Y’all. Today’s featured recipe quite literally changed the way we look at cake forever. No, really. 🤪 Have you ever made a cake roll? We hadn’t either until now. Before this post, cake rolls didn’t really appeal to us. What’s all the hype about? Why roll it? Meh. We were perfectly fine over here making two- or three-layer cakes sandwiched in between more than generous layers of buttercream frosting (which we still are, and always will be doing…no doubt about that). But, now we get it. Cake rolls are amazing! Here us out.
Whoever invented the cake roll was a genius. Think about it. When you roll up a cake and frosting you get the perfect ratio of cake and frosting in EVERY SINGLE BITE. This is a HUGE deal breaker for us. Lots of cake and no frosting? No. Tons of frosting and no cake? We’ll pass. A rolled cake never disappoints! Who doesn’t love that?! 🥰
If that doesn’t blow your mind, then this just might. Cake rolls, despite what you might think, are incredibly simple to make. PROMISE! We did it, so we know you can, too. You know how we roll… 🙃😉
Jump to Recipe
Let us break it down for you. Bake a cake using a traditional “jelly roll” pan. It is smaller than a baking sheet (actually a quarter of the size). The baking takes less than 20 minutes (what!!??). Then, while hot, simply flip over onto a sugared cloth and roll it up. Then…let it cool. 🧐 Once cool, roll back out, spread a delicious layer of frosting or topping of choice, and roll right back up the way you did it the first time. Then, wrap it up in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for a few hours (or overnight is our jam), and BAM! You just made a cake roll! 🤗
Now, let us finish this intro with even better news. All cake rolls follow the same simple process. Y’all….this means you can make cake rolls in essentially any flavor or combination you can think of! 🤯 We seriously can’t sit still right now thinking about all the amazing possibilities that are in our future when it comes to cake rolls. Perfect timing too…the holidays are upon us and this opens up so many opportunities to bake and gift these babies to all of our family and friends! 😎 Chocolate with chocolate buttercream, chocolate with peanut butter buttercream, vanilla with strawberry filling, chocolate with peppermint…to glaze with ganache, or not to glaze with ganache…? Ummm….brb….gonna go flip a coin on what to try next… 🙌🏻
Today we celebrate our favorite pumpkin cake just in time for Thanksgiving. It is the same cake and frosting recipe we use for our fan favorite Pumpkin Cake Balls. 🤗 Now, you can enjoy our seasonal showstopper in cake roll form. You’re welcome! 👏🏻
Let’s go babes..cakes need to be rolled! 👩🏼🍳
What You Need
For Cake:
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar (to sprinkle your towel)
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 Tbsp pumpkin pie spice
• 3 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 large eggs
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2/3 cup pure pumpkin puree (not filling)
For Cream Cheese Filling:
• 1 – 8 ounce package cream cheese, softened at room temperature
• 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted (115 grams)
• 6 Tbsp butter, softened at room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
Step by Step
1. Preheat your oven to 375°F.
2. Line a 15 x 10-inch traditional jelly roll pan with parchment paper and spray with non-stick cooking spray.
3. Sprinkle a clean tea towel (or hand towel, which we used just fine – just make sure it isn’t too thick) with a generous amount of powdered sugar. Set pan and your prepared towel aside for later.
4. In a medium mixing bowl, combine your flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice and salt.
5. In a larger mixing bowl with an electric mixer or rubber spatula, beat eggs, vanilla and sugar until thick.
6. Add in pumpkin puree and mix to combine.
7. Next, stir in dry mixture.
8. Spread batter evenly into prepared jelly roll pan.
9. Bake for 13 to 15 minutes or until top of cake springs back when touched. This bakes up quickly!
9. Immediately turn cake onto prepared towel lifting it by the parchment paper. Carefully peel off paper. Roll up cake and towel together, starting with narrow end. Let rolled cake cool completely on a wire rack.
10. In another medium mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, powdered sugar, butter and vanilla extract until smooth.
11. Carefully unroll your cake from the towel.
12. Spread cream cheese mixture over cake. Reroll cake the same way you rolled it the first time, but this time without the towel.
13. Wrap rolled cake in plastic wrap tightly and refrigerate for at least two hours (or preferably overnight).
14. When ready to eat…remove from refrigerator, remove plastic wrap, cut and serve!
Note: Cake rolls store beautifully! You can store them in the fridge wrapped for up to 5 days, or freeze them for even longer, up to one month (wrap in plastic wrap covered in foil); when ready to serve remove from freezer and place in fridge Ike day before, or let warm on counter for 2-3 hours before serving.
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Pumpkin Cake Roll
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar to sprinkle your towel
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 Tbsp pumpkin pie spice
- 3 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3 large eggs
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2/3 cup pure pumpkin puree not filling
For Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 1 – 8 ounce package cream cheese softened at room temperature
- 1 cup powdered sugar sifted (115 grams)
- 6 Tbsp butter softened at room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F.
- Line a 15 x 10-inch traditional jelly roll pan with parchment paper and spray with non-stick cooking spray.
- Sprinkle a clean tea towel (or hand towel, which we used just fine – just make sure it isn’t too thick) with a generous amount of powdered sugar. Set pan and your prepared towel aside for later.
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine your flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice and salt.
- In a larger mixing bowl with an electric mixer or rubber spatula, beat eggs, vanilla and sugar until thick.
- Add in pumpkin puree and mix to combine.
- Next, stir in dry mixture.
- Spread batter evenly into prepared jelly roll pan.
- Bake for 13 to 15 minutes or until top of cake springs back when touched. This bakes up quickly!
- Immediately turn cake onto prepared towel lifting it by the parchment paper. Carefully peel off paper. Roll up cake and towel together, starting with narrow end. Let rolled cake cool completely on a wire rack.
- In another medium mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, powdered sugar, butter and vanilla extract until smooth.
- Carefully unroll your cake from the towel.
- Spread cream cheese mixture over cake. Reroll cake the same way you rolled it the first time, but this time without the towel.
- Wrap rolled cake in plastic wrap tightly and refrigerate for at least two hours (or preferably overnight).
- When ready to eat…remove from refrigerator, remove plastic wrap, cut and serve!
