How To Make Cream Cheese Pumkin Roll

People usually only think about pumpkin in the fall, but it’s available in cans year-round and makes for an interesting change of pace. This jelly roll-style recipe with cream cheese filling goes great for brunch.

Ingredients

½ cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
4 eggs, separated
½ teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup sugar
½ cup sugar
½ cup pumpkin pie filling (see note below)
powdered sugar (for dusting)

Filling

6 ounces cream cheese
½ cup (1 stick) softened butter
2 teaspoons vanilla
4½ cups powdered sugar

Directions

This one’s going to take three good size bowls, and you’re going to have to wash your mixer in between a couple of the steps. While you’re getting that together, pre-heat the oven to 375°

In the first bowl, combine the flour and baking powder and mix together.

Don’t use an electric mixer unless you want to be cleaning flour up from behind your stove for the next two weeks. Just sayin’.

In a separate bowl, combine the egg yolks and vanilla and beat on high speed until it’s thick and creamy, then gradually add the 1/3 cup of sugar beating constantly until it’s all in.

In the third bowl, beat the egg whites on medium until soft peaks form.

Gradually add the ½ cup of sugar and keep beating until stiff peaks form.

(Click on those images to see them larger and compare the difference.)

Now combine the two batters and fold together gently, so you don’t deflate the eggs.

Sprinkle the flower over and fold it in …

… then finally add the pumpkin pie filling and fold that in.

NOTE: Around Thanksgiving you can find pre-made pumpkin pie filling. You could use that, but it’s got a bunch of fillers. Get plain canned pumpkin and add 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice.

Pour the batter into a greased and floured baking sheet. (Click the link to see how to flour a pan.)

Cristina asked down in the comments what size pan that is. I assumed people would know from the pictures, I forget that not everybody has half sheet pans. Click that link to see them on Amazon.

Bake for 12-15 minutes until it springs back when you press lightly in the middle.

Run a sharp knife around the edges to make sure it releases, then flip it over onto a clean towel dusted with powdered sugar.

Yes, it will make a bit of a mess. Sorry.

While the cake is still warm, starting from one of the short sides, roll the cake and towel up together.

Set it aside to cool.

Filling

While the cake is cooling, beat together the butter, cream cheese, vanilla, and 2 cups of the powdered sugar.

Scrape down the sides and gradually beat in more sugar until it’s spreadable but not runny.

Unroll the cake, spread on the frosting, then roll it up again.

Don’t roll the towel up in it this time.

Wrap the roll in plastic wrap and foil (the foil to hold the shape, the plastic to keep it from sticking to the foil) and refrigerate for at least an hour so the filling firms up.

Slice about as thick as your finger and serve.

And that’s it.