I have been making this pumpkin roll recipe for over 10 years now!  I got the recipe when I was a sophomore in college and sometimes it’s strange to think that it has already been over a decade since I was a student! I love this dessert; soft pumpkin cake filled with a smooth and luscious cream cheese filling. My family loves it too, and always requests it this time of year.

I remember when I very first tasted (and saw) a pumpkin roll. I was attending Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah and I lived in Stonebridge apartments right across from campus. I had some of the best times there and made so many fun memories; from waking up to a Christmas tree tied to our door so we couldn’t open it, to “family home evenings” up Provo Canyon, and climbing on our apartment roof to throw pumpkins off.  My neighbor that lived downstairs made this for an activity one fall day.  First of all, I had no idea how she made such a pretty dessert and secondly, after I tried it I knew I wanted the recipe! I thought that surely a pumpkin roll would be hard to make, but honestly they are pretty fast and if you are careful and gentle with the rolling part they aren’t very hard either. My family even prefers to have a pumpkin roll over pumpkin bars or bread (even though I love all those baked goods).

Pumpkin Roll

3 eggs
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup pureed pumpkin
1 tsp lemon juice
3/4 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt

Preheat the oven to 350. In a large mixing bowl, beat the sugar and eggs together until well combined. Add the pumpkin and lemon juice and mix well.  Add the rest of the ingredients on top of the wet mixture and then stir until just combined. Do not over mix. Cover a large half sheet pan (jelly roll pan) with parchment paper, making sure to leave some overhang on the sides for later. Spread the mixture with a spatula to all the corners and edges. Bake for 15-17 minutes until the cake is slightly golden and springs back with lightly touched. Remove from oven. Carefully pick up the parchment paper and roll and place on countertop. Starting at one end carefully roll the pumpkin roll and paper together. Set seam side down and allow to cool completely.

Cream Cheese Filling

8 ounces cream cheese, softened
4 tablespoons butter, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla

Beat the softened cream cheese in a stand mixer until light and fluffy, 4-5 minutes. Add the butter, powdered sugar and vanilla and beat until well combined.

Carefully unroll the pumpkin roll and parchment paper. The end will be slightly bent and rounded, do not press down. You want it to keep that shape. Gently spread the cream cheese filling mixture across the entire roll, leaving about an inch border around the sides with no frosting. After the cream cheese filling is spread, carefully start at one end of the roll and roll up the pumpkin roll but this time peeling away the parchment paper as you roll. Wrap the roll seam side down in saran wrap and refridgerate. Before serving dust with powdered sugar. Enjoy!