Pumpkin Roll Recipe

There are 2 main components:

1. A thin pumpkin cake, and
2. A cream cheese filling.

The pumpkin cake is spread with filling and then rolled into a cylinder, similar to the way cinnamon rolls would be made. When you look at it from the side, you’ll see a beautiful swirl of pumpkin and cream cheese.

The log is sliced and served in rounds.

It’s perfect for Halloween, Thanksgiving, or Christmas. Or any time when the leaves are changing and there’s a cool nip in the air. Enjoy it with a mug of hot apple cider, coffee, tea, or hot cocoa.

MAKE THE CAKE

When I decided to come up with my own unique pumpkin roll, I used my yule log recipe (aka: buche de noel) as a starting point. So I knew the cake would bake up moist and light, yet sturdy enough to withstand rolling into a tight cylinder without any cracking.

Start by whipping the eggs and sugar together. This is the most critical step in the whole recipe! You really want to whip them for a long time, on high speed, to get them super light and airy. It will take a minimum of FIVE FULL MINUTES; sometimes I like to go even longer than that, just to be extra.

While the eggs and sugar are whipping, mix up your dry and wet ingredients.

For the dry ingredients, whisk flour, cinnamon, baking powder, salt, nutmeg, and ginger together in a medium bowl.

I like to use whole nutmeg because the flavor is so off the charts. I just scratch it on a microplane grater and it’s SO. good. But you could use pre-ground if you’d like.

For the wet ingredients, whisk pumpkin puree (pure pumpkin, NOT pumpkin pie filling), sour cream, melted butter, milk, and vanilla together in a medium bowl.

Once your egg mixture is really fluffy, pale, and tripled in volume (it should fall off the whisk in a thick ribbon), gently fold in the dry ingredients.

Fold carefully! You don’t want to knock out all that air you just worked so hard to incorporate!

Once the dry stuff is worked in, fold in the pumpkin mixture.

Again, carefully!

Transfer this light, airy, mousse-like batter to a 10-inch by 15-inch jelly-roll pan.

The size of the pan is very important! Don’t make the same mistake I made in thinking that a half sheet would work just as well- it doesn’t!

The pan should be lightly greased on the sides and lined with parchment paper. The parchment will help you to roll the cake into a cylinder after it’s baked. It’s especially helpful if you leave a little extra overhang to grab onto, on one of the short sides of the pan.

The cake will bake for anywhere from 22 to 28 minutes, depending on your oven. It should be set in the middle and springy to the touch, but not overly dry or hard.

HOW TO KEEP IT FROM CRACKING

As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, dust it generously with powdered sugar (to prevent sticking).

Lay a clean towel on top.

And (starting from that short end with the parchment overhang) roll it into a tight cylinder.

Allowing the cake to cool this way will ensure that your pumpkin roll doesn’t crack.

MAKE THE FILLING

While the cake is cooling, you can make the filling.

This filling is basically just a no-bake cheesecake. I like it better than cream cheese frosting, because it’s so satin-y smooth, the cream cheese flavor isn’t overwhelmingly sweet, and there’s no grittiness whatsoever.

You could also use whipped cream frosting. I’ve tried it that way too and it’s fan-freaking-tastic!

Or if you really love the tradition of cream cheese frosting, go ahead and use this recipe: Cream Cheese Frosting.

ROLL THE CAKE AND FILLING TOGETHER

As soon as the cake has cooled completely, carefully unroll it, remove the towel, and spread a thin, even layer of filling all over. I use an offset spatula for this step; it’s a really great tool!

Then, grab that little parchment tab again, and re-roll. Pull the parchment off as you are rolling. The parchment acts as a tool to get everything rolled up tightly.

CHILL, SLICE, & SERVE

The filling will be a little soft at first, so it’s a good idea to allow everything to chill for a bit in the fridge. I would suggest allowing the pumpkin roll 1 to 2 hours to chill and set before serving.

If your pumpkin roll is looking a little “slumpy,” in other words, more squashed oval than perfectly round cylinder, you can turn it every so often as it chills, to form it into a nicer shape.

Just before serving, dust it with powdered sugar for garnish. Then, slice it into rounds and enjoy!

HOW TO MAKE THIS GLUTEN-FREE

If you’d like to make a gluten-free pumpkin roll cake, look for a gluten-free flour blend that subs 1:1 for regular flour.

CAN IT BE MADE AHEAD?

This dish can definitely be made ahead- in fact, it’s best to do so because it does want to chill for a bit.

Once it’s filled, cover it lightly with plastic wrap and it will keep in the fridge for several days.

Save the powdered sugar garnish for just before serving. Otherwise, it will melt and disappear!

HOW LONG WILL IT KEEP?

This pumpkin roll recipe will keep at room temperature for a few hours, or in the fridge for several days.

If you’d like to freeze it, just wrap it tightly in plastic wrap first, and it should last in the freezer for a month or two.

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