Food Recipes Desserts Cake Cardamom Pumpkin Roll with Brown Butter Mascarpone Filling 5.0 (4) 4 Reviews This is the ultimate fall make-ahead dessert. By Jasmine Smith Jasmine Smith Jasmine Smith is a recipe developer and tester at Dotdash Meredith Corporation. In addition to her work in test kitchens, Jasmine is a freelance culinary producer for a variety of food festivals. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Updated on October 9, 2024 Tested by Melissa Gray Tested by Melissa Gray Melissa Gray is a Recipe Developer and Food Stylist for Dotdash Meredith, working on titles such as Food & Wine, Southern Living, Real Simple, and Health. She has been cooking professionally since she was 16 years old but could always be found cooking and baking with her mom even from a young age. Meet the Food & Wine Test Kitchen Save Rate PRINT Share Close Photo: Food & Wine / Photo by Morgan Hunt Glaze / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Josh Hoggle Prep Time: 5 hrs 20 mins Chill Time: 3 hrs Total Time: 1 hr Servings: 8 Yield: 8 slices Jump to recipe This favorite autumn dessert serves up pumpkin cake rolled with cream cheese frosting, a technique that yields a beautiful spiral when sliced. We took it up a notch by adding cardamom to the pumpkin pie-spiced cake and brown butter and mascarpone cheese to the cream cheese frosting. The key here is to make sure all of the ingredients are as close to room temperature as possible before starting — especially the eggs, mascarpone, and cream cheese. The tang from the cream cheese and the nuttiness of the brown butter compliment the warm spices and vanilla in the cake. Serve after a holiday meal or anytime you want a taste of fall. Frequently Asked Questions What is in pumpkin pie spice? Pumpkin pie spice is a mixture of ground cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, allspice, and ginger. To make your own, combine two teaspoons ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice, and 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves. Keep extra pumpkin pie spice in an airtight container. What is the secret to rolling a pumpkin roll? The secret to rolling a pumpkin roll is to shape the unfrosted and unfilled cake while it’s still warm by rolling it with a clean kitchen towel dusted with powdered sugar. This helps prevent sticking and cracking when it is time to add the filling. Let the cake cool completely in its rolled shape before carefully unrolling to add the filling. Once the filling is added, the cake is rolled again and refrigerated to keep it firmly together. What is a jelly roll pan? A jelly roll pan, also known as a 15- by 10-inch rimmed baking sheet, is larger than a quarter sheet pan (13 by 9 inches) but smaller than a half sheet pan (18 by 13 inches). It’s designed for Swiss roll-style cakes like this one, a category which includes roulades and jelly rolls. Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen If you don’t have a jelly roll pan, opt for a rimmed baking sheet closest in size to 15 by 10 inches. Be wary: too far beyond those dimensions will yield a cake either too thick or too thin to be properly rolled. Make ahead The cream cheese filling can be made two days in advance and kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator. The unfrosted cake can be kept in the refrigerator, tightly wrapped in plastic wrap, for up to three days. Cook Mode (Keep screen awake) Ingredients Cooking spray 3/4 cup (about 3 1/4 ounces) all-purpose flour 1 1/4 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon kosher salt 3 large eggs, at room temperature 1 cup granulated sugar 2/3 cup pumpkin puree 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 cup unsifted powdered sugar, plus more for dusting 4 tablespoons unsalted butter 2/3 cup heavy whipping cream 2 ounces cream cheese, softened 1 ounce mascarpone cheese (about 1/4 cup) Directions Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a 15- x 10-inch rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray; line using parchment paper, and coat parchment paper with cooking spray. Set aside. Whisk together flour, pumpkin pie spice, cardamom, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl until combined; set aside.Whisk together eggs, sugar, pumpkin puree, and 1/2 teaspoon of the vanilla in a large bowl until well combined. Gradually sift flour mixture, in batches, over egg mixture; fold until just combined after each addition. Spoon batter evenly into prepared baking sheet; gently spread into an even layer using an offset or rubber spatula. Bake in preheated oven until cake is puffy and springs back slightly when lightly touched with cooking spray-coated fingers, about 16 minutes. While cake bakes, lay a clean kitchen towel that measures at least 16 x 12 inches on a work surface. Generously dust powdered sugar into a 16- x 12-inch rectangle on towel. Immediately turn cake onto sugared towel; generously dust cake with additional powdered sugar. Carefully remove and discard parchment. Starting with 1 short end, gently and loosely roll up cake and towel together, jellyroll style. Refrigerate cake, seam side down, in towel on a wire rack until completely cool, about 1 hour. Meanwhile, melt butter in a small saucepan over medium-low, stirring occasionally, until butter starts to foam and is light golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat, and immediately transfer to a large heatproof bowl; refrigerate, uncovered, until chilled but still soft, about 30 minutes. Add 1 cup powdered sugar, cream, cream cheese, mascarpone cheese, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon vanilla to cooled browned butter; using a hand mixer, beat on low speed. Gradually increase speed to medium-high, and beat until mixture is light and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes. Refrigerate, covered, until ready to use. Very carefully unroll cooled cake. Spread cream cheese filling evenly over surface of cake, leaving a 1/2-inch border on short sides. Reroll cake without towel (use towel as necessary to gently lift cake as you roll); place cake, seam side down, on work surface. Wrap Pumpkin Roll tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate until set, at least 3 hours or up to 4 days. Unwrap Pumpkin Roll, and transfer it to a plate; dust with additional powdered sugar. Cut into slices, and serve. Rate It Print