I am up late getting ready to leave for California in the morning. I am still so amazed at how many amazing opportunities have come my way because of this blog. I am going on a harvest tour to see how all of those little pomegranate seeds make that glorious juice. We are going to tour the orchards and tour the facility that the juice is made in. At our house, we love to watch Unwrapped and a factory tour is something that I really have a hard time passing up. Plus, I love California and visit every time I get a chance.
Guess what? Thanksgiving is like 10 days away. I am having a house full of guests and I cannot even begin to tell you how happy and excited I am about it. I have not had a holiday with my family in about 8 years. I am so thrilled that they will all be in my home and around my table to celebrate my most favorite holiday.
If you are still in the planning stages of your holiday meal, you might consider adding this baby to your menu. Pumpkin roll is such a good dessert and I had forgotten how much fun it is to make. I know that it is a weird recipe. It doesn’t seem like it is really going to work and then when you wrap it up in a towel it seems like I have lost my mind. But it does work. This is a recipe that my mom had in her recipe binder, but I have updated the filling a little bit with mascarpone cheese. If you don’t want to use it, just use more cream.
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup pumpkin puree
1 teaspoon lemon juice
3/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
Filling:
1 1/2 cups cream
8-ounce tub mascarpone cheese, room temperature
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla
Put the eggs and sugar in a large bowl.
Beat with an electric mixer until lemon yellow and foamy. The eggs are ready when you lift a spoon out and it falls back into the bowl and looks like ribbons.
Add pumpkin and lemon juice. Fold until combined.
Sift the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt over the bowl. Gently fold the flour in.
Line a 10×15 jelly roll with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray.
Pour the batter into the pan and spread evenly into the corners.
Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 15 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes in the pan. Take a hand towel and generously sprinkle with powdered sugar. This helps the cake not stick to the towel.
Liberally sprinkle the top of the cake with powdered sugar.
Roll the cake up in the towel. I know it sounds weird, but it works. Let cool completely.
Whip the cream with an electric mixer until it forms stiff peaks. In another bowl, beat mascarpone with powdered sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla. Fold together.
Unroll the cake and spread the filling evenly over the cake.
Roll the cake back up. Sprinkle with more powdered sugar. When I am making this ahead of time, I keep it wrapped in the towel until I am ready to serve it.
Slice and be amazed.
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PinIngredients
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup sugar
- 2/3 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 3/4 cup flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Filling:
- 1 1/2 cups cream
- 8-ounce tub mascarpone cheese, room temperature
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
- Put the eggs and sugar in a large bowl. Beat with an electric mixer until lemon yellow and foamy. The eggs are ready when you lift a spoon out and it falls back into the bowl and looks like ribbons.
- Add pumpkin and lemon juice. Fold until combined. Sift the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt over the bowl. Gently fold the flour in.
- Line a 10×15 jelly roll with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray. Pour the batter into the pan and spread evenly into the corners.
- Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 15 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes in the pan. Take a hand towel and generously sprinkle with powdered sugar. This helps the cake not stick to the towel. Liberally sprinkle the top of the cake with powdered sugar. Roll the cake up in the towel. Let cool completely.
- Whip the cream with an electric mixer until it forms stiff peaks. In another bowl, beat mascarpone with powdered sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla. Fold together. Unroll the cake and spread the filling evenly over the cake.
- Roll the cake back up. Sprinkle with more powdered sugar. Slice and serve.
November 12th, 2012 at 6:02 am
This is totally nostalgic for me, as my mom made these every year at Thanksgiving!
November 18th, 2012 at 5:00 pm
You should start making it too!
November 12th, 2012 at 8:22 am
Heck yes! What a fabulous idea!
November 18th, 2012 at 5:00 pm
thank you Katrina! I love making this and I make another one for Christmas in chocolate.
November 12th, 2012 at 9:16 am
Gorgeous! I love love LOVE a slice {or two} with coffee! Have fun in Cali!
November 18th, 2012 at 5:00 pm
Thanks Laurie!
November 12th, 2012 at 1:22 pm
I made my first roll cake over the summer. It was really fun to make, so I keep searching for all these new roll cake ideas and recipes. This pumpkin one sounds really nice, and it could be a nice alternative to pumpkin pie. Man I love Thanksgiving and all the food possibilities!
November 18th, 2012 at 4:59 pm
There is one in the Food Network Magazine that I need to make ASAP. A coconut one.
November 13th, 2012 at 4:37 pm
Every time I see a cake roll like this, I wonder why they make me nervous. This looks flawless! And easy!
November 18th, 2012 at 4:57 pm
It is really easy!!
November 14th, 2012 at 10:37 am
These have been one of my favs since I was little. I love to bake and like someone else mentioned, these made me nervous and looked like alot of work. These holidays…I’m in trouble if I don’t make atleast 10 to serve and pass out as take-home gifts! LOVE THEM!! Thanks for sharing!
November 18th, 2012 at 4:56 pm
I think that these are so much easier to make than pie!
November 15th, 2012 at 8:09 pm
What a perfect looking pumpkin roll! I almost like that it has the imperfect powdered sugar splotches on it…you can tell how much work into it 🙂
November 18th, 2012 at 4:51 pm
Me too! I like my desserts to be a little messy looking.
November 15th, 2012 at 11:59 pm
My family has a pumpkin roll every year with Thanksgiving dinner. It’s fun to see other people’s recipes and yours looks beautiful!
November 18th, 2012 at 4:50 pm
thank you Morgan! Love this recipe.
November 21st, 2012 at 12:25 pm
This sounds wonderful – I’m just curious…why mascarpone cheese as opposed to cream cheese? I trust your judgement, I’m sure it’s fabulous!
December 2nd, 2012 at 6:09 pm
This recipe is wonderful! I had a problem with my falling apart when I wrapped it in the towel. It started breaking where it turned in the roll. Any suggestions on how to keep it from doing that? I made it twice and it happened both times. I put a ton of powder sugar on it. Thanks!
December 2nd, 2012 at 8:53 pm
Is your pan the right size? I’d check that first. It will possibly crack a little, but I have never had it break on me.
December 3rd, 2012 at 5:55 pm
It is a 13 X 9. I guess that might be it. I think I may have not let it cook long enough. Maybe a little longer in the ove will help.
December 3rd, 2012 at 5:56 pm
I put it in for the 15 minutes but it might need like 18 minutes.
December 3rd, 2012 at 6:00 pm
That is the problem, it needs to be baked in a jelly roll pan. It is too thick to roll.
December 5th, 2012 at 8:48 pm
Put the right size jelly roll pan on my Christmas list. 🙂
December 2nd, 2012 at 11:56 pm
Made this tonight because I saw your recipe on pinterest. It was delicious! Mine did not look pretty at all but it’s my first roll ever. thanks for the recipe and the pictures, it made it very easy to follow!
December 3rd, 2012 at 7:39 am
I am so glad that you liked it! It isn’t supposed to look perfect, it looks homemade, and that is gorgeous too.
January 15th, 2013 at 1:39 am
I have been going through your recipes and am a little confused about some of the measurements. I am from India and we generally follow degree celsius for the oven settings as opposed to degree fareheight. In your recipes, I am unable to make out what degree to use – pls clarify.
Also for the flour – what type? Butter is unsalted or salted or are they interchangeable.
Cant wait to try out some of these and will def take pics and upload with a feedback to you.
cheers
Shalini
January 15th, 2013 at 7:58 am
Fahrenheit. All measurements are American. All-purpose flour unless stated and I prefer unsalted butter, but it is a preference.
May 8th, 2013 at 4:23 pm
I have some pumpkin puree in the pantry that has been calling my name for some time now, so I pulled it out last night and made this, and it was oh so delicious. Easier than most might think, and I was pleasantly surprised by how light tasting it was, the filling was fluffy and creamy and the cake was light and moist. Mascarpone was an arm and a leg at the store, so I substituted with 8oz cream cheese and increased my sugar to 1c, and it was divine!
Thanks for sharing!
May 23rd, 2013 at 9:43 pm
I am so glad!
November 25th, 2013 at 11:12 pm
Would like to make 2 days in advance. Whadya think? Too many days ahead, or just as good as one day? Thanks!
November 26th, 2013 at 10:30 am
Hi Bakedbree,
I wanted to make this TODAY, 2 days b4 TG. Will that work, if kept in fridge? If not, 1 day ahead? Thanks!
Linda
November 26th, 2013 at 10:32 am
Please let me know if you cannot see my previous reply about the pumpkin roll.
Thx.
December 1st, 2013 at 8:22 pm
Hi Linda,
I do not check comments every single day. Please use your best judgement or send me a direct email.
Bree
November 27th, 2013 at 12:58 pm
I made this last Thanksgiving in place of the usual pumpkin pie (I love pumpkin but don’t love the soggy pie crust). It’s easier to make than it looks, as are most cake rolls, and once you slice the ends to even the cake it looks beautiful. It was a HUGE hit and was requested by the extended family for our Hanukkah celebration the following month. I’m making it for tomorrow’s Thanksgivukkah and everyone is looking forward to enjoying it again!
December 1st, 2013 at 8:19 pm
I love this pumpkin roll too. I have not made one yet this year, I should.