This Praline Pumpkin Roll recipe makes an impressive dessert! The spiced pumpkin roll is elevated with a caramel praline cream filling and studded with candied pecans. It is decadent, stunning and the perfect finish to a holiday meal!
Looking for more impressive pumpkin desserts? Check out these favorites: Pumpkin Cheesecake Trifle, Mini Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe and this easy and incredible Pumpkin Bread Recipe!
Pumpkin Roll Cake
There is nothing I look forward to more on Thanksgiving Day than a slice of Pumpkin Roll. There is just no beating that decadent cream cheese frosting paired with the pumpkin cake and that’s not even touching on the presentation! It’s got to be one of the prettiest desserts you can make for the holidays.
This Pumpkin Roll recipe has a slight twist to the classic version with the addition of candied pecans and a praline cream cheese frosting. It’s taking the best thing on the menu and elevating it to a whole new level and I know my friends and family are going to go crazy for it this year.
This Praline Pumpkin Roll cake is a sweet testimony to my love for pecan pralines and pumpkin rolls. It combines the brown sugar goodness you can find in a praline with the sweet cream cheese filling and magic is born my friends.
What Is A Pumpkin Roll?
The Pumpkin Roll was made famous by Libby’s, the brand that brings you the canned pureed pumpkin that we all know and love. Their recipe is simply fantastic and has been a staple in our home for decades.
The classic Libby’s Pumpkin Roll Cake recipe includes a pumpkin cake that has been rolled around a cream cheese frosting creating beautiful creamy swirls that contrast perfectly with the spiced pumpkin cake. It’s a simple recipe that creates a beautiful centerpiece on the holiday dessert table.
More Pumpkin Recipes To Enjoy
Tis the season for all things pumpkin! Here are some of our favorites:
- Pumpkin Dinner Rolls
- Pumpkin Bread
- The BEST Pumpkin Bars
- Pumpkin Pancakes
- Easy Pumpkin Brownies
- Pumpkin Lasagna – Easy No Bake Pumpkin Dessert
- Easy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread
Pumpkin Roll Recipe Ingredients
There are so many things I love about this recipe and as someone who keeps pumpkin in stock year round, I’ve always got the ingredients on hand to make this easy pumpkin roll recipe. As always, you can find the full printable recipe with complete instructions in the recipe card at the end of this post. Let’s take a look at what you’ll need:
For the Candied Pecans
- brown sugar
- vanilla extract
- ground cinnamon
- salt
- pecans
For the Praline Cream Cheese Filling
- brown sugar
- heavy cream
- butter
- cream cheese
- powdered sugar
For the Pumpkin Cake
- eggs
- granulated sugar
- pumpkin puree
- all purpose flour
- baking soda and baking powder
- pumpkin pie spice
- salt
How To Make A Pumpkin Roll Cake
First we’ll make the candied pecans, next the praline cream cheese filling so it has time to chill, and then the cake. Finally, the cake gets frosted and rolled!
To Make the Candied Pecans
- In a small bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, water, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and salt. Toast the pecans in a large skillet, over medium heat.
- Add the brown sugar mixture to the pan, stirring quickly to coat the pecans with the sugar. Once the pecans are coated, stir continuously while continuing to cook for an additional minute. Spread pecans out onto parchment in a single layer to cool.
To Make the Praline Cream Cheese Filling
- Add the brown sugar, heavy cream, and butter to small saucepan and cook on medium heat, stirring continuously, until the mixture comes to a full boil (3-4 minutes). Set aside and cool completely.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the brown sugar mixture and continue beating on medium-high speed for 2 minutes.
- Scrape the sides, then gradually add the confectioners’ sugar, beating until smooth.
- Refrigerate until ready to use.
To Make the Pumpkin Cake
- Combine dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs on until light and foamy and then add sugar, beating well. Mix in the pumpkin puree. Add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
- Spread batter and sprinkle pecans over the pumpkin batter.
- Bake for 15 minutes, or until the cake springs back when gently touched. Meanwhile, lay a sheet of parchment paper onto the counter and sprinkle it with powdered sugar. Once the cake is fully baked, remove from the oven and turn onto the parchment.
- Starting at the narrow end, roll the parchment and cake together, then cool completely.
Frost and Roll
- Remove frosting from the fridge.
- Carefully unroll the cake and spread the filling over the cake
- Then re-roll the cake and refrigerate at least one hour or until ready to serve.
- Top with candied pecans and powdered sugar.
When ready to serve, sprinkle with reserved candied pecans, dust with additional powdered sugar and slice into one inch slices. Clean the knife in between cuts for the best presentation.
Pumpkin Roll FAQs
The pumpkin pie spice can be replaced with one and a half teaspoons of ground cinnamon and one quarter teaspoon each of ground ginger and nutmeg.
Yes you can! To make the filling in the traditional way, start by creaming together butter and cream cheese. Add vanilla extract and powdered sugar and beat until fluffy and smooth. You will need 8 ounces of cream cheese, 6 tablespoons softened butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 1 cup of powdered sugar.
Any nut will work in this recipe, I just love pumpkin and pecans together so that’s what I did.
Storage Information
Refrigerator: To store in the refrigerator, or if you plan to make in advance, tightly wrap the pumpkin roll in plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 5 days.
Freeze: To freeze the pumpkin roll, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and then place in a freezer safe ziploc bag for up to 3 months. The cake roll should be thawed overnight in the refrigerator. Wait to dust with powdered sugar until serving time.
Trish’s Tips and Tricks
Slice off a small piece off each end of the cake roll prior to serving. It reveals the beautiful praline cream cheese filling swirls and makes for a gorgeous presentation. Wipe your knife clean between each cut to keep the pieces nice and tidy.
More Pumpkin Desserts To Try
- Pumpkin Bread
- Pumpkin Whoopie Pies
- Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes
- Pumpkin Coffee Cake
- Better Than Anything Pumpkin Cake
- Pumpkin Lasagna
- Pumpkin Bars
How To Make Praline Pumpkin Roll Recipe
Praline Pumpkin Cake Roll
Ingredients
Candied Pecans:
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons water
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup pecans chopped
Praline Cream Cheese Filling:
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 6 ounces cream cheese
- 1 cup powdered sugar
Pumpkin Cake
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ⅔ cup pumpkin puree
- powdered sugar to dust on top of the cake roll
Instructions
Candied Pecans
- Place a large sheet of parchment on the counter.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, water, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and salt.2 tablespoons brown sugar, 2 tablespoons water, ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract, ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon salt
- Toast the pecans in a large skillet, over medium heat. Stir frequently for 2 to 3 minutes.1 cup pecans
- When the pecans become fragrant, add the brown sugar mixture to the pan, stirring quickly to coat the pecans with the sugar. (The mixture will bubble.) Once the pecans are coated, stir continuously while continuing to cook for an additional minute. Watch the pecans carefully to be sure they do not burn.
- Pour the pecans out onto the parchment sheet, spreading into a single layer and cool completely.
- Once the pecans have cooled, break them apart into small pieces.
Praline Cream Cheese Filling
- Add the brown sugar, heavy cream, and butter to small saucepan and cook on medium heat, stirring continuously, until the mixture comes to a full boil (3 to 4 minutes). Set aside and cool completely.¼ cup brown sugar, ¼ cup heavy cream, 1 tablespoon butter
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the brown sugar mixture and continue beating on medium-high speed for 2 minutes.6 ounces cream cheese
- Scrape the sides, then gradually add the powdered sugar, beating until smooth.1 cup powdered sugar
- Refrigerate until ready to use.
Pumpkin Cake
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a 15x10x1-inch baking sheet with parchment paper, then spray the paper with nonstick spray.
- Mix the flour, baking soda, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, and salt in a small bowl, and set aside.¾ cup all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon baking powder, 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice, ½ teaspoon salt
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs on high speed for 5 minutes, until light and foamy. Gradually add sugar, beating well.3 eggs, 1 cup granulated sugar
- Mix the pumpkin puree into the egg mixture on low speed.⅔ cup pumpkin puree
- Add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined and the flour is no longer visible.
- Spread the batter evenly onto the prepared the baking sheet. Reserve ¼ cup of pecans for garnish and sprinkle the remaining pecans over the pumpkin batter.
- Bake for 15 minutes, or until the cake springs back when gently touched. Meanwhile, lay a sheet of parchment paper onto the counter and sprinkle it with powdered sugar. Once the cake is fully baked, remove from the oven and turn onto the parchment.
- Starting at the narrow end, roll the parchment and cake together, then cool completely. Carefully unroll the cake and spread the filling over the cake, then reroll and refrigerate at least 1 hour, or until ready to serve.
- When ready to serve, sprinkle with reserved candied pecans and dust with additional powdered sugar and slice into one inch slices. Clean knife in between cuts for the best presentation.powdered sugar
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