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Pistachio Lemon Roll Cake is a light and light dessert that’s perfect for spring! A lemon sponge cake made from scratch is rolled and filled with a mixture of lemon, cream cheese and pistachios, then topped with whipped cream. It’s perfection. Need a delicious chocolate version of this dessert? Try my Chocolate Swiss Roll Cake!

Refreshing lemon goodness
I waited for spring and watched it, but nothing happened. We had a few nice days here and there, but it was mostly miserable SO! I’ve decided to bring spring into my kitchen. Baking with lemon is one of my favorite things to do, as evidenced by this recipe or this recipe or this recipe. I like lemon better than chocolate. I’m pretty sure I’m in the minority here, but man oh man it’s so good!

How to make Pistachio Lemon Roll Cake
For full recipe details, including required ingredients and measurements, see the printable recipe card below. Here’s a step-by-step guide on what to expect when making this lemon roll cake:

Preheat oven + preparation pan
Preheat oven. line a half sheet pan with a high rim with parchment paper and spray with it Nonstick Cooking Spray. Put aside.
Beat eggs until foamy, then add sugar
Whip in a large bowl or bowl of a stand mixer eggs and stir with the whisk attachment until fluffy. With the mixer on, slowly spoon Sugar until everything is incorporated. Beat 10 minutes or until pale yellow, thick and ribbons form and fall back into the mixture.

Add flour, zest + lemon extract
Seven Flour over and beyond egg and sugar mixtureadd to citrus peel And lemon extract onto the flour and carefully fold in with a rubber spatula to form an even dough.


Bake
Pour in carefully prepared pan and tilt the pan to move and evenly distribute the batter into the corners.
Bake for 15-18 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the cake springs back when touched gently. (should not be sticky at all.)


Roll up hot cake
Allow the cake to cool for about 3 minutes before rolling. Then dust a clean kitchen towel generous with powdered sugar. Turn the cake out onto the paper towels, peel off the parchment paper and roll up, fold the paper towels together with the roll. Let the cake cool down completely.
Note: I didn’t specify in the recipe how to roll this, lengthwise or crosswise (is that a word?!) because it really doesn’t matter. Totally personal preference. If you want more slices, roll it up lengthwise. If you want it to look more rounded, roll it up widthwise. For what it’s worth, I rolled my width.


Make the filling
The filling for this recipe is simply cream cheese with powdered sugar and some lemon zest with a few extracts for good measure. It should be very thick so that it will hold its shape after rolling. I originally tested this with lemon curd, but quickly reconsidered that decision because the stuff just isn’t helpful. Yummy, yes, but not when building a sponge cake. It can also be harder to find at the grocery store, so I just nixed it.
Mix cream cheese with Lemon Zest, Powdered Sugar, Lemon Extract And Vanilla. It should be very thick. stir in pistachios.


Roll out the cake, distribute the filling evenly, roll out the cake again
roll out cake And Spread the filling evenly over the cake. Roll up the cake again, wrap in cling film and store in the fridge until the filling sets slightly, about an hour or two.



make whipped cream
whip whipped cream along with powdered sugar And Vanilla until stiff peaks form. Place the unwrapped bun cake on a serving platter. Cover with whipped cream and on top of it more ground pistachios. Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.



Tips + tricks for the perfect bread roll cake
How do I keep my pistachio lemon roll from cracking?
Here are four tips and tricks you can do to prevent your pistachio lemon roll cake from cracking:
- Prepare your tea towel with an even layer of powdered sugar. I call for 1/4 cup powdered sugar to be sprinkled evenly on top. Don’t be afraid to add an extra 1-2 tablespoons to make sure nothing sticks.
- Roll the cake as soon as it comes hot out of the oven. The longer you wait, the more likely it will tear. I know this seems almost impossible, but lining the jelly roll pan with parchment paper is key, and having good oven mitts to help you manage the hot pan is extremely helpful.
- Don’t overbake your cake. Every oven works a little differently, so make sure your oven is preheated to the correct temperature by using an oven thermometer and start checking the doneness after 10 minutes just to be sure.
- Roll out and fill after cooling. Try not to leave your cake on the counter rolled up in the tea towel for long periods of time. This can also cause it to stick to the tea towel, which can be so tedious to manage. Once the cake has cooled to room temperature, immediately roll out, fill and refrigerate.

Take a step ahead + save
Lucky for you, this Pistachio Lemon Roll Cake is super easy to store to save for later or to make ahead. Just follow the instructions as directed and store the roll cake wrapped in plastic wrap in the fridge until ready to serve. chill for up to 5 days!
Can You Freeze a Pistachio Lemon Roll?
Yes, you can freeze a Pistachio Lemon Roll! Wrap the baby tightly in a few layers of plastic wrap and freeze up to three months. Be sure to let it thaw in the fridge for a day before serving.

More lemon cake recipes to try!
There you have it, a deliciously light and refreshing Lemon Bun Cake! The printable recipe is below. Have a great day, friends! 🙂

Pistachio Lemon Roll Cake
Pistachio Lemon Roll Cake is a lemon sponge cake made from scratch that’s rolled, filled, and then topped with whipped cream. Perfect for spring!
instructions
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a high-sided half sheet pan with parchment paper and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Put aside.
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In a large bowl or bowl of a stand mixer, crack the eggs and whisk until fluffy. With the mixer on, slowly add the sugar until incorporated. Beat 10 minutes or until pale yellow, thick and ribbons form and fall back into the mixture.
-
Sift the flour over the egg and sugar mixture, add the zest and lemon extract to the flour and fold in carefully with a rubber spatula until a smooth batter forms.
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Pour carefully into the prepared pan, tilting the pan to move the batter into the corners and distribute it evenly. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until top is golden brown and cake springs back when touched gently. (should not be sticky at all.)
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Allow the cake to cool for about 3 minutes before rolling: generously dust a clean kitchen towel with icing sugar. Turn the cake out onto the paper towels, peel off the parchment paper and roll up, fold the paper towels together with the roll. Let the cake cool down completely.
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For the filling, mix the cream cheese with the lemon zest, powdered sugar, lemon extract and vanilla. It should be very thick. Stir in the pistachios. Unroll the cake and spread the filling evenly over the cake. Roll up again, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate until the filling sets slightly, about an hour or two.
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Beat the heavy cream together with the powdered sugar and vanilla until stiff peaks form. Place the unwrapped bun cake on a serving platter. Cover with whipped cream and top with more ground pistachios. Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Nourishment
Calories: 326kcal | Carbohydrates: 37G | Protein: 6G | Fat: 17G | Saturated Fatty Acids: 9G | Cholesterol: 141mg | Sodium: 104mg | Potassium: 113mg | Fiber: 1G | Sugar: 27G | Vitamin A: 691ie | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 50mg | Iron: 1mg