Pumpkin Roll Cake
…with Cream Cheese Filling
Happy Halloween! To celebrate, I made this Pumpkin Roll Cake filled with a decadent cream cheese filling accompanied by little homemade Peanut Butter Candy Pumpkins. Pumpkin and cream cheese is a classic combination with the sweet, tanginess of the filling complimenting the spiciness of the cake. I put this cake in a Halloween setting, but it would be great alternative to pumpkin pie at your Thanksgiving table. Maybe just leave out the jack-o-lantern :)
The recipe is a combination of one from Libby’s and the other from King Arthur Baking - and, though it looks impressive, it was pretty easy to put together. You could start it in the early afternoon and it will be ready to go for dessert in the evening. It doesn’t take that long to make, but the cake needs a couple of hours to cool down before the filling can be added. I’d also recommend a little more time in the refrigerator after it’s filled to get clean slices.
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Photo by Daniel Marks
Pumpkin Roll Cake Recipe:
Yield:
1, 9-inch long cake
Difficulty:
Easy
Special equipment:
10x15-inch or 9.5 x 14-inch jellyroll pan
Ingredients
For the cake:
89 grams (3/4 cup) all purpose flour
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp ground cloves
½ tsp ground ginger (optional)
¼ tsp salt
3 large eggs, room temperature
1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar
177 grams (⅔ cup) pumpkin puree (I used Libby’s brand canned pumpkin)
29 grams (¼ cup) powdered/confectioners sugar for rolling the cake
For the filling:
227 grams (1, 8-ounce package) cream cheese, room temperature
118 grams (1 cup) powdered/confectioners sugar, sifted
6 TBSP (85 grams) unsalted butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla extract
Topping:
3 TBSP Powdered sugar for dusting (optional)
Instructions:
Make the cake:
Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a 10 x 15-inch or 9.5 x 14-inch jellyroll pan with parchment.
In a small bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and salt. Set aside.
In a separate bowl, or the bowl of your stand mixer, beat together the eggs and sugar until, thick, light and fluffy. 6 or 7 minutes. Beat in the pumpkin until thoroughly combined, then beat in the flour until just combined.
Spread the batter out in the prepared pan. An offset spatula is useful for getting the thick batter to spread out evenly.
Bake for 13-15 minutes until the edges have slightly browned and the cake springs back when touched in the middle.
While the cake is baking, evenly spread the powdered sugar on a separate piece of parchment paper.
Let the cake cool in the pan for 2 minutes (no more!) then run a knife around the edges of the cake to loosen, and carefully turn out upside down onto the sugared parchment. Remove the original parchment from the bottom of the cake it it has stuck. Roll the cake up from the short side into a log, place the cake, seam side down, on a cooling rack, and let it cool to room temperature.
Tip: Cooling the cake in a rolled state will make it easier to roll back up once you’ve added the filling. The powdered sugar on the parchment helps keep the top of the cake from sticking to the paper as it cools. So be generous with your sugar!
Make the filling and assemble:
Beat room temperature cream cheese, butter, and powdered sugar together until well combined. Spread on the cooled cake, roll back up and refrigerate until serving.
Tip: Spread the filling generously on the short edge that you’ll start rolling it back up with, evenly in the middle of the cake, and thinly at the far edge. Just enough to “glue” it to the rest of the cake.
To serve:
Slice off outer edges for a crisp appearance, wiping the knife between slices. Sift powdered sugar over top of the cake if desired. Slice and serve. Store any leftovers tightly wrapped in the refrigerator or freezer.
