Decadent Pumpkin Roll with Bourbon Caramel Swirl

Can this pumpkin cake roll be frozen for later?

Absolutely! This pumpkin roll cake is an excellent make-ahead dessert for busy holiday seasons. Once you’ve added the rich bourbon caramel frosting and carefully rolled the cake, simply wrap it tightly in plastic wrap. You can then freeze it for several weeks. When you’re ready to serve, transfer the frozen cake roll to the refrigerator the night before to allow ample time for thawing. Dust with confectioner’s sugar and drizzle with the bourbon caramel sauce just before serving for the freshest taste and best presentation.

Can I use regular frosting instead of bourbon caramel?

Of course! While our bourbon caramel frosting adds a unique depth of flavor that complements the pumpkin beautifully, this recipe is quite versatile. You can certainly substitute it with your favorite frosting. Whether you prefer a classic homemade buttercream frosting, a tangy cream cheese frosting, or even a convenient canned frosting in any flavor you desire, the pumpkin cake base will still be utterly delicious. Feel free to customize it to your taste!

Essential Ingredients for Your Pumpkin Roll Cake with Bourbon Caramel Sauce

To embark on this delightful baking journey, gather these key components:

For the Cake:

• Eggs: Provide structure and richness to the cake.
• Granulated Sugar: Sweetens the pumpkin base.
• Canned Pumpkin Puree: Crucial for authentic pumpkin flavor and moisture (ensure it’s not pie filling!).
• Vanilla Extract: Enhances all the flavors.
• All-Purpose Flour: Forms the primary structure.
• Pumpkin Pie Spice: The quintessential blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves for that classic fall taste.
• Baking Soda & Baking Powder: Leavening agents for a light and airy texture.
• Salt: Balances the sweetness and amplifies flavors.
• Confectioner’s Sugar: For dusting the cake before rolling, preventing sticking and adding a touch of sweetness.

For the Bourbon Caramel Filling:

• Cream Cheese: Softened, provides the signature tang and creamy texture.
• Unsalted Butter: Softened, for richness and smooth consistency.
• Caramel Sauce: The foundation of our caramel flavor.
• Confectioner’s Sugar: For sweetness and thickening the frosting.
• Bourbon: The star ingredient for a rich, smoky depth. Alternatively, you can use vanilla extract, bourbon extract, or rum extract for a non-alcoholic option.

For the Bourbon Caramel Drizzle:

• Caramel Sauce: The base for our decadent topping.
• Bourbon or Bourbon Extract: To infuse that signature warmth into the drizzle.

Your Go-To Pumpkin Roll Cake Recipe

This recipe combines a moist, flavorful pumpkin cake with a rich, boozy caramel cream cheese frosting, and a delightful caramel drizzle. It’s designed to be straightforward yet yield a spectacular dessert that will impress everyone. Follow the instructions carefully for a perfect roll every time.

Can this Pumpkin Roll Cake be made without bourbon?

Absolutely, yes! We understand that not everyone prefers alcohol in their desserts, or may not have bourbon readily available. You can easily omit the bourbon from both the frosting and the caramel sauce. If you still desire that rich, warm flavor profile without the alcohol, a bourbon extract is an excellent substitute, providing the essence of bourbon. Alternatively, feel free to experiment with a completely different flavor extract of your liking, such as rum extract for a Caribbean twist or simply more vanilla extract for a classic sweetness. Regardless of your choice, the cake will remain incredibly delicious and satisfying.

Can I use a sugar substitute in this pumpkin roll cake?

I haven’t personally experimented with sugar substitutes in this particular pumpkin roll cake recipe, so I cannot definitively say how it would turn out in terms of texture and flavor. Baking with sugar substitutes can sometimes alter the cake’s structure and moisture content. If you’d like to try it, I would suggest opting for a product that explicitly states it’s a 1:1 sugar replacement for baking, as these are designed to mimic the properties of granulated sugar more closely. Please let me know if you decide to try this and how your cake turns out!

Should I use salted or unsalted butter for the filling?

The choice between salted and unsalted butter often comes down to personal preference. If you enjoy a subtle hint of salt to balance and cut through the sweetness of the frosting, then salted butter is an excellent choice. I typically use whatever type of butter I have on hand, and more often than not, it’s salted butter. I personally love that touch of extra salt, as it beautifully complements the rich, sweet flavors of the pumpkin and caramel in this recipe. Given current grocery availability, I usually grab whatever is available and make it work perfectly!

What is the best way to store leftover pumpkin cake roll?

To keep your leftover pumpkin cake roll fresh and moist, place it in an airtight container or wrap it tightly with plastic wrap. It’s essential to keep it refrigerated, as the cream cheese frosting requires cold storage. When stored properly in the refrigerator, this pumpkin roll cake should maintain its quality and flavor for up to 5 days. For optimal enjoyment, let it come to room temperature for a few minutes before serving.

Why do I need pumpkin puree instead of pie filling for this recipe?

This is a crucial distinction in many pumpkin recipes, and paying close attention to whether a recipe calls for pumpkin puree or pumpkin pie filling can make all the difference in the final outcome. For this pumpkin roll cake, we specifically require **pumpkin puree**. Pumpkin puree is simply cooked and pureed pumpkin, offering a pure, unadulterated pumpkin flavor and consistency. On the other hand, pumpkin pie filling is a pre-mixed product that contains pumpkin puree combined with various sweeteners and spices, such as cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. These two ingredients are generally not interchangeable in recipes because the added sugars and spices in pie filling would significantly alter the sweetness, flavor balance, and potentially the consistency of your cake. Always double-check your can to ensure you have pure pumpkin puree for the best results in this recipe.

Recommended Tools for Making Your Pumpkin Roll Cake

This pumpkin cake roll recipe is incredibly easy and yields delicious results. If you’re an avid baker during this time of year, you likely have many of these items already on hand. However, if you’re new to making roll cakes and feeling a bit nervous, rest assured – you’re going to love the process and the outcome! To ensure your success and make the baking experience as smooth as possible, I’ve compiled a list of the essential tools I rely on for this particular cake recipe:

CONNECT WITH YUMMI HAUS!

Be sure to follow me on my social media, so you never miss a post!

Substack, Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, Email Subscription

Prep Time: 10 mins

Cook Time: 15 mins

Chill Time: 1 hr 15 mins

Total Time: 1 hr 40 mins

Ingredients

Cake:

• 3 eggs
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• ⅔ cup pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ¾ cup all-purpose flour
• 1½ tsp pumpkin pie spice
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp salt
• ½ cup confectioner’s sugar (for dusting before rolling)

Filling:

• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 6 tbsp butter, softened
• ¼ cup caramel sauce
• 2-3 cups confectioner’s sugar
• 1-2 tsp bourbon (or vanilla, bourbon extract, or rum extract)

Bourbon Caramel Sauce (for drizzle):

• ¼ cup caramel sauce
• 1 tsp bourbon or bourbon extract

Instructions

Cake:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 C) and prepare a 9×13 inch cake pan by lightly spraying with non-stick spray. Add a layer of parchment paper to cover the bottom of the pan, extending slightly over the edges for easy lifting. Grease the entire pan with vegetable shortening and dust with flour. (This thorough preparation is key to a cake that won’t stick and rolls easily!)
2. Prepare the cake batter by adding the eggs and granulated sugar into a large mixing bowl. Mix on high speed for 1-2 minutes or until the mixture is light, pale, and fluffy.
3. Add the pumpkin puree and vanilla extract to the egg mixture and mix until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add these dry ingredients to the wet pumpkin mixture, mixing until just combined. Again, avoid overmixing.
5. Pour the batter into the prepared baking sheet and use an offset spatula to smooth it out and level it as best as you can to ensure even baking.
6. Bake for 13-15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. (Mine typically takes exactly 13 minutes.)
7. Immediately after removing the cake from the oven, CAREFULLY run a butter knife or thin spatula around the edge of the cake to loosen it. Then, using the parchment paper, gently lift the cake out of the pan and place it on a clean tea towel.
8. Generously dust the entire surface of the warm cake with confectioner’s sugar. Starting from one of the shorter ends, tightly roll the cake with the parchment paper still attached.
9. Once rolled, wrap the entire rolled cake (still in the tea towel) and place it in the refrigerator until completely cool, about 1 hour.

Filling:

1. Meanwhile, prepare the frosting. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, add the softened cream cheese and softened butter. Cream together for 2-3 minutes, or until the mixture is completely smooth and airy.
2. Add the caramel sauce to the creamed mixture and mix until just combined. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure all ingredients are incorporated.
3. Gradually add the confectioner’s sugar, one cup at a time, mixing well after each addition until the frosting is thick and smooth.
4. Finally, add the bourbon or your chosen extract (vanilla, bourbon extract, or rum extract) and mix thoroughly until evenly distributed.
5. Cover the frosting with plastic wrap and let it set in the fridge for 20-30 minutes. It should be ready around the same time your cake is fully chilled.

Assembly:

1. Once the cake is nicely chilled, remove it from the refrigerator and carefully unroll it onto a clean surface.
2. Generously layer the prepared bourbon caramel filling evenly over the entire inside surface of the cake, spreading it smoothly with an offset spatula.
3. Working from the small end, carefully roll the cake back up as tightly as you can, gently peeling off the parchment paper as you roll. The parchment paper should come off easily; if it snags, use a butter knife or spatula to carefully assist in detaching the cake.
4. Once the cake is fully rolled, wrap it securely in the tea towel again and place it back in the refrigerator for an additional 30 minutes to 1 hour. (This extra chilling step is not strictly necessary but makes the cake much easier to slice neatly.)
5. Remove the finished pumpkin roll cake from the refrigerator, lightly dust with powdered sugar, and serve immediately with an extra drizzle of the bourbon caramel sauce.

Bourbon Caramel Sauce (for garnish):

1. In a small bowl, combine the caramel sauce and the bourbon (or bourbon extract). Whisk well until thoroughly combined and smooth. This sauce is perfect for drizzling over individual slices of cake before serving.

Nutritional information for the recipe is provided as a courtesy and is approximate. Please double-check with your own dietary calculator for the best accuracy. We at Yummi Haus cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information given for any recipe on this site.

Love this recipe?

Follow @KleinworthCo for even more tasty recipes!