EASY PUMPKIN BREAD RECIPE

This recipe for pumpkin roll produces a tender and moist cake that’s stuffed with a luscious filling. If you’re a dessert lover, it’s a must-make recipe for your pumpkin desserts repertoire.

WHY THIS SWEET RECIPE WORKS

• This pumpkin roll is incredibly easy to make, requiring less than 30 minutes of your time.
• Bisquick makes it easy to make this cake, and you don’t need to measure out the flour, baking powder and salt. It also gives the cake the perfect texture to make rolling easy (no cracks!).
• It may seem like the recipe calls for a lot of pumpkin, but it’s important for the perfect texture. Two-thirds cup gives the cake plenty of flavor and moisture, but isn’t so moist that it won’t set up properly.
• Cream cheese frosting adds a tangy contrast to the spiced pumpkin. It’s a filling that pairs well with pumpkin desserts and isn’t too cloying.

WHAT TO KNOW BEFORE YOU START

• If you’ve never made a roll cake before, you’ll be shocked how easy this one is. Follow the instructions and prep as described below, and you’ll be rewarded with a gorgeous, bakery-worthy dessert that looks like you spent all day in the kitchen. Trust me because it doesn’t take all day, or much effort either.
• It’s important to prepare the powdered-sugar-dusted kitchen towel before you pop the cake into the oven so you’re ready to transfer the cake as soon as it comes out. Follow the directions since it’s important you get it right for success.
• It’s also important to roll the cake up as soon as it comes out of the oven (while it’s hot). That way it stays in shape and won’t crack when you unroll it to add the cream cheese frosting.
• Make sure you’re using a jelly roll pan. It’s important to have a 10×15 surface for the batter, so it’s the right thickness to roll up. If you don’t have a jelly roll pan, a rimmed baking sheet that’s approximately the same size will work well.
• Once you slice up the pumpkin roll and admire those beautiful spirals, you’ll be so glad you made it. It’s a stunning cake that will surely impress your family and friends.

This easy-to-make pumpkin roll tastes wonderful and looks stunning. It’s a show-stopping dessert.

PUMPKIN CAKE

• 1 cup sugar
• 3 eggs
• 2/3 cup canned plain pumpkin puree
• 3/4 cup Bisquick
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• finely chopped pecans, to sprinkle over cake

CREAM CHEESE FILLING

• 8 oz cream cheese, softened, use full-fat
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup powdered sugar to sprinkle over clean kitchen towel

HOW TO MAKE PUMPKIN ROLL

STEP 1: PREP EVERYTHING

Spread out on the counter, 30 to 45 minutes ahead of time, the cream cheese and butter to soften. When ready to make filling, they should press easily.

Beating cold cream cheese leads to lumps that won’t come out no matter how long you beat it. Set aside.

Line a 10 x 15 inch jelly roll pan with a sheet of wax paper and grease. Have nearby a clean kitchen towel sprinkled with the 1 cup of sifted powdered sugar.

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

STEP 2: BEAT EGGS AND SUGAR

Using a hand or stand mixer on medium, beat eggs and sugar for FIVE MINUTES, not five seconds, not four minutes, five. This will make them fluffy and increase their volume.

This step builds the structure that allows the cake to be rolled without cracking, so don’t skimp.

STEP 3: ADD PUMPKIN AND DRY INGREDIENTS

Stir in canned pumpkin. Mix together Bisquick, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice and add to egg mixture.

Batter will be thinner than you’d expect.

STEP 4: BAKE

Drop batter into prepared pan; spread batter into corners. Sprinkle pecans, if using, over the batter and bake for 15 minutes at 375 degrees.

Cake will be done when it appears set on top, the edges have begun to pull away from pan, and the middle springs back when touched.

STEP 5: THE HOT ROLL

Remove the cake from the oven and place on towel, removing the wax paper by lifting up one edge of the paper and laying it over the edge of the cake and continuing to work around the pan. As soon as the wax paper is removed, roll up the cake by starting on the short end of the cake and rolling cake and towel up into a log.

Set aside seam-side down on a wire rack to cool completely, about an hour.

Leave to cool at least an hour before filling with cream cheese filling and unrolling. Adding cream cheese filling to a still-warm pumpkin roll will make a mess.

Refrigerate before serving.

STEP 6: MAKE THE FILLING

Beat together cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add one cup powdered sugar and beat until creamy, then add vanilla and mix well.

Filling will be sweet, but still retain the tang of the cream cheese. You may add a bit more powdered sugar, adding by the tablespoon, if you prefer.

Set aside.

STEP 7: FILL, ROLL, AND CHILL

Once cake is cool, unroll on powdered-sugared towel. Fill with cream cheese filling, smoothing it out, leaving about half an inch from the edges.

Roll up without the towel. Place seam-side down on a serving plate and refrigerate for at least two hours before slicing.

Just before serving, sprinkle with additional powdered sugar.

HELPFUL TIPS

WHY DID MY CAKE CRACK?

Rolling a cake is easiest if the cake is warm and still pliable. By training it to lay in a rolled position while still warm, it is less likely to crack.

Don’t panic if you have a couple of little cracks, as the filling will cover them and they will be virtually unnoticeable when you slice it up and serve it. You will have about two minutes from removing the pumpkin roll from the oven until you have rolled it up with the towel – try to plan ahead so that everything is ready to go for this step.

THE WAX PAPER STUCK

Be sure to grease your wax paper really well. If it does stick, lay the pan on its side and hold the wax paper against the side of the pan.

Take a thin, flexible spatula or knife and working parallel to the cake, scrape underneath the paper. This will loosen it from the cake without tearing.

LUMPY FILLING

If you are having trouble getting your cream cheese filling smooth and creamy, your cream cheese probably wasn’t room temperature enough. Place your bowl over a bowl of warm water and continue beating until smooth.

A SIFTER MAKES THIS EASIER

If you have one, a sifter makes sprinkling powdered sugar easier and neater.

VARIATIONS

NO BISQUICK: Substitute following mixture for the Bisquick: a little under 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, 1 tsp. baking powder, pinch of salt.

MORE SPICE: Add extra spice for an even more heavily-spiced roll.

For a stronger flavored cake, add 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger and a small pinch of ground cloves to the batter.

MAPLE CREAM CHEESE FILLING

For a maple cream cheese filling, use 1 teaspoon pure maple syrup (not pancake syrup) instead of vanilla in the filling and reduce the amount of powdered sugar by 2 tablespoons. Pumpkin spice and maple are a winning combination.

STORAGE AND MAKE-AHEAD

Pumpkin roll keeps in the refrigerator, wrapped well with plastic wrap (or in an airtight container) for up to 5 days. The powdered sugar will absorb into the cake so add more before serving.

To freeze, wrap the pumpkin roll well with plastic wrap and aluminum foil and freeze up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

CAN I USE FRESH PUMPKIN INSTEAD OF CANNED?

You can but I wouldn’t recommend it. Freshly roasted and pureed pumpkin is much higher in water content than canned.

Before measuring, drain the pureed fresh pumpkin for about 30 minutes by wrapping in cheesecloth and squeezing well, or by placing in a fine mesh strainer and pressing well. For more consistent results, I’d stick with canned.

MY ROLL CRACKED WHEN I UNROLLED IT TO FILL, NOW WHAT?

If the cracks are minimal, don’t worry about it. You can hide them after you fill and re-roll the log and they won’t really be noticeable once cut into slices.

If your cake rolled less than perfectly, try pressing the crack or seam closed and refrigerate seam/crack side down before filling and rolling.

CAN I MAKE THIS WITHOUT A JELLY ROLL PAN?

You can make this recipe in an 18 x 13-inch half sheet pan. The cake will be thinner and cook faster.

Start checking for doneness at about 12 minutes. A 9 x 13-inch pan would make the cake too thick and it would crack as you tried to roll it.

IS THIS THE SAME AS PUMPKIN ROLL?

Yes. Pumpkin roll, pumpkin bread roll, and pumpkin cake roll are all the same thing, a sheet of spiced pumpkin cake baked flat then rolled with a cream cheese filling.

Pumpkin roll is not pumpkin quick bread (aka “pumpkin bread”) which is a loaf of spiced pumpkin quick bread.

HOW FAR AHEAD CAN I MAKE THIS?

This is a great make ahead pumpkin dessert. The cake can be baked, rolled in the towel, and refrigerated overnight then unrolled and filled the next day.

Once filled and rolled, pumpkin roll keeps well in the refrigerator up to 3 days. It actually tastes better after chilling for a day as all of the flavors meld together.

MORE PUMPKIN RECIPES

Still craving cream cheese frosting and pumpkin? Try these bars – they are easier to serve.

• Grandma’s Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting