Chocolate Crème Cake Roll, rolled in vanilla-flavored crème filling, makes up the base. It’s decorated with buttercream frosting and coconut flakes for a flavor and texture combination that work together beautifully. Finally, it is finished with icing decorations to give the polar bear its signature features. The Polar Bear Cake Roll is such a stunning dessert that you may not want to cut into it at all! Though, we think you definitely should. This cake is simply too good to miss out on.
More Winter-Inspired Recipes
Hot Chocolate Cake Roll
Our Hot Chocolate Cake Roll is just the thing you need when the weather turns cold. It’s everything you love about the classic beverage but in cake form! It’s guaranteed to help carry you through these long winter nights and into the sunny days of spring.
Yule Log Cake Roll
A twist on the traditional Christmas dessert, this Yule Log Cake Roll is full of chocolatey goodness and covered in buttercream frosting to make it look like a classic yule log. It’s the perfect dessert to help celebrate this wonderful time of year with family and friends.
Snowman Cake Balls
This Christmas, we’re here with a recipe that will help you add a little festive flair to your traditional holiday dessert tray. These Snowman Cake Balls are full of chocolatey goodness, both inside and out, to create a holiday indulgence that is almost too adorable to eat. Almost.
What You’ll Need
- A stand mixer and bowl to make the buttercream frosting. This will help make sure your ingredients are well combined, so you don’t have any large chunks in your icing. Alternatively, you can use a large mixing bowl and a hand mixer.
- A smooth scraper or large spatula to even out the buttercream on the body and head of your polar bear.
- Having a textured scraper will allow you to add the grooves to the body of your polar bear.
- Piping bags and plain piping tip to create the paws.
- Serve on a decorative platter. If you’re putting it out for a holiday or seasonal party, pick one that highlights the theme of your event!
Storage Information
A frosted cake can last up to a week when stored in the refrigerator. The frosting helps to lock in the moisture of the cake, keeping it fresh while you wait to serve. If you cut the cake first and then want to store it, put the pieces in an airtight container or cover the cut sections with any leftover frosting you may have. The cake can be stored like this for a week in the refrigerator.
Tips for Making the Perfect Polar Bear Cake Roll
- When it comes to applying a crumb coat, using an offset spatula works best. A turntable or “lazy Susan” is also a good tool to have if you want your frosting to be especially even.
- If you choose to use a textured scraper to add some groves to the body of your polar bear, be patient! It can take a little time to master. If you’re a perfectionist, consider making a little extra frosting. Then, if your first try doesn’t turn out the way you’d hoped, you just put on more frosting, even it out with a smooth scraper, and try again!
- You may want to place your cake roll back in the fridge for another hour before piping on the final details. This will help to set your frosting, so it is firm and not so malleable when you are trying to bring your polar bear to life.
How to Make an Un-bear-ably Cute Polar Bear Cake Roll
Ingredients
- 2 c. butter, room temperature
- 4 c. powdered sugar
- Milk, if needed
- 1 Dutch Apron® Bakery Chocolate Crème Cake Roll
- Coconut Flakes
- Black decorating icing
Instructions
- Make the buttercream frosting. Start with a stand mixer or large mixing bowl. Cream the butter on high then add in the powdered sugar. Whip together until combined. Mixture should be light and fluffy.
Tip: Add in a splash of milk if it is too thick.
- Remove your cake roll from the freezer. While still frozen, cut ¼ of the cake roll off. This will form the polar bear’s head. The rest of the roll will form the body.
- Place the larger part of your cake roll on a serving platter vertically. Then, take the “head” portion of the cake roll and place it on top of the “body” like you see in the photo below.
- Add a crumb coat of buttercream to the whole cake. A crumb coat is a very thin layer of frosting that helps to seal the crumbs of the cake, so you get a smoother finish on your final frosting later.
- Build out the ears and face shape on the head, so it resembles a polar bear. Use extra frosting on the front and back of the head to give it a more circular appearance. Then, add two mounds of frosting on the sides of the top of the head to make the ears.
- Place the cake roll in the fridge to set. This will take about an hour.
- Remove the cake roll from the fridge. Add a thick layer of buttercream over the entire cake roll (body and head). On the body, first smooth the frosting out with the smooth scraper or spatula then go in with the textured scraper. Use a smooth scraper or spatula to even out the buttercream on the head.
- Pipe on two circles of buttercream on the front of your cake roll, a few inches below the head, to form the paws.
- Cover the polar bear’s head with coconut flakes.
- Finally, pipe on the details! Form the eyes, nose, mouth, and paws with your black decorating icing.
This Polar Bear Cake Roll brings decadence to a whole new level. Full of rich flavor and visually stunning, it’s a cake that’s tough to beat. It’s especially good when served with a cup of hot cocoa or a tall glass of milk. We hope you feel inspired to make a Polar Bear Cake Roll of your own for the upcoming holidays or just to celebrate the coming of winter.
