Easy Pumpkin Roll Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to rolling a pumpkin roll? ›

How to keep pumpkin roll from cracking: The biggest trick to preventing your cake roll from cracking is to roll the cake up in the parchment paper as soon as it comes out of the oven. The hot cake will be soft and pliable and should roll up without cracking.

A moist cake has less chance of cracking. Overbaking could also be the culprit. The thin layer of cake batter in the typical 15- by 10- by 1-inch baking pan takes only about 10 to 15 minutes to bake. Check your cake after 8 or 9 minutes and watch closely until it tests done.

Tools for making the perfect Pumpkin Roll:

Here are a few of the tools I used to make this successful: jelly roll pan (aka large cookie sheet with small sides) silicone baking mat.

Pumpkin Roll Ingredients

You likely have most of the ingredients you'll need on hand. If not, here's what to add to your grocery list: For the Cake: eggs, sugar, pumpkin puree, cinnamon, all-purpose flour, and baking soda. For the Filling: cream cheese, confectioners' sugar, butter, and vanilla extract.

If the pumpkin roll is sticking to the kitchen towel that you've rolled the cake in, then it could be because there wasn't enough powdered sugar on the towel. Moisture is another important factor.

Pumpkin rolls keep well in the refrigerator and freezer, so they're the perfect dessert to make ahead of time if you'd like. To store your pumpkin roll, wrap it up tightly in plastic wrap. Then you can either refrigerate it for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.

When the toothpick comes out clean, the bread is done. If not, bake 5-10 minutes longer and recheck. PRO-Tip: Do not pull the loaves out without doing a toothpick check. If you remove the loaf too early, the middle will be raw.

There are a few reasons that the outside of your cake might be sticky or “wet” to the touch. Here's how to avoid that dilemma: Roll the cake while it is still warm from the oven. Letting the cake cool before you roll it the first time is one of the most common reasons for cracks or other issues.

More about Silicone Baking Mats

They also should not be used with high temperatures and when using your broiler.

Silicone mats can't compete in this arena. As Stella Parks notes in her piece on the troubles of baking cookies on silicone, it doesn't absorb moisture or fat like parchment does, leaving cookies a tad greasy—and also sweaty, if cooled on their trays.

Are silicone baking mats better than foil? ›

One of the biggest benefits of using foil is that it can handle higher temperatures than parchment or silicone baking mats, so it can be put under the broiler or onto the grill.

Use a clean kitchen towel dusted with powdered sugar or flour to roll the pumpkin roll! The towel prevents sticking and provides support as you roll. Plus, the powdered sugar adds a hint of sweetness! Thanks for the great idea!

You can lay some strips of parchment paper over the cake before dusting with powdered sugar to create a pattern. A pumpkin roll is a great make ahead dessert! Store in the refrigerator for up to three days or in the freezer for three months.

Make sure you roll up the cake when it's hot out of the oven. If you let it cool much at all, it will risk cracking when rolling or unrolling. I highly recommend using a scale to measure your flour as it's the most accurate method and will prevent you from ending up with a dense cake.

Starting at the shorter edge of the cake, roll the cake and greaseproof paper up together, making sure that it is especially tight at the beginning. It's important that the cake is warm so it can set in the right shape. If it's too cold, it won't roll properly. Once rolled, leave it to cool completely.

Sourdough bread is usually scored using a lame, a tool that safely holds a sharp razor blade at the end. If you don't have a lame, use a sharp paring knife. You can dust your loaf with flour to make your designs stand out even more. As the loaf bakes and expands, it will take on the shape of a pumpkin.