Pumpkin Roll

No Holiday would be complete without a pumpkin roll on the dessert table.  The flavors of pumpkin and cream cheese go together so well. 


My Mother-in-law showed me how to make this years ago and I've made it every year since. This recipe can be found on the back of the Libby's pumpkin wrapper, but I have of course tweaked it. 

This is not a terribly difficult recipe but it does take some time. Hopefully seeing the steps will help even a little bit in your baking endeavors.

What you'll need for the cake.

Pumpkin Cake ingredients:

3/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
3/4 cup sugar
2/3 cup canned Pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling, that already has seasoning in it)

What you'll need for the filling.

1 package (8oz) cream cheese softened
1 cup sifted powdered sugar
6 Tablespoons butter softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Extra powdered sugar for sprinkling on top of the roll and onto a dish cloth.

Before you start mixing the ingredients you need to get a couple things ready.   

 Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. While it's heating grease a 15x10 inch jelly roll pan (much like a large cookie sheet). Line with waxed paper and then grease and flour the paper.  This keeps the cake from sticking to the pan. 

 Sprinkle powdered sugar on a thin cotton dish towel.  This will be used to roll up the cake after it comes out of the oven. 

 Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and salt in a bowl.  

In a separate bowl beat together eggs and sugar. 

Then beat in pumpkin.

Stir in the flour mixture until just combined.

Spread evenly onto the jelly roll pan. 

Then bake for 13-15 minutes or until cake springs back when touched.

Immediately while the cake is still hot, loosen and turn cake upside down onto the towel sprinkled with powdered sugar. 

Carefully peel off the wax paper and roll the cake up in the towel starting with the narrow end.  Cool the rolled up cake on a wire rack.

For the filling beat the cream cheese and butter until smooth and creamy, then add the sifted powdered sugar and vanilla extract.  Beat until well incorporated and smooth with no lumps. 

Carefully unroll the cake and spread the filling evenly over it. 

Roll the cake back up.

Then wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour.    

 I typically make this the day before and refrigerate it overnight. Then about a half hour before serving I remove the plastic wrap and sprinkle the roll with powdered sugar and slice into 1 inch pieces.  This is very yummy served plain or with a generous dollop of whipped cream on top.  If you have any leftovers they should be stored covered in the fridge. Enjoy!

For the recipe card click here