Pumpkin Cake Roll Recipe
Our pumpkin roll is the perfect finish to a Fall gathering and looks great on a Thanksgiving or Christmas dessert table because its rolled presentation adds such a fancy touch.
Traditionally, cake rolls are made in jelly roll pans, but when I polled my audience, nearly 80% of you said you would prefer using a standard-sized 13×18 baking sheet because that’s what you have on hand. Therefore, I wrote this for the bigger pan, but you can easily make it in a jelly roll pan for a thicker cake.
Ingredients
It’s easy to whip up this delicious cake with only a few ingredients that you probably have on hand. It’s the perfect way to bring Fall onto your table.
For the Pumpkin Roll
- Powdered sugar – prevents the cake from sticking to the rolling tea towel. Dust by hand or use a fine-mesh strainer to sift the sugar over the towel.
- Flour – all-purpose flour is sifted in this recipe to give the cake an extra light crumb, but enough strength to roll without breaking
- Baking soda and baking powder – we use both leavenings to give the cake an even rise
- Spices – Cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and salt create that Fall flavor. Salt brings out the flavor of the ingredients.
- Eggs – room temperature, to help the cake rise in the oven
- Sugar – holds moisture and sweetens for a light and moist cake layer
- Pumpkin Puree – we love Libby’s brand of pumpkin puree which has the richest color and flavor. If using homemade pumpkin puree, drain it well.
Pro Tip
We only use 3/4 cup of pumpkin puree here, so if you’re using store-bought, we suggest you plan to make soft Pumpkin Cookies with the rest of your can.
Cream Cheese Filling
- Cream Cheese – We prefer full-fat cream cheese and be sure it’s room temperature so it mixes evenly.
- Butter – unsalted, softened butter
- Powdered Sugar – sweetens the frosting without being overly sweet
- Vanilla extract – flavors the filling, so be sure to use real extract or make your own Vanilla Extract for the best taste
