Does your family have a recipe that is a staple for Thanksgiving? We have a weak spot for our dad’s Thanksgiving stuffing and a couple of our aunts casseroles, but there is one item that we must have or else it doesn’t feel like Thanksgiving and that’s pumpkin rolls!!! We’ve had these at Thanksgiving for as long as we can remember. After everyone is stuffed from our delicious Thanksgiving feast and the kitchen is clean, we all gather around the table to play games, usually with a grasshopper in hand (another family tradition). Well everyone except for those in the living room watching football. It’s not long till our aunt Diane starts passing around the pumpkin rolls and you better act quick because they go fast.
Roll cakes are fairly easy to make as long as you follow a few important steps:
Always line your baking pan with parchment paper. The parchment paper will ensure that the cake comes out of the pan easily and doesn’t stick. It’s very hard to save a cake that sticks to the pan, especially when you are baking a thin cake like this.
Roll your cake up when it is still warm. Now this step is very important and probably the most important step of all. Rolling the cake up when it is warm will prevent the cake from cracking. If you roll the cake up after it cools the cake will easily crack and not roll properly. After the cake comes out of the oven let it cool for a few minutes then carefully remove the cake from the pan. Here is trick we like to use. Place a piece of the parchment paper over the top of the cake, then place a large cutting board on top of the parchment. Using oven mitts (the cake pan will be hot) carefully flip the cake over. Your cake will now be upside down on the cutting board. The reason we like to place a piece of parchment between the cake and the cutting board is because sometimes the top of a freshly baked cake can be slightly sticky and the parchment will prevent the top of the cake from sticking to the cutting board. After you flip your cake, remove the pan and peel off the parchment paper. Next lay out a clean tea towel that is at least the size of the cake. Slide the cake onto the tea towel leaving it still on the parchment. Carefully and slowing roll your cake up with the tea towel. Set the cake aside to cool while it is rolled up. Allowing the cake to cool while rolled up will help keep its shape and prevent the cake from cracking when you roll it back up with the filling. The cake can also be placed in the fridge to cool faster.
Filling and rerolling your cake. The cake will need to be fully cooled before you add the filling or else the filling will get too warm and ooze out of the ends. While the cake cools this is a good time to make the cream cheese filling. There is just something about pumpkin cake and cream cheese. They pair so well together and what makes this cake so good. After the cake is fully cooled, unroll and remove the tea towel. Evenly spread the cream cheese covering the entire surface of the cake making sure to get to the edges. Roll the cake back up tightly enough not to leave gaps, but not so tight you push the filling out the ends. If you are not serving right away cover the roll and keep refrigerated until ready to serve.
We hope our favorite pumpkin rolls get the chance to grace your Thanksgiving table. Have a wonderful holiday with your family and friends and happy baking!
Pumpkin Roll
Ingredients
Pumpkin Cake
- 3/4 cup flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup sugar
- 2/3 cup pumpkin puree
Cream Cheese Filling
- 1 8oz package cream cheese
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 cup powdered sugar
Instructions
Pumpkin Cake
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease and line a 9×13 rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Set aside.
- In a mixer beat together the eggs, sugar and pumpkin puree until fully combined.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until combined and smooth.
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking sheet and bake for 15-18 minutes.
- Let the cake cool for a couple minutes and then carefully turn onto a clean tea towel. Cut the cake in half and then roll the cake up in the tea towel and set aside to fully cool. Make sure to roll the cake while it is still warm as this will prevent the cake from cracking. You may also place the cake in the frig to cool. While the cake is cooling make the cream cheese filling.
Cream Cheese Filling
- In a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the cream cheese and butter together. Add the vanilla and powdered sugar and mix until fully incorporated and smooth.
Assemble
- Once the cake is fully cool, roll out flat. Spread an even layer of cream cheese filling onto the pumpkin cake and then roll back up. Refrigerate until you are ready to serve and then slice and enjoy!
