Moist Pumpkin Cake Roll

Years ago a close friend at work brought this in and I demanded the recipe. I memorized the recipe because I made it so much... then after a while of not making it, I forgot it a little and had to alter it. Now it's even more moist and delicious, as if it needed to be. This cake can be frozen for later use or stored in the fridge.

• Preparation Time: 30 mins
• Cooking Time: 15 mins
• Total Time: 45 mins
• Calories: 391 Calories

Ingredients

• ½ cup white sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 4 large eggs
• ⅓ cup white sugar
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
• 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• ¾ cup pumpkin puree
• 2 tablespoons sifted powdered sugar, or more as needed
• 2 cups powdered sugar, or more as needed

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line a 15x10x1-inch jelly roll pan with parchment paper, then grease it.

Step 2

Separate egg yolks and whites into 2 separate mixing bowls. Stir flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, and cinnamon together in a small bowl.

Step 3

Add pumpkin, vanilla, and lemon juice to the egg yolks; beat on high speed with an electric mixer until thick. Add 1/3 cup sugar and beat on high until dissolved.

Step 4

Beat egg whites until foamy. Gradually add 1/2 cup sugar, continuing to beat until stiff peaks form. Fold into the egg yolk mixture. Fold in flour just until combined. Spread batter evenly into the prepared pan.

Step 5

Bake in the preheated oven until cake springs back when lightly touched, 12 to 15 minutes.

Step 6

While the cake is baking, lay a kitchen towel on a nice, flat surface. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Step 7

Remove the cake from the oven and loosen the edges from the pan with a toothpick. Flip the cake onto the towel and pull off the parchment paper. Starting at the short end, roll the cake up with the towel into a spiral. Let sit until mostly cool but still a little warm, about 20 minutes.

Step 8

While the cake is cooling, beat cream cheese, butter, and vanilla with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Gradually add 2 cups powdered sugar; beat well, adding more sugar if necessary, until frosting is a good spreading consistency.

Step 9

Unroll the still warm cake in the towel. Spread the frosting over the cake, starting in the middle and working outwards to about 1 inch from the edges. Re-roll the cake without the towel and place on a serving plate. Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving.