Pumpkin Roll with Spiced Cream Cheese Filling

By davidv

"This recipe is a holiday staple for Lori, ITKWD Senior Content Strategist. This gorgeous cake will make your home smell of spiced sweetness as you bake!"—David

Tip: If you don't have a kitchen towel big enough for rolling the cake, a cotton pillow case is the perfect size!

Ingredients

• Pumpkin Roll:
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 4 large eggs
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 3/4 cup canned pumpkin puree, packed
• Filling:
• 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 stick (2-oz) margarine, softened
• 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground allspice

Preparation

Step 1

Pumpkin Roll:
Make sure a rack is placed in the middle shelf of the oven, and preheat to
375°F.

Lightly spray a 15” x 10” jelly roll pan, then line the pan with parchment paper.

Spray the parchment-covered pan with more oil and sprinkle with flour, evenly coating the pan. Shake off the excess flour and set aside.
Combine the flour, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, salt, baking powder, and baking soda together in a medium-size bowl. Lightly whisk the dry ingredients to fully incorporate.

Beat the eggs and both sugars in a bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with a whisk attachment on medium-high speed, until thick and light in color. Add the pumpkin puree and mix on medium-low speed until combined. Add the flour mixture and mix on low until evenly distributed.

Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly, then bake for 12–14 minutes or until the top of cake springs back when touched.
While the cake is baking, use a fine-mesh colander to sprinkle a thin, cotton kitchen towel with confectioners' sugar. Make sure the towel is completely covered with a generous amount of confectioners' sugar.

When the cake is finished baking, immediately loosen, and turn the hot cake onto the prepared towel. Carefully peel off the parchment paper and roll up the cake and towel together, starting with the narrow end. Let the cake cool completely.

Filling:
Cream together the cream cheese and the margarine in a medium-size bowl until smooth and free of any lumps. Mix in the vanilla extract.

Next, add in the confectioners' sugar, cinnamon, and allspice and whip together until light and fluffy.

To assemble, unroll the cake and cover it with the cream cheese mixture. Roll the cake again, this time without the towel. Wrap the cake in plastic wrap and refrigerate it for at least 2 hours.

When you’re ready to serve the cake, dust it with confectioners' sugar as a garnish.