• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Hungry Happenings
  • RECIPES
    • All Recipes
    • Dessert Recipes
    • Decorated Cookies
    • Decorated Cakes
    • Cheesecake Recipes
    • Everyday Desserts
    • Homemade Candy
    • Everyday Meals
    • Readers’ Gallery
    • Hungry Happenings Blog Posts
  • HOW TO
    • Chocolate Making Tips
    • Chocolate Making Course (video lessons)
    • Make Modeling Chocolate
      • Modeling Chocolate Recipe and Tutorial
      • How to Color Modeling Chocolate
      • How to Store and Work with Modeling Chocolate
      • How to Fix Greasy Modeling Chocolate
      • How to Fix Dry Modeling Chocolate
      • Use Colored Candy Melts to Make Candy Clay
    • Candy Clay Creations
    • How To Color White Chocolate and Candy Melts and Paint Candy Molds
    • How to Use Food Coloring Markers
  • HOLIDAYS
    • ALL HOLIDAY RECIPES
    • Valentine's Day
    • St. Patrick's Day
    • Easter
    • 4th of July
    • Halloween
      • Hungry Halloween
    • Thanksgiving
    • Christmas
    • New Year's Eve
    • MORE HOLIDAYS
      • Mother's Day
      • Father's Day
      • April Fools
      • Chinese New Year
      • Cinco de Mayo
      • Day of the Dead
      • Earth Day
      • Mardi Gras
  • PARTY FOOD
    • Super Bowl
    • Graduation
    • Birthday Party
    • March Madness
    • Summer Fun
    • Baby Shower
    • Wedding Shower
    • School/Teacher
    • Movie and T.V. Characters
    • Kid's Treats
    • Fun Party Recipes
  • MY COOKBOOKS
  • ABOUT
  • MY BLOGS
    • HowToMakeCerealTreats.com
    • HowToMakeEasyCookies.com
    • HowToMakeEasyFudge.com
    • TheSugarAcademy.com
menu icon
go to homepage
  • recipes
  • chocolate
  • about
  • cookbooks
  • subscribe
  • major holiday recipes
  • other holiday recipes
  • party food
  • chocolates
  • homemade candy
  • fudge
  • dessert recipes
  • cheesecake recipes
  • decorated cakes
  • decorated cookies
  • popcorn
  • rice krispie treats
  • cute food for kids
  • everyday meals
  • recipe roundups
  • see all the recipes
    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • recipes
    • chocolate
    • about
    • cookbooks
    • subscribe
    • major holiday recipes
    • other holiday recipes
    • party food
    • chocolates
    • homemade candy
    • fudge
    • dessert recipes
    • cheesecake recipes
    • decorated cakes
    • decorated cookies
    • popcorn
    • rice krispie treats
    • cute food for kids
    • everyday meals
    • recipe roundups
    • see all the recipes
    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » Dessert Recipes » Decorated Cakes

    Thanksgiving Dessert - Chocolate Cake Roll Turkey

    Published: Nov 6, '15 · Modified: Jan 9, '23 · By: Beth · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Add some color and fun to your Thanksgiving dessert table this year by serving a festive Cream Filled Chocolate Cake Roll Turkey decorated with sugar-coated marshmallows, chocolate sprinkles, and more.

    Have fun by decorating a chocolate cake roll with colorful marshmallow feathers and chocolate sprinkles to look like a turkey for Thanksgiving dinner.

    My friend, Meaghan, from The Decorated Cookie, creates amazing marshmallow treats, and last Thanksgiving she designed the cutest turkey cake made using a bundt cake and a colorful plumage of marshmallow feathers. I loved it.

    This year, I was inspired by her creativity, to turn a chocolate cake roll into a turkey for Thanksgiving dinner.

    This Thanksgiving have some fun with your dessert by turning a chocolate cake roll into a turkey with colorful marshmallow feathers.

    I used brightly colored marshmallow pops for the feathers, covered the entire body of the turkey (the cake roll) in chocolate sprinkles, and added a chocolate head, wings, and feet. The facial features are all created out of marshmallows too.

    If you've never made a cake roll before, and worry about the cake cracking, this is a good one to try out first, as the frosting and sprinkles cover up any tiny or large imperfections.

    If you are looking for a really fun Thanksgiving dessert to serve this year, that might even get a few laughs, you've got to make these turkey cakes. They look like they jumped right out of a cartoon.

    These turkeys' with their colorful marshmallow tail feathers were inspired by the CHOCOLATE-DIPPED MARSHMALLOW TURKEY CAKE created by Meaghan of The Decorated Cookie. The brightly colored sugar coated marshmallow pops are simple to make and add just the right pop of color to the chocolate sprinkle covered cake rolls.

    Each recipe creates two cake rolls filled with whipped cookies and cream marshmallow filling. So decorate one or both and bring them along to your Thanksgiving dinner. Your family is going to love them.

    PHOTO: Cake Roll Turkey hero shot

    If you've never made a cake roll before, the most important step in the process is rolling the cakes immediately as they come out of the oven, so be sure you have everything set up and ready to go because the cakes bake very quickly.

    Start by making your life easier and line two two 10x15 baking pans with non-stick tin foil or parchment paper. Make the cake batter then spread half of the batter into each of the two pans.

    PHOTO: cake batter in pans

    Bake for 10-12 minutes. To tell if the cake is done, press a finger on top of the cake, and the cake should spring back. While your cakes are baking sprinkle cocoa powder over two clean kitchen towels. As soon as the cakes are ready, remove them from the oven and immediately flip one onto each kitchen towel. Peel away tin foil or parchment paper.

    PHOTO: cake on towel

    While cakes are still hot, carefully roll up the cake and the towel from the narrow end. Allow the cakes to cool for just 30 minutes.

    PHOTO: roll cakes

    While the cakes are cooling make the filling. Beat Betty Crocker Cookies ‘n Cream Frosting with marshmallow cream. Add whipped topping.

    Unroll the cakes and spread half of the filling over each cake.

    PHOTO: marshmallow filling

    Carefully roll the cakes back up.

    PHOTO: roll filled cake

    If the filling starts to ooze out the ends, just remove the excess. If the cakes have cracked a little, don't worry they will get covered in frosting next.

    PHOTO:

    Spread chocolate frosting over the outside of each cake roll. You can heat the frosting and pour it over, but I found it just as easy to spread it over the cake. You can cover the ends in frosting, or just leave them as they are, so the swirl shows.

    PHOTO: frost cakes

    To add some texture to the turkeys, sprinkle chocolate jimmies all over the frosted cake.

    PHOTO: add sprinkles

    To create the colorful tail feathers, you'll need to dip some marshmallows in water, then dab with paper towels and roll in colored sugar. Color 9 marshmallows yellow, 9 orange, and 9 red. You'll also need to cut one marshmallow in half, and another into thirds. Dip these pieces in red sugar. You'll only use two of the ⅓ cut pieces, so you can enjoy a little snack.

    PHOTO: color marshmallows

    Skewer 1 red, 1 orange, and one yellow marshmallow onto 5 lollipops sticks.

    PHOTO: marshmallow pops

    Create two skewers with a ⅓rd red marshmallow and a red, orange, and yellow marshmallow. Create two skewers with ½ red marshmallow and a red, orange, and yellow marshmallow. These will be used to create a more rounded appearance to the tail feathers. Depending on the size lollipop stick you are using, you may want to cut them so that when they are arranged in a half circle the sticks don't touch.

    PHOTO: arrange pops

    Set your cake rolls on serving dishes and arrange 9 marshmallow pops into a half circle around the top part of the cake rolls using the larger pops at the base of the half circle.

    PHOTO: add pops to roll

    To create the features of the turkey, pipe candy melts into two 4 inch circles and four wings onto parchment paper. Freeze for 5 minutes until set.

    PHOTO: head and wings

    Pipe a turkey foot and immediately sprinkle with orange sugar. Repeat, creating 4 feet. Pipe two wattles, the red skin that hangs down from the turkey's beak, and immediately sprinkle with red sugar.

    PHOTO: feet and wattle

    Cut a marshmallow into two triangle beaks. Roll in water, dab in paper towels, and roll in orange sugar. Cut the remaining two marshmallow in half. Draw pupils onto each marshmallow using a black food coloring marker.

    PHOTO: eyes and beak

    Attach two eyes, one beak and one wattle to each chocolate head using any remaining candy melts or frosting. Then attach the head, two wings and two feet to each turkey.

    PHOTO: turkey cakes

    Cut cakes into slices to serve.

    PHOTO: cake roll turkey hero shot

    For more fun turkey-shaped Thanksgiving treat ideas, check out these tutorials too:

    Serve up some fun this Thanksgiving by making some cute Turkey shaped treats.

    Chocolate Thanksgiving Turkey Truffles filled with Pumpkin Ganache • Cocoa Banana Ice Cream Turkeys
    Turkey Pretzel Pops •  Turkey Topped Pumpkin Pie
    Mini Chocolate Cheesecake Turkeys • Chocolate Dipped Rice Krispie Treat Turkey Pops
    Chocolate Turkey Box • Turkey Pinata Cake
    Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge Turkeys • Chocolate Cake Roll Turkey

    • Author
    • Recent Posts
    Beth
    Beth
    Hi, I'm Beth Jackson Klosterboer, a professional chocolatier & baker, cookbook author, and event planner. I love sharing recipes for happy occasions here on Hungry Happenings. I also create easy fudge recipes to share at HowToMakeEasyFudge.com, rice krispie treat recipes at HowToMakeCerealTreats.com, and easy cookie recipes at HowToMakeEasyCookies.com
    Beth
    Latest posts by Beth (see all)
    • Mini Basketball Cheeseburgers - February 15, 2023
    • Snowman Popcorn Bucket - December 24, 2022
    • Peanut Butter Popcorn - December 20, 2022

    More Decorated Cakes

    • Cotton Candy Layer Cake
    • Lemon Cake Chicks
    • Leprechaun Hat Shamrock Reveal Cake
    • Easy Koala Cake

    About Beth

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Please leave a comment. Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




      This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    1. Karen @ Sugartown Sweets

      November 07, 2015 at 12:52 am

      IIII love this awesome "turkey roll" cake. Marshmallows, chocolate cake and frosting..this turkey is a winner!

      Reply
      • Beth

        November 07, 2015 at 8:38 am

        Thanks, Karen:)

        Reply
    2. lisa@hooplapalooza

      November 06, 2015 at 10:08 am

      SQUEEE! i LOVE this turkey roll! and there's no lettuce, mayo, or weird spicy dressing on it-perfect! 😉

      Reply
      • Beth

        November 06, 2015 at 4:13 pm

        No condiments, whatsoever, unless you consider sprinkles one:)

        Reply
    3. The Partiologist

      November 06, 2015 at 9:54 am

      Oh my goodness, this turkey is loving the turkey cake roll! 🙂

      Reply
      • Beth

        November 06, 2015 at 4:14 pm

        Gobble, gobble:)

        Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    Beth Jackson Klosterboer

    Welcome to Hungry Happenings!

    I'm Beth. I've been a professional chocolatier & baker for over 30 years, have written 5 cookbooks, and love creating fun food for holidays and special occasions.

    Read more about me →

    Popular

    • Mini Cheesecakes
    • How to make Cakesicles (cake pop popsicles)
    • Shamrock Shaped Snack Crisps
    • Leprechaun Hat Cupcake Cake
    • Crescent Roll Carrots Filled with Egg or Ham Salad
    • Bunny Butt Cupcakes in Silicone Flower Pots
    • Buckeyes Recipe - Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge Candies
    • The Best Step-by-Step Chocolate Bar Recipes

    Buy my cookbooks

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    use policies

    • privacy policy
    • photo-use policy
    • terms of service

    join us

    • Subscribe (newsletter)
    • our online courses

    contact

    • contact
    • about Beth
    • FAQ

    As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2023 Hungry Happenings