Just roll with it: A homemade Pumpkin Roll is an impressive dessert that is surprisingly easy to make!
I’ve always loved a slice of pumpkin roll. There’s just something about the presentation; you get a bit of frosting and delicious pumpkin cake in each bite, and it’s so satisfying. Especially during the holidays, you can pick one up at any grocery store or bakery, but this tasty and impressive dessert is actually fairly easy to make. The secret is in a clean dishtowel!
It’s true. Laying out a clean dishtowel and sprinkling it with powdered sugar is the unique step that makes this pumpkin roll work. Once you have your dishtowel prepped, you transfer the hot-out-of-the-oven cake onto it and nimbly roll that hot cake right up. The reason you do this immediately is that a fresh, hot cake is pliable and rolls easily. Once it’s cooled, you can unroll it and frost it before rolling it into its final iteration (without the dishtowel this time!).
You will love this pumpkin roll because when you make it from scratch, you know exactly what’s going into it and can adjust the spices to your own taste. The quality is going to be better than that pumpkin roll your supermarket bakery section has on sale during the holidays: less greasy, with a nice, fresh crumb, and a frosting that’s made from simple ingredients. The contrast of the warm spices in the pumpkin cake and creamy tang of the frosting is perfection. Finally, the bonus factor: this is a make-ahead dessert, which is wonderful during the busy holiday season.
Cake rolls: Not just pumpkin
Pumpkin roll is likely one of the best-known cake rolls, but it’s certainly not the only one. Other popular types include the jelly roll and the Swiss roll (a chocolate cake roll filled with white frosting). In France, a traditional Christmas dessert is the bûche de noël, which is a cake roll usually made with chocolate. In Japan, there is a slightly less sweet, fluffy version of a rolled cake. No matter the cake type, flavor, or filling, the process is largely the same, where the hot cake is rolled first and then unrolled, filled, and re-rolled. They’re always served in slices, make for a lovely presentation, and they’re often (but not always) served chilled.
How do I store leftovers?
Since there is a chilling time, a pumpkin roll is definitely a make-ahead dessert. You can chill it anywhere from 1 hour to 48 hours before serving. If you try to slice it before the 1-hour minimum, it will not slice as cleanly. If you need to make it way ahead, double wrap it in plastic wrap and freeze it for up to 3 months. You can let it thaw in the fridge overnight before serving. Leftovers need to be refrigerated but will keep for 4-5 days and still taste great.
Serving suggestions
Pumpkin roll is practically an all-in-one dessert, but you can always serve it with homemade Sweetened Whipped Cream or a scoop of cinnamon or Vanilla Bean Ice Cream. During the holidays, sometimes you need several desserts at a big family gathering. Complementary desserts that go well with pumpkin roll include rich and indulgent Grand Marnier Pecan Pie, warm and cozy Apple Crisp, or zingy, refreshing Lemon Ginger Steamed Pudding.
Pumpkin Roll Recipe
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2/3 cup pumpkin purée not pumpkin pie filling
- 1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract
- powdered sugar for dusting
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- 2 1/2 tablespoons butter softened
- 1 cup powdered sugar sifted
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line a 10×15-inch jelly roll pan with parchment paper. Grease the paper lightly.
- In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice.
- In a separate large bowl, beat the eggs and granulated sugar until smooth. Add the pumpkin purée and vanilla extract. Mix well.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Stir until just combined.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Spread it evenly.
- Bake for 13-15 minutes, or until the cake springs back when lightly touched.
- Lay a clean kitchen towel on the counter. Dust it generously with powdered sugar.
- When the cake is done, loosen the edges with a knife. Immediately invert the hot cake onto the prepared towel. Carefully peel off the parchment paper. Starting from the short end, roll up the cake and towel together. Let it cool completely on a wire rack.
- In a medium bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and butter until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar and mix until creamy.
- Carefully unroll the cooled cake. Remove the towel.
- Spread the cream cheese filling evenly over the cake.
- Gently roll up the cake without the towel. Wrap it in plastic wrap.
- Refrigerate the cake roll for at least 1 hour before serving.
- Dust with powdered sugar if desired. Slice and serve chilled.
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