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This Pumpkin Roll has been in my family for years! On my first Christmas with my husband’s family, my mother-in-law (the grandkids call her Mima) gave me a pumpkin roll as a gift and we’ve been making it ever since. It’s a soft pumpkin cake with cream cheese frosting and it’s so easy to make (easier than you think!)
Ever since I first tasted my mother-in-law’s pumpkin rolls, I’ve wanted to pass on the tradition and start making them myself. I was always impressed with how perfectly rolled and delicious they were but I was nervous to make them because they looked hard. She gave me the recipe I was shocked at how easy cake rolls are to make! This roll has a great pumpkin flavor throughout with delicious pumpkin spice and it’s rolled with a delicious cream cheese filling!
Ingredients Needed
- Eggs: This is what gives the cake it’s rise and soft texture – it’s very important to make sure to mix the eggs properly.
- Pumpkin puree: Not pumpkin pie mix – make sure to get canned pumpkin puree.
- Pumpkin Pie Spice: Cinnamon, Ginger, and Nutmeg
- Cream Cheese Frosting: for the filling – (cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, vanilla extract)
How to Make Pumpkin Rolls
1. Mix together dry ingredients in a medium bowl.
2. Beat eggs at high speed for 4 minutes, or until the eggs are thick and dark yellow and foamy. You’ll want to use a mixer for this.
3. Add pumpkin puree, lemon juice, baking powder, spices, and salt, mix until combined.
4. Place cake batter in a 10×15-inch jelly roll pan and spread into an even layer.
5. Bake until it somewhat bounces back when you lightly press it (and the top of the cake doesn’t stick to your fingers). A toothpick will come out clean.
6. While the cake is in the oven, lay out a thin kitchen towel and spread with powdered sugar. Remove the hot cake from the oven and immediately flip it over (careful not to burn yourself) and remove the pan and foil.
7. Roll up the cake using a towel. Let sit at room temperature to cool.
8. Make the filling in a large bowl: beat cream cheese and butter until creamy, then mix in powdered sugar one cup at a time. Add the vanilla and beat until smooth and frosting is spreadable.
9. Assemble the cake: carefully unroll the cake from the parchment paper. It may crack, but that’s okay, just be gentle. Add equal amounts of frosting to each section of cake.
10. Roll up each cake roll. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill until ready to serve. For serving, dust with powdered sugar.
Expert Tips
- Don’t let the cake cool completely before you roll it, start to roll when it is still warm so the cake is malleable. This decreases the likelihood of cracking.
- Make sure you beat the eggs properly! They need to mix for the full time so they get thick and yellow and frothy.
- You can use parchment paper or a towel dusted with powdered sugar to roll the cake in.
- Add chopped nuts into the filling for some crunch (chopped walnuts or pecans).
- Store cake in the refrigerator. You can also freeze the cake for up to 3 months.
FAQs
Yes, pumpkin rolls should stay refrigerated and wrapped in plastic wrap to keep their shape. Unrefrigerated, the frosting can melt and they can become misshapen and fall apart.
You can make the pumpkin roll cake ahead of time, make sure you follow the same steps and roll while it’s still warm.
If the cake is under done or over done, it will crack (make sure a toothpick comes out clean and the cake bounces back when touched). Be sure to roll it while it’s hot so the cake shapes into a spiral.
Mima’s Pumpkin Roll Recipe
Recipe Video
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- ⅔ cup pumpkin puree
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ginger
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup (93g) all purpose flour
For the Filling:
- 4 ounces (113g) cream cheese room temperature
- 4 tablespoons (57g) unsalted butter softened
- 1 ½ cups (170g) powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- Powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 10×15-inch jelly roll pan with Reynold’s Wrap spray with nonstick cooking spray for easy removal.
- Beat eggs at high speed for 4 minutes, or until the eggs are thick and dark yellow and foamy. Mix in sugar until combined. Add pumpkin puree, lemon juice, baking powder, spices, and salt, mix until combined, then slowly mix in the flour, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Place cake batter in prepared pan and spread into an even layer. Bake for 11-15 minutes or until it somewhat bounces back when you lightly press it (and the top of the cake doesn’t stick to your fingers). A toothpick will come out clean.
- While the cake is in the oven, lay out a sheet of parchment paper. Remove the hot cake from the oven and immediately flip it over (careful not to burn yourself) and remove the pan and foil.
- If you want to make three small cake rolls: slice the cake into three equal pieces. Leave it on the parchment paper.
- Roll up the cake using the parchment paper. Let sit at room temperature to cool, about 2-3 hours.
- Make the filling: beat cream cheese and butter until creamy, then mix in powdered sugar one cup at a time. Add the vanilla and mix until smooth and frosting is spreadable.
- Assemble the cake: carefully unroll the cake from the parchment paper. It may crack, but that’s okay, just be gentle.
- Add equal amounts of frosting to each section of cake. Roll up each cake roll. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill until ready to serve. For serving, dust with powdered sugar.
- You can make this as one large roll or three small ones.
- Store in refrigerator for up to 3 days or wrap well in plastic wrap and freeze for up to one month.
Recipe Notes
- The cake will bounce back when touched when it’s done.
- Make sure to beat the eggs the full time – the eggs should get thick and yellow and foamy.
- Store the cake in the refrigerator or freeze it, wrapped well in plastic wrap or in an airtight container.
- If the cake cracks, make extra frosting and frost the outside and no one will know!
OMG!! I made this recipe instead of Grandma Julie’s recipe. Sshh don’t tell her, (RIP) Yours blew hers outta the pumpkin patch!!. This was perfect in every way!!! There are no words that describe how delish this is!!
Thank you
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!!
Iv been making this for as long as youve been eating them. Your mom and I probably found the recipe in the same magazine. Back in the day, thats where most recipes were found besides in cookbooks. I make mine with toasted nuts on the cake. The original recipe called for greasing a jelly roll pan then lining it with wax paper. I still use wax paper, its more malleable than parchment. I still make this for Thanksgiving. Its become a family tradition and mine would have a fit if I didnt make it. Great recipe! Try is with toasted nuts.
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