Cream cheese pumpkin rolls are one of my favorite desserts. My mom used to make it occasionally growing up, and I always loved helping her dust the tea towel with powdered sugar and roll up the cake. When I went away to college, I took copies of my favorite recipes, and this was one of them. I’ve made a few minor tweaks over the years tinkering with salt and spice amounts, and adding a little brown sugar for extra depth and warmth in the filling, but otherwise, I’ve resisted the impulse to change it up too much.
Jelly roll cakes may seem intimidating if you have never made them before, but they are actually fairly approachable and simple. A few tips:
- Fold in sifted dry ingredients gently to make sure beaten eggs don’t deflate. This ensures I light and airy sponge.
- Make sure you sprinkle the cake and towel with plenty of powdered sugar to prevent sticking. I’ve skimped on this a few times and although it has still turned out fine, It makes unrolling a little more stressful when sticking.
- Make sure your butter and cream cheese are softened, and don’t skip beating them until light and fluffy. If the filling is too dense, it won’t spread as well and your cake can tear.
- Chill before serving, and use a serrated knife to keep your pretty swirls intact.
Brown Sugar & Cream Cheese Pumpkin Rolls
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
Serves: 10-12
Ingredients
- Cake:
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ⅔ cup pumpkin puree
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ¾ cup all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Powdered sugar, for dusting
- Filling:
- 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
- 4 tablespoons butter, room temperature
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- Pinch of kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a 10x15 inch jelly roll pan with parchment, and spray edges slightly with non-stick cooking spray.
- In a mixing bowl, beat eggs for 4-5 minutes until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in granulated sugar. Stir in pumpkin and lemon juice until just combined. Sift in flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt, and fold in until just combined. Pour onto prepared pan, spreading into an even layer. Bake at 375˚ for 13-15 minutes, until cooked through and cake springs back when pressed lightly.
- While cake cooks, lay out a clean tea towel onto your counter, and generously sprinkle evenly with powdered sugar to lightly coat. When cake is done, very carefully turn hot cake onto prepared towel. Remove parchment and sprinkle the top of the cake with an even layer of powdered sugar. Roll up cake and towel to form a tight roll, starting with the shorter end. Once rolled completely, allow to cool completely.
- Meanwhile, make the filling. In a medium bowl, beat together cream cheese, butter, and brown sugar until fluffy and brown sugar is dissolved, about 4-5 minutes. Add powdered sugar and beat until light and fluffy, another 3-4 minutes. Add vanilla and salt and mix until combined.
- Once roll is cooled, gently unroll cake. Spread with an even layer of your filling. Roll cake back up (without the towel). Wrap in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, then slice and serve.
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