This classic pumpkin roll recipe is made lighter than traditional recipes with a delicious pumpkin spiced sponge cake and a light cream cheese filling.
Pumpkin Roll
If your like me and love pumpkin, you’ll probably also love these pumpkin recipes for Pumpkin Pie, Pumpkin No-Bake Cheesecake, and Pumpkin Pecan Banana Bread.
One day I had some extra cream cheese frosting laying around my kitchen. I also had some fat free Greek yogurt in my refrigerator and my wheels started turning; what would happened if I mixed the two? Well, all I can say is it was fabulous! I let a few others taste it to see what they thought, and they all agreed. So when I had all these requests to make over a pumpkin roll, I knew this would be my filling! I added some crushed walnuts to the filling and it was delicious! You can, of course make it without the nuts if you wish.
Pumpkin Roll Ingredients:
To make this lighter pumpkin roll recipe, you will need these ingredients:
- To make the base of the cake: Flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, eggs, vanilla, granulated sugar
- Pumpkin pie spice: pumpkin pie spiced, all spice and ground cinnamon are used to season the cake
- Canned pumpkin: To make this easy, using store-bought canned pumpkin puree is perfectly fine. But you can also make your pumpkin puree from scratch, if you wish.
- For the cream cheese filling: Light cream cheese, Greek yogurt, powdered sugar, walnuts (optional) and vanilla
Freezing Pumpkin Roll:
Pumpkin rolls are actually best when made a day ahead and keep refrigerated. This makes them the perfect dessert to make ahead for the holidays. To refrigerate your pumpkin roll, wrap it up tight in plastic wrap without the powdered sugar. Refrigerate for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. If freezing, let it thaw in the refrigerator 24 hours before serving.
Helpful Tips
Can you use egg whites? I’m not sure, this has no butter or oil so I think the fat in the yolks is essential. Can you use Splenda or sugar replacement? I’m sure you can, but I have not tested it, if anyone makes it with good results, please comment below.
More Pumpkin Recipes
Pumpkin Roll, Lightened Up
Prep Time: 20 mins
Cook Time: 15 mins
Chill Time: 1 hr
Total Time: 1 hr 35 mins
This classic pumpkin roll recipe is made lighter than traditional recipes with a delicious pumpkin spiced sponge cake and a light cream cheese filling.
For the cake:
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1/4 tsp ground allspice
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 3 large eggs
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2/3 cup canned pumpkin
- non-stick spray, I used Smart Balance
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar, to sprinkle on towel
For the filling:
- 6 oz light cream cheese, at room temperature (NOT fat free)
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar
- 6 oz fat free Fage Greek Yogurt
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts, optional
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- powdered sugar, optional for topping
Pumpkin Roll:
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Preheat oven to 375°F and place oven rack in the center of the oven. Spray a 15 x 10 inch baking pan with non-stick spray, line it with parchment paper, then spray a little more non-stick spray and lightly flour the parchment paper.
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Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, allspice, and salt into a large bowl.
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Beat the eggs and sugar together in your electric mixer or hand mixer. Beat on high speed for five minutes, or until thick, pale yellow, and fluffy. (When you slowly raise the beaters the batter will fall back into the bowl in slow ribbons.)
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Beat in the vanilla extract and pumpkin puree.
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Using a spatula, gently fold in the sifted flour mixture. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, evenly spreading the cake batter with a spatula or knife.
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Bake about 13 – 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the cake, when lightly pressed, springs back.
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Sprinkle a clean dish towel with confectioners’ sugar.
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Immediately upon removing the cake from the oven invert the pumpkin roll onto the clean dish towel. Carefully remove the parchment paper from the bottom of the cake and sprinkle lightly with confectioners sugar; roll the pumpkin roll up with the towel, while it is still hot and pliable. Place on a wire rack to cool.
Filling:
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Beat the cream cheese, yogurt, and vanilla extract until light and fluffy. Add the sugar and beat until smooth; fold in the walnuts.
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Refrigerate at least one hour.
To Assemble:
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Unroll the pumpkin roll, spread with the filling, and re-roll. Transfer to your serving platter; cover and chill in the refrigerator for a few hours or overnight. (You can serve this cake immediately but chilling it overnight sets the filling and makes it easier to slice.)
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Just before serving, lightly dust with powdered sugar.
Serving: 3/4″ slice, Calories: 198kcal, Carbohydrates: 42.5g, Protein: 5g, Fat: 7g, Saturated Fat: 0.5g, Cholesterol: 42mg, Sodium: 134mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 21g
Freestyle Points: 8
Points +: 5