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Four slices of pumpkin cake with cream cheese on a wooden board.
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Classic Pumpkin Roll Cake Recipe

A show-stopping Pumpkin Roll cake with aromatic Fall spices. It's studded with walnuts and filled with a luscious cream cheese frosting.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword Pumpkin Roll Cake
Servings 10
Calories 344kcal

Ingredients

  • 3 large eggs room temperature
  • 3/4 cup all purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2/3 cup canned pumpkin purée
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice freshly squeezed
  • 1 cup finely chopped walnuts

Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 1 8 ounce package cream cheese softened
  • 1/3 cup butter softened
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cup powdered sugar

Instructions

  • Grease a 15x10x1 inch baking pan.
  • Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper, grease the top of the paper and set aside.
  • Preheat the oven to 375*F.
  • In a small bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, salt and set aside.
  • In a large mixing bowl beat the eggs on high speed for about 5 minutes until thickened.
  • Lower to medium speed and gradually add the sugar, beating until it is light in colour and fluffy.
  • Stir in the pumpkin and the lemon juice.
  • Next, beat in the flour mixture just until combined.
  • Spread the batter evenly in the prepared baking pan using an offset spatula.
  • Sprinkle the finely chopped walnuts evenly over the batter.
  • Bake in the preheated oven for about 12 minutes or until the cake springs back when touched.
  • Meanwhile, lay out a clean kitchen towel and sprinkle generously with icing sugar. (This will ensure that the cake does not stick to the dish towel and will give the cake a pretty appearance.)
  • When the cake is done, immediately loosen the edges with a knife and invert it onto the clean kitchen towel (nuts side down) and peel off the parchment paper.
  • Starting at the short end, roll the cake in the towel and transfer to a wire rack and cool for 30 minutes to set the shape.

Cream Cheese Frosting

  • For the filling, in a medium mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter and vanilla on medium speed until it is smooth and then gradually beat in the powdered sugar.
  • Unroll the cake and spread the filling in a thin layer within 1 inch of the borders.
  • Firmly roll up the cake using the towel to help if needed.
  • Cover the pumpkin cake roll and chill for 4 to 48 hours.
  • When ready to serve, trim off edges and dust with powdered sugar.
  • Slice into equal portions and enjoy.

Notes

How to keep a rolled cake from cracking.
  • Roll the cake fresh from the oven.
  • A warm cake is very pliable and is easier to roll up. It also ensures no cracks in the layers.
  • Let the pumpkin rolled-up cake cool completely before you unroll it and spread it with the frosting.
  • When rolling back the cake with the cream cheese frosting, it will easily re-roll back to its previous rolled shape.
 
The recipe is adapted from one of my favourite magazines, Better Homes and Garden.
 

Nutrition

Calories: 344kcal | Carbohydrates: 49g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 72mg | Sodium: 194mg | Potassium: 156mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 39g | Vitamin A: 2812IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 49mg | Iron: 1mg