This classic Pumpkin Roll Recipe features homemade pumpkin cake and silky cream cheese frosting, all rolled up for an impressive presentation. Follow my simple tips for easy rolling and no cracking!
Equipment
10x15-inch jelly roll pan
Ingredients
For the Cake:
¾cupall-purpose flour(90g)
½teaspoonbaking powder
½teaspoonbaking soda
1teaspoonground cinnamon
½teaspoonground allspice
¼teaspoonground ginger
¼teaspoonnutmeg
¼teaspoonsalt
3largeeggsroom temperature
1cupgranulated sugar(200g)
⅔cupcanned pumpkin puree(160g)
2teaspoonsvanilla extract
¼cuppowdered sugar(30g)
For the Filling:
1(8-ounce/ 226g) blockcream cheeseat room temperature
1cuppowdered sugarsifted (120g)
6tablespoonsunsalted butterroom temperature (80g)
1teaspoonvanilla extract
Instructions
For the Cake:
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease a 10x15-inch jelly roll pan with butter or baking spray and line with parchment paper. Use a large enough piece of paper so it has an extra inch or two up the sides. You’ll use this excess paper to pull the cake out of the pan after baking.
To a medium bowl, sift the flour, salt, cinnamon, allspice, ginger, nutmeg, baking powder, and baking soda. Give it a whisk and set aside.
To a large bowl combine the eggs, vanilla, and granulated sugar and whisk or beat with an electric mixer until lighter in color and smooth. Add in the pumpkin puree and mix until smooth.
Pour the dry mixture into the wet then fold in until just combined.
Transfer the batter into your prepared baking sheet and smooth into an even layer using an offset spatula. (The batter will be quite thin once smoothed but it will puff as it bakes).
Bake for 13 to 15 minutes, the cake is done when the center springs back when pressed lightly.
While the cake bakes, prepare a thin tea towel by dusting it generously with the powdered sugar. When the cake is done and still hot, carefully invert it into the center of the sugared cloth.
Peel back the parchment paper, fold the end of the tea towel over a short end of the cake, then roll the cake tightly into a log shape (the towel will be inside the cake roll to prevent it from sticking). Place the rolled cake on a wire rack to cool completely, 2 to 3 hours.
For the Filling:
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, or in a large mixing bowl using a hand mixer combine the butter and cream cheese together and mix on medium speed until combined for about 1 minute. Add in the vanilla and powdered sugar, and beat until fluffy, smooth, and light in color, about 2 minutes.
For the Assembly:
Once cooled, unroll the cake onto your counter, spread the frosting into an even layer leaving about ½-inch unfrosted on the short end where you finish rolling up the cake.
Roll the cake back up, starting with the short side opposite the unfrosted border, removing the towel as you roll. Place the roll on a serving plate, loosely cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour so the frosting can set up.
Once the cake is chilled and you are ready to serve, dust it with powdered sugar and cut with a sharp serrated knife.
Notes
Trim the edges before serving. Do not worry if the long sides of the cake aren’t even or clean. Once rolled, you can slice them off for a neat cake roll.
Slice with a serrated knife for the cleanest cuts. Using a straight edge tends to tear the crumbs or smear the filling more. A serrated knife cuts through more easily for a neater spiral in each slice.