Pumpkin Roll

Double the Swirl, Double the Joy: My Ultimate Pumpkin Roll Recipe

Hey, kitchen bestie! Harper here, waving my powdered sugar-dusted spatula at you from my sunlit corner of culinary chaos. 🍂✨ Is there anything more *viscerally autumn* than unrolling that first slice of pumpkin roll? That moment when the spiral reveals itself – fluffy spiced cake hugging a cloud of creamy filling – feels like wrapping your tastebuds in your favorite flannel shirt. But here’s my little secret: why make one when you can make two? That’s right, this recipe bakes up two glorious pumpkin rolls side-by-side. One for your bestie’s front porch drop-off, one for your own fridge (or… you know… Tuesday night therapy). I’ve tweaked this classic to be a touch lighter with Greek yogurt magic, but trust me, every bite still sings with cozy spice and pure pumpkin love. Whether you’re a rolling rookie or a swirl savant, grab your favorite wooden spoon and let’s turn that kitchen into a pumpkin paradise. Ready to roll? Let’s go!

The Great Pumpkin Roll Rescue (And Why We Always Make Two!)

Picture this: Me, age 22, hosting my first “grown-up” Friendsgiving. I’d practiced my pumpkin roll obsessively – nailing that perfect swirl felt like defusing a culinary bomb. The big day arrived, my masterpiece chilled proudly in the fridge… until my roommate’s enthusiastic golden retriever, Butters, mistook it for a particularly enticing pillow. Cue the shattered glass dish and one tragically flattened roll. Tears? Almost. Laughter? Eventually. But panic? Absolutely! That’s when my Nana’s voice popped into my head: *“Sugar, always bake a spare. Life’s messy and appetites are big.”* I frantically whipped up a second one I’d stashed (uncut!) in the garage fridge. It became legendary – slightly lopsided, extra powdered sugar (to hide the frantic fingerprints), and the star of the night. Now, baking two rolls isn’t just practical – it’s my edible insurance policy against life’s Butters moments. One for sharing joy, one for saving yours. 🐾🎂

Gather Your Pumpkin Posse: Ingredients & Insider Tips

(Makes 2 beautiful rolls! Double the delight!)

For the Spiced Pumpkin Cake:

• 1½ cups all-purpose flour – The trusty backbone! Spoon & level it, don’t scoop, or your cake might get dense. Gluten-free 1:1 blend? Works great here!
• 1 tsp each: baking powder & baking soda – Our dynamic rising duo. Check expiration dates! Flat rolls are sad rolls.
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon + 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice + ½ tsp ground allspice – Warmth in a bottle! No pumpkin pie spice? Mix ½ tsp cinnamon + ¼ tsp ginger + ¼ tsp nutmeg + ⅛ tsp cloves.
• ½ tsp salt – Balances the sweetness, makes flavors pop! Don’t skip.
• 6 large eggs – Room temp is KEY for maximum fluffiness. Sitting in a bowl of warm water for 5 mins fixes fridge-cold eggs fast!
• 1½ cups granulated sugar – Sweetens the deal. For deeper flavor, swap ¼ cup with brown sugar.
• 1⅓ cups canned pumpkin – Pure pumpkin puree, NOT pie filling! Libby’s is my ride-or-die. Homemade? You rockstar! Just drain excess liquid.
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract – The flavor fairy godmother. Splurge on the good stuff!
• Non-stick spray – For those pans! Parchment + spray = guaranteed no-stick magic.
• ½ cup powdered sugar (for towel dusting) – Prevents cake stickiness during rolling. Generosity is key!

For the Dreamy Cream Cheese Filling:

• 12 oz light cream cheese (not fat-free!), room temp – Room temp = silky smooth filling. Fat-free won’t set right – trust me, I’ve cried over runny filling! Full-fat works too.
• 1½ cups powdered sugar – Sift it! Lumps are not invited to this smooth party.
• 12 oz (1½ cups) fat-free Fage Greek yogurt – My lighter secret weapon! Adds tang and creaminess without heaviness. Regular plain Greek yogurt works too.
• 1 cup chopped walnuts (optional) – For crunch lovers! Toast them first for mega flavor. Pecans are a fab swap.
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract – Because one teaspoon is never enough for filling this good.
• Extra powdered sugar, for dusting – The snowy finishing touch!

Let’s Roll! Your Step-by-Step Swirl Success Guide

Don’t sweat the roll, friend! I’ve broken it down with all my hard-earned hacks. Read through once before starting – you’ve got this!

1. Preheat & Prep Like a Pro: Crank that oven to 375°F (190°C). Line two 10×15-inch jelly roll pans with parchment paper, letting it overhang slightly on the short ends. Spray the parchment generously with non-stick spray. This is your no-stick insurance policy!
2. Whisk the Dry Team: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, allspice, and salt. Set this fragrant little cloud aside. Chef Hack: Whisk your dry ingredients right over a piece of parchment for easy, mess-free pouring later!
3. Whip the Wet Wonders: In a large bowl (or stand mixer), beat the eggs and granulated sugar on medium-high speed for a good 4-5 minutes. Seriously, don’t rush this! You want it thick, pale, and fluffy – it should leave ribbons on the surface when you lift the beaters. This air is what gives the cake its lightness! Beat in the pumpkin and vanilla until just combined.
4. Marry Wet & Dry (Gently!): Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture. Use a spatula and fold gently, just until no flour streaks remain. Overmixing is the enemy of fluff! Imagine you’re coaxing a cloud.
5. Spread & Bake: Divide the batter evenly between your prepped pans. Use an offset spatula or the back of a spoon to spread it into a super thin, even layer, reaching all corners. Bake for 13-15 minutes. The cake is done when the top springs back lightly when touched – no jiggle! Set a timer for 12 mins and check. Overbaking = cracking disaster!
6. The Critical Warm Roll Maneuver: THIS is the moment! While the cakes are baking, lay out two clean kitchen towels (not terry cloth – lint city!) and generously dust each with half of the ½ cup powdered sugar. As soon as the pans come out, immediately invert each cake onto its sugared towel. Carefully peel off the parchment paper (it should come right off!). Starting from a short end, use the towel to gently but confidently roll the cake up, jelly-roll style. Roll it with the towel inside! Let the rolled cakes cool completely on a wire rack. This sets the shape!
7. Whip Up the Filling: While the cakes cool, beat the room temp cream cheese until smooth. Add the powdered sugar and beat again. Scrape the bowl! Beat in the Greek yogurt and vanilla until luxuriously smooth and lump-free. Fold in walnuts if using. Taste it. Go ahead! Perfection.
8. Unroll, Fill, Re-Roll, Chill: Gently unroll your cooled cakes. They might crack slightly – totally fine! Spread the filling evenly over each cake, leaving a small border. Using the towel to help guide you, carefully re-roll the cake, peeling the towel away as you go. Don’t roll the towel inside this time! Wrap each roll snugly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour (or up to 3 days). This firms up the filling and makes slicing dreamy.
9. Serve the Magic: Unwrap your beautiful rolls. Dust the tops liberally with powdered sugar right before slicing (a serrated knife works best!). Wipe the knife clean between slices for picture-perfect spirals.

Plating Your Pumpkin Masterpiece

Presentation is part of the joy! Place each roll on a long wooden board or pretty platter. Dust that snowy powdered sugar just before serving – it looks so inviting! Slice into generous 1-inch pieces. For extra pizzazz, serve with a dollop of lightly sweetened whipped cream and a sprinkle of extra toasted walnuts or a tiny drizzle of caramel. A sprig of fresh rosemary adds a festive touch. Remember, the oohs and aahs start when they see that perfect spiral!

Shake Up Your Swirl: Delicious Variations

Pumpkin roll is a canvas! Try these tasty twists:

1. Chocolate Chip Swirl: Fold ½ cup mini chocolate chips into the filling. Kid (and adult!) magnet!
2. Ginger Snap Spice: Add 1 tsp ground ginger and ¼ tsp black pepper to the cake spices. Filling? Fold in ¼ cup finely chopped crystallized ginger.
3. Maple Pecan Dream: Replace ¼ cup powdered sugar in filling with real maple syrup. Use toasted pecans instead of walnuts.
4. Cranberry Orange Zing: Fold ½ cup dried cranberries (soaked in orange juice for 10 mins, drained) into filling. Add 1 tbsp orange zest to the cake batter.
5. Dairy-Free/Delicious: Use dairy-free cream cheese and coconut yogurt. Ensure vegan sugar if needed. Works like a charm!

Harper’s Rolling Revelations

This recipe? It’s my kitchen evolution in a spiral! My early versions used *way* too much filling (glorious, but structurally… questionable 🤣). Switching to Greek yogurt was a game-changer – it lightens it without sacrificing creaminess or stability (no more filling ooze!). The double batch? Born purely from that Butters Incident™️, but now I can’t imagine it any other way. One always gets gifted, and one disappears mysteriously within 48 hours. Pro Tip: Chilling the rolls overnight actually deepens the spices and makes slicing even cleaner! Don’t stress minor cracks – that powdered sugar is magic dust, and the flavor is always 10/10. This roll has seen my kitchen fails and triumphs, and it’s become my edible hug for the people I love. Bake it with joy!

Pumpkin Roll SOS: Your Questions Answered

Q: Help! My cake cracked when I unrolled it to fill!
A: Deep breaths! Small cracks are totally normal and usually hide under filling. Common causes: Overbaking (dry cake = brittle), rolling too tightly while warm, or not using enough powdered sugar on the towel. Next time: Set a timer, be gentle, and dust generously! Even cracked rolls taste divine.

Q: Why is my filling runny?
A: Two likely culprits: 1) Cream cheese wasn’t room temp (cold cheese won’t blend smoothly). 2) You used fat-free cream cheese or regular yogurt with too much liquid. Stick to light (not fat-free) cream cheese and thick Greek yogurt (Fage 0% is perfect). Chilling the filled roll firms it up significantly!

Q: Can I freeze pumpkin rolls?
A: Absolutely! Wrap the chilled, unfrosted rolls tightly in plastic wrap, then in foil. Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then dust with powdered sugar before serving. The texture holds up beautifully!

Q: My cake stuck to the parchment! What now?
A: Oh, the frustration! Next time: Ensure you spray the parchment *after* lining the pan. If it happens, gently coax it off with a thin spatula while still warm. Patch any tears with filling – it’ll taste just as good!

Pumpkin Roll

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• Author: Harper Callahan
• Total Time: 1 hr 35 mins

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Description

Nothing says autumn bliss like a perfectly spiraled pumpkin roll—and guess what? This recipe makes two! One for sharing, one for savoring. Lightened with Greek yogurt but full of classic spice, these rolls are a cozy combo of fluffy pumpkin cake and dreamy cream cheese filling. Whether you’re gifting one or guarding both, you’re about to roll into pumpkin perfection.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Pumpkin Cake:

• 1½ cups all-purpose flour

• 1 tsp baking powder

• 1 tsp baking soda

• 1 tsp cinnamon

• 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

• ½ tsp allspice

• ½ tsp salt

• 6 large eggs, room temp

• 1½ cups granulated sugar

• 1⅓ cups canned pumpkin (puree only!)

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• Non-stick spray + parchment paper

• ½ cup powdered sugar (for towel dusting)

Cream Cheese Filling:

• 12 oz light cream cheese, room temp

• 1½ cups powdered sugar (sifted)

• 12 oz (1½ cups) fat-free Greek yogurt

• 2 tsp vanilla extract

• 1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

• Extra powdered sugar for topping

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Instructions

• Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line two 10×15” jelly roll pans with parchment, spray well.

• Whisk dry ingredients in one bowl; beat eggs and sugar 4–5 mins until fluffy in another. Stir in pumpkin and vanilla.

• Fold dry into wet gently—don’t overmix! Spread into pans evenly.

• Bake 13–15 mins until springy. Meanwhile, dust 2 clean towels with powdered sugar.

• Invert warm cakes onto towels, peel off parchment, and roll up in towels. Cool completely.

• Mix filling: Beat cream cheese smooth, then add sugar, yogurt, vanilla. Fold in walnuts.

• Unroll cakes, spread filling, and re-roll without towels. Wrap in plastic; chill 1 hour or more.

• Serve dusted with powdered sugar. Slice with a serrated knife—wipe between slices for clean swirls.

Notes

Roll cakes while warm to prevent cracks, and don’t rush the chill—it sets the swirl! For gifting, wrap in wax paper and twine for rustic charm.

• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 15 mins

Nutrition

• Calories: 210 kcal per serving
• Sugar: 21g
• Fat: 6g
• Saturated Fat: 2g
• Carbohydrates: 32g
• Fiber: 1g
• Protein: 5g

Nutritional Info (Per Slice, 24 Slices Total)

Calories: 210 | Total Fat: 6g (Saturated Fat: 2g) | Cholesterol: 55mg | Sodium: 170mg | Carbohydrates: 33g | Fiber: 1g | Sugars: 21g | Protein: 5g

Prep Time: 20 mins | Cook Time: 15 mins | Chill Time: 1 hr | Total Time: ~1 hr 35 mins | Level: Intermediate

Final Thoughts: Why This Recipe Is a Keeper

This pumpkin roll isn’t just a dessert—it’s a memory-maker. Whether it’s rescuing a Friendsgiving disaster (thanks, Butters!), gifting a slice of joy, or mastering the perfect swirl, this recipe is as much about the stories as it is about the flavor. The double batch ensures there’s always enough to share (or sneak a midnight slice). So embrace the imperfections, dust on that powdered sugar, and savor every bite. Happy rolling, friend!