Would you care for a slice of delicious spiced pumpkin cake wrapped with a mouthwatering citrus cream cheese frosting, then dusted with powdered sugar? Pumpkin Rolls are such a great holiday dessert, and there is no reason to not enjoy this if you eat gluten free. This is the REAL DEAL. Don't let this pumpkin roll intimidate you! You can easily make one by following some simple, but important steps. It's definitely a showstopper dessert that is as beautiful as it is yummy.
Pumpkin Roll
Serves 12
Cake:
3 large eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup pumpkin puree
3/4 cup gluten free flour blend (a cup for cup or 1:1 blend is best)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon soda
1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
Frosting:
2 (8 oz.) blocks cream cheese, softened
6 tablespoons butter, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon grated orange rind
Powdered sugar for dusting
Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a 15x10-inch baking sheet with parchment. Spray parchment with nonstick spray. Sprinkle a tea towel with powdered sugar. In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs and sugar together. Beat in the pumpkin puree. Add the remaining dry ingredients and beat until combined. Spread evenly into prepared pan, using a spatula. Bake for 13-15 minutes of until the top of the cake springs back when touched. Immediately, but carefully, lift with parchment paper out of pan and turn cake face down onto prepared towel. Carefully peel off the parchment paper. Roll up cake and towel together, starting with narrow end. Cool completely on wire rack.
For the frosting, whip softened cream cheese and butter together. Add the powdered sugar and beat until smooth and creamy. Add the vanilla and orange rind and mix until incorporated. Carefully unroll cooled cake. Spread with the frosting, covering the entire cake. Re-roll the cake without the towel and move to a large piece of plastic wrap. Wrap tightly and refrigerate or freeze. Before serving, sprinkle with powdered sugar.
Step-by-step tutorial:
Gather the ingredients for the cake. You will need 3 eggs, sugar, pumpkin puree, gluten free 1:1 flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and cloves.
Preheat oven to 375°F. Prepare your baking sheet by lining with parchment, then spraying the parchment with nonstick spray. In a large mixing bowl, beat together 3 eggs and 1 cup sugar. Add 3/4 cup pumpkin puree and beat. Add the dry ingredients and mix until smooth.
Pour the cake batter onto prepared pan and spread with a spatula. Bake for 13-15 minutes or until top springs back when touched. While it's baking, prepare a tea towel by laying out and dusting with about 1/4 cup powdered sugar.
Once you remove the cake from the oven, carefully lift the parchment with the cake, and turn the cake out onto the tea towel covered in powdered sugar. Immediately roll the cake and the towel up together tightly. Let cool completely on a wire rack.
Once the cake is mostly cooled, prepare your frosting. You will need 2 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese (I accidentally bought light, but it actually worked fine, so you can do either), 6 tablespoons softened butter, 2 cups powdered sugar, vanilla, and a fresh orange to grate the rind from.
In a medium mixing bowl, whip cream cheese and butter together until smooth and fluffy. Add the powdered sugar and beat to combine. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla and about a teaspoon of grated rind from an orange.
Carefully unroll the cooled cake on top of the tea towel. Mine actually ripped a little in the middle this time because I was too anxious and didn't let it cool completely, but you just frost over any cracks, and they get rolled up into the middle of the cake! Spread the frosting (all of it!) over the cake and smooth with a spatula. Reroll the cake without the towel.
Place the cake on some plastic wrap and wrap up tight. You can refrigerate or freeze. Refrigerate for at least a few hours before cutting, but overnight is better.
The very ends of the roll are not pretty, so I just use an electric knife and cut them off (and EAT THEM!) Then you can serve on a platter and slice as needed. To make the nicest looking slices, I use an electric knife. Dust with more powdered sugar.
You will be so excited when you slice into the roll and see this beautiful outcome!
It's a special dessert that does take a little extra effort, but is very doable....and you'll never know it's gluten free.
A slice of pumpkin roll is the perfect ending to a Thanksgiving feast. You can serve it alongside pies. Or just have it another evening with some hot chocolate or wassail.
The cake is perfectly moist, and will not fall apart! The little hint of orange in the cream cheese frosting is so amazing.
If you've ever wanted to try to make a cake roll, now is a good time to try! You can do this! Let me know if you do, and enjoy impressing your friends and family. Happy holidays!
Recipe Source: Recipe adapted from a recipe by Chef Dennis