The Best Easy & Perfect Pumpkin Roll Recipe (No Cracks!)
A classic recipe for a pumpkin roll, also known as a pumpkin log. This dessert features a thin, moist, and spiced pumpkin sponge cake that is baked with chopped pecans in a jellyroll pan. While still warm, the cake is rolled up in a sugar-dusted towel to create its signature spiral shape and prevent cracking. Once cooled, it is unrolled, filled with a rich and tangy cream cheese and butter frosting, then re-rolled, chilled, and sliced to serve.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 14 minutes
- Total Time: 3 hours 30 minutes (includes cooling and chilling time)
- Yield: 8-10 servings
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking, Rolling
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
- For the Cake:
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2/3 cup canned pumpkin puree
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 cup pecans, finely chopped
- 1 cup confectioners’ sugar, for dusting and filling
- For the Cream Cheese Filling:
- Two 3-ounce packages cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, at room temperature
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 17 1/2 by 12 1/2-inch jellyroll pan.
- Make the Cake: With an electric mixer, beat the eggs, granulated sugar, pumpkin puree, and lemon juice until smooth.
- In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, ginger, salt, baking powder, and cinnamon.
- Add the sifted dry ingredients to the wet pumpkin mixture and blend until fully combined.
- Spread the batter evenly in the prepared jellyroll pan. Sprinkle the top with the chopped pecans.
- Bake for 14 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan for 5 minutes.
- Sprinkle a large, clean tea towel with some confectioners’ sugar. Carefully invert the warm cake onto the towel. Fold the sides of the towel over the cake, then roll the cake up tightly within the towel.
- Cool the rolled cake in the refrigerator for about 45 minutes.
- Make the Filling and Assemble: With an electric mixer, combine 1 cup of confectioners’ sugar, the room temperature cream cheese, butter, and vanilla. Beat until the filling is smooth.
- Carefully unroll the cooled cake. Spread the cream cheese mixture evenly on top of the cake.
- Gently re-roll the cake (without the towel this time). Refrigerate the finished roll until you are ready to slice and serve.
- Dust with additional confectioners’ sugar just before serving.
Notes
- The most crucial step in this recipe is rolling the warm cake in a towel. This ‘trains’ the cake into a rolled shape, preventing it from cracking when you fill and re-roll it later.
- Using a jellyroll pan (a rimmed baking sheet) is essential for baking the thin layer of cake required for a roll.
- Ensure the cream cheese and butter for the filling are at room temperature for a smooth, lump-free consistency.
Find it online: https://www.eatswithsoul.com/pumpkin-roll-recipe/