Pumpkin Cake Roll
Fall is that time of year for all things pumpkin. Yes, I love apple desserts but when it comes to pumpkin versus apple I choose pumpkin every time! It's so versatile in desserts but also savory dishes pumpkin soups and crunchy roasted pumpkin seeds. But if I had to pick my favorite fall dessert it would be tie between this pumpkin roll and my pumpkin cheesecake. Something about pumpkin and cream cheese that is just a match made in heaven. Plus a few dashes of cinnamon never hurt. I hope you love this pumpkin roll as much as my friends and family do. Happy Baking!
Before diving into the recipe, I just want to provide a few baking tips:
First, sifting the dry ingredients helps to create an even and no lump batter. This will help ensure you get an even rise when baking. I also suggest mixing the dry ingredients into the wet and not the other way around. This helps reduce you getting a pocket of dry flour in the end cake.
Second tip is to use room temperature ingredients. This aids in the rise and structure off all baked goods such as quick breads, cakes, and cookies. I typically suggest pulling out all wet ingredients from the fridge around an 45 minutes before baking. Cream cheese and butter may take an additional half hour but you can always whip it a little longer if you forget.
Once you assemble the cake batter be sure to give the tray a few love taps lol to remove any excess bubbles and even the batter across the jelly roll pan.
As the cake bakes, dust a clean kitchen towel with powder sugar. You will flip the finished cake on top and use towel as the rolling device to create the final structure. You are essentially creating a memory in the cake to hold the spiral structure. If you do it while cooled the risks breaking apart. It will still be delicious just not as pretty.
Once the cake has cooled completely, you are ready to slowly unravel it to be iced in the delicious cream cheese frosting.
Overall the cake has a pretty quick baking time and the filling is easy enough to whip up while the cake cools. What's even better is the cake can be made a 2 days in advance or frozen for 3 months. Simply just thaw in the fridge overnight.
But I mean look at that cross section. I like an equal amount of filling to cake as you can see.
- 3/4 cup flour (90 grams)
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 2/3 cup canned pumpkin puree (unsweetened)
- 1/2 Tsp baking soda
- 1/2 Tsp baking powder
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
- 1.5 tsp vanilla paste (substitute vanilla extract)
- 1 cup powdered sugar (128 grams)
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray and line a jelly roll pan (15 x 10'') with parchment paper. Leave an inch of parchment sticking up on both long sides of the pan for easy lifting.
- In a large bowl, sift and whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice.
In another bowl mix liquid ingredients: eggs, sugar, vanilla and pumpkin until smooth and no lumps remain.
Add half the dry ingredients into the wet mixture. Stir until combined then mix in the remaining dry until combined. Be careful to not over mix to create delicate cake crumb.
Using a spatula, spread the batter into the prepared pan. Tap and shake the pan to even out the cake and remove any possible bubbles.- Bake the cake for 14-16 minutes. Use a toothpick to test the cakes doneness in the center. When done the toothpick should come out clean.
Place a clean cloth the size of the cake onto the table. Dust the cloth with powered sugar. Next, flip the cake on to the clean cloth with parchment paper side on top. Remove the parchment paper carefully. Starting at one of the short ends, roll the cake slowly. Once rolled allow the cake to cool on a wired rack about 1.5 hours.- While the cake roll is cooling, mix the cream cheese, butter, vanilla paste/extract, and sifted powdered sugar together with an electric mixer.
- Once the cake roll is cool, unroll it carefully and gently spread the cream cheese filling over the cake.
Lastly, roll the cake carefully and cut the ends for a clean finished look. I always call the end pieces the baker's bonus snack. As an optional topping for serving, dust the top with powdered sugar and serve.
Store in the fridge for up to three days or freeze for up to 3 months.