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Kima

Classic Pumpkin Roll

This Classic Pumpkin Roll features a soft, warmly spiced pumpkin cake wrapped around a smooth cream cheese filling. With cinnamon, cloves, pure pumpkin, and a rich vanilla cream cheese center, this beautiful rolled cake is perfect for Thanksgiving, fall gatherings, Christmas, or any special holiday dessert table.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Chilling Time 1 hour
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Pumpkin Cake
  • 1/4 cup powdered sugar for sprinkling on the kitchen towel
  • 3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp ground cloves
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2/3 cup 100% pure pumpkin
Cream Cheese Filling
  • 8 oz reduced-fat cream cheese 1 package, softened
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 6 Tbsp butter or margarine softened
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Equipment

  • 15x10-inch jelly-roll pan
  • Wax paper
  • Thin cotton kitchen towel
  • Small mixing bowl
  • Large mixer bowl
  • Electric mixer
  • Wire cooling rack
  • Plastic wrap

Method
 

Prepare the Pumpkin Cake
  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
  2. Grease a 15x10-inch jelly-roll pan. Line the pan with wax paper, then grease and lightly flour the paper.
  3. Lay a thin cotton kitchen towel on a flat surface and sprinkle it generously with the 1/4 cup powdered sugar. Set aside.
  4. In a small bowl, combine the whole wheat pastry flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt.
  5. In a large mixer bowl, beat the eggs and granulated sugar until the mixture is thick and well combined.
  6. Beat in the pure pumpkin until evenly incorporated.
  7. Stir the flour mixture into the pumpkin mixture just until combined.
  8. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared jelly-roll pan.
  9. Bake for 13–15 minutes, or until the top of the cake springs back when lightly touched.
Roll and Cool
  1. Immediately loosen the cake from the edges of the pan and carefully invert it onto the prepared powdered-sugar-covered towel.
  2. Carefully peel the wax paper from the cake.
  3. Starting at the narrow end, roll the warm cake and towel together into a tight spiral.
  4. Place the rolled cake on a wire rack and allow it to cool completely.
Make the Cream Cheese Filling
  1. In a small mixer bowl, beat the softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, softened butter or margarine, and vanilla extract until smooth and creamy.
Fill and Finish the Pumpkin Roll
  1. Carefully unroll the completely cooled cake and remove the towel.
  2. Spread the cream cheese filling evenly over the surface of the cake, leaving a small border around the edges.
  3. Carefully reroll the cake without the towel, keeping the roll snug but taking care not to crack the cake.
  4. Wrap the pumpkin roll tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before slicing and serving.

Notes

This recipe yields approximately 10–12 servings.
Roll the cake in the powdered-sugar-covered towel while it is still warm. This helps it hold its spiral shape and reduces the chance of cracking later.
Allow the rolled cake to cool completely before adding the cream cheese filling so the filling does not melt.
Chill the finished pumpkin roll for at least 1 hour before slicing for cleaner, more defined slices.
The listed 45-minute total time does not include the final chilling time.