A pumpkin roll is a dessert consisting of pumpkin-flavored sponge cake rolled in on itself. Many cooks spread a cream cheese filling on the cake before rolling it, to create a layered cake. It is essential to roll the cake once you bring it out of the oven, so it sets with that shape and will not crack before serving. You can roll the cake in a number of materials, including a clean towel, wax paper and parchment paper.
Line your baking pan with the parchment paper. Rub the parchment paper with butter to prevent the cake from sticking. Sprinkle the parchment paper with a thin, even layer of flour.
Pour the pumpkin roll batter into the baking pan, over the parchment paper. Spread the batter out into an even layer with a spatula. Bake the pumpkin cake batter in the oven according to your recipe.
Remove the baking pan once the cake is done. Spread a second piece of parchment paper on the counter. Sprinkle it with confectionary sugar.
Turn the baking pan over onto the second piece of parchment paper. Lift the baking pan up then slowly peel the first piece of parchment paper off the back of the cake.
Fold the edge of the parchment paper over the narrow end of the pumpkin roll by one inch. Lift the folded edge and begin rolling the pumpkin roll up into the paper. Roll slowly to prevent tearing the cake.
Set the rolled cake on a wire cooling rack until it is completely cool. Unroll the cake and remove the parchment paper. Roll the cake back up, or spread a cream cheese filling over the inside and then roll it up.