There are no better pumpkin rolls than the ones you can get in Lancaster County, made by Amish hands using real farm fresh ingredients. Because Lancaster is a little bit of a drive, I figured that I better learn pretty quickly how to make a pumpkin roll. Like anything else related to pumpkin, my kids start clamoring for it once the cooler weather starts to set in to the area.
There are a couple of tips that I want to share about creating a pumpkin roll. Most people are intimidated by the rolling part. It really isn’t that difficult, as long as you have the right tools. You could also try practicing by first making cinnamon rolls, which you roll before baking instead of after, just to get used to the process.
You’ll want to first grease the jelly roll pan and then put parchment paper on top of that. It will really help you get a rice roll without cracking, once the pumpkin cake is baked.
When you roll the roll, you’ll be placing a tea towel inside of it to help it from sticking together as it cools. Make sure you use a cotton or linen towel and not a terry cloth one. Also, it helps to dust the cake with confectioner’s sugar before you roll it.
Once you have your pumpkin roll all rolled up, allow it to chill in the refrigerator for at least two hours. Keeping it refrigerated overnight is fine as well, as long as it is tightly wrapped.
You can used canned pumpkin or pumpkin puree for most pumpkin roll recipes. Avoid pumpkin pie filling, as it has spices and other ingredients that you might not want for your pumpkin roll.
There are a number of great pumpkin roll recipes out there. You can start with allrecipes.com. Libby’s (the maker of canned pumpkin) has a nice recipe on their website that you can try. Read the reviews and try one out this season!
Image from VeryBestBaking.com