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Best Pumpkin Roll

Annie, Annie’s Eats

A pumpkin dessert of some kind seems to be absolutely mandatory at Thanksgiving. If traditional pumpkin pie isn’t your thing, a pumpkin roll is a great alternative. Tender pumpkin cake spiraled around a silky smooth cream cheese frosting – who can resist that? Though a pumpkin roll may look complicated, it is actually very simple to make. Consider adding a dash of maple syrup or a splash of bourbon to the filling for additional flavor.
30 min Prep Time
15 min Cook Time
  • Prep Time: 30 min
  • Cook Time: 15 min
  • Servings: 8 servings

Servings: 8 servings

Ingredients

  • For the cake:

  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup light brown sugar
  • 3 large eggs
  • 2/3 cup pumpkin puree
  • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

  • For the filling:

  • 8 ounces cream cheese, cold
  • 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 2 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Instructions

For the cake:

Step 1

Heat the oven to 375?F. Butter and flour edges of 9x13-inch or 10x15-inch rimmed baking sheet or jelly roll pan and line bottom of pan with parchment paper.

Step 2

In bowl of electric mixer, combine sugars and eggs. Mix on medium-high speed until mixture is pale and nearly doubled in volume, 3-4 minutes. Blend in pumpkin puree. In small bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves. Whisk to blend. With mixer on low speed, add in dry ingredients to pumpkin mixture just until incorporated.

Step 3

Spread batter into prepared baking pan in even layer. Bake until cake is set and springs back when lightly pressed, 14-16 minutes for larger pan or 18 minutes for smaller pan. Transfer to wire rack and let cool.

Step 4

Once cool, lay fresh sheet of parchment paper out on work surface. Gently turn the cake out of baking pan onto parchment, leaving bottom layer of parchment attached. With both sides of cake lined by parchment, gently roll cake up into spiral shape. Transfer to refrigerator and let sit for at least 1 hour.

For the filling:

Step 5

In bowl of electric mixer, combine cream cheese and butter. Beat on medium-high speed until smooth. Add in confectioners’ sugar and beat again until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Blend in vanilla.

Step 6

Remove cake from refrigerator and unroll carefully. Remove layer of parchment that is attached to top of cake. Spread cream cheese frosting in even layer over pumpkin cake, leaving an inch or so border at the edges. Carefully reroll the cake into the spiral shape. Once cake has been rolled around filling, wrap tightly with parchment or plastic wrap and refrigerate or freeze until set, at least 1-2 hours.

Step 7

Remove the parchment or plastic wrap, slice and serve.