Desserts with any type of pumpkin or butternut squash taste just like autumn. This cake roll is so soft and the flavor of butternut squash, walnuts and cream cheese filling complement each other so well. The cake is a recipe I got from a Taste of Home magazine, with my recipe for the filling. This is perfect to make for company: very easy, delicious and looks impressive. It's so much easier to make than a cake, it bakes in no time at all and takes really awesome too. It's just the right thing to serve with coffee or tea.
*This is one of the first recipes that I posted here on the blog, and now I've given it a makeover by taking some updated pictures. It's still just as delicious as it was when I first posted it in 2011.
Yield: 1 cake rolls
Ingredients:
Cake Roll:
3 eggs
¾ cup granulated sugar
⅔ cup mashed cooked butternut squash
¾ cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½-1 cup finely chopped walnuts
Frosting:
1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened to room temperature
½ - 1 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup heavy cream, very cold
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a 15 x 10 inch rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper and spray it with oil or melted butter.
In a large bowl of a standing mixer with whisk attachment or hand mixer, beat the eggs until fluffy, gradually adding the sugar. You want to whisk the eggs for about 5 minutes. 
Stir in the butternut squash.
I have a tutorial all about working with butternut squash, how to peel it, how to cook it, etc. You can read all about it HERE. I cut the butternut squash into cubes and steamed it until they were fork tender. 
Then I mashed the butternut squash with a potato masher. You can also use canned pumpkin instead of the butternut squash.
In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda and cinnamon. Fold it into the cake batter. 
Spread the batter evenly into the prepared baking sheet. 
Sprinkle with walnuts. 
Bake at 375 degrees for 13-15 min. 
Turn the cake over onto a clean kitchen towel and take off the aluminum foil/parchment paper. Roll the cake roll up in the towel while still hot, starting with the short side. Cool completely.
Meanwhile, make the frosting. In a large bowl of a standing mixer with a whisk attachment or using a hand mixer, mix the softened cream cheese, the powdered sugar and the vanilla until smooth. (Use as much sugar as you prefer.) 
Pour in the heavy cream and start whisking on low and gradually increase the speed to high until the frosting is thick and fluffy.
Carefully unroll the cake roll and spread the frosting over the cake roll and roll it back together. 
Serve immediately or store in the refrigerator.
Butternut Squash Cake Roll
- Prep Time: 45 mins
- Cook Time: 15 mins
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 1 cake roll
- Category: Sweets
Ingredients
Cake Roll:
- 3 eggs, room temperature
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ⅔ cup mashed cooked butternut squash
- ¾ cup all purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ½-1 cup finely chopped walnuts
Frosting:
- 1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- ½ - 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup heavy cream, very cold
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a 15 x 10 inch rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper and spray it with oil or melted butter.
- In a large bowl of a standing mixer with whisk attachment or hand mixer, beat the eggs until fluffy, gradually adding the sugar. You want to whisk the eggs for about 5 minutes. Stir in the butternut squash.
- I cut the butternut squash into cubes and steamed it until they were fork tender. Then I mashed the butternut squash with a potato masher. You can also use canned pumpkin instead of the butternut squash.
- In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda and cinnamon. Fold it into the cake batter. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle with walnuts.
- Bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 13-15 min.
- Turn the cake over onto a clean kitchen towel and take off the aluminum foil/parchment paper. Roll the cake roll up in the towel while still hot, starting with the short side. Cool completely.
- Meanwhile, make the frosting. In a large bowl of a standing mixer with a whisk attachment or using a hand mixer, mix the softened cream cheese, the powdered sugar and the vanilla until smooth. (Use as much sugar as you prefer.) Pour in the heavy cream and start whisking on low and gradually increase the speed to high until the frosting is thick and fluffy.
- Carefully unroll the cake roll and spread the frosting over the cake roll and roll it back together. Serve immediately or store in the refrigerator.
I’ve made this with both butternut squash and canned pumpkin purée before, both were so delicious! A friend of mine even asked for the recipe. 🙂 I’m excited to make this again this week, it’ll be my birthday cake! For a 9-in cake (I’m thinking 4 layer), would you say to double the recipe, or maybe triple?..
Had this the other nite at a friends, it was outstandingly delicious! I'm definitely going to try and make it.
hi Olga) 1/2 can of condensed milk for cream - u mean sweetened? Just to make sure
Yes, sweetened condensed milk.
thank you!)
Hi Olga! I glanced through the recipe and i don't see any condensed milk other than in comments... I did make it more than once and i think i did add condensed milk.. Im just curious if you add it or not..? By the way it was so delicious! Thanks for the recipe!
You're right, there was condensed milk in the recipe. I updated it and use powdered sugar instead. It makes the frosting thicker. If you would rather use condensed milk, just add however much you like, based on your sweet preference and omit the powdered sugar.
Thanks for your response! I did try it with powdered sugar! BTW tried pretty much all your recipes, esp those looking 'russian' to me lol. I'm about to make this one now:)
That's awesome, Blueberry. I'm so happy to hear that you are enjoying the recipes:). Thank you for taking the time to write.
Hi Olga! Love the ingredients in this recipe! What size pans did you use? Thanks for the inspiration:)
Hi Em! It's a 15x10 inch rimmed baking sheet.
Hi Olga! Id like to try to make this cake!! Do u think I could use pureed pumpkin instead of butternut squash?
Absolutely! I think pureed pumpkin will work perfectly in this recipe, Alice.
Thank you! Yes-- someone recently shared some of this with me and it was wonderful!
That's wonderful, Ann. This is the perfect season to enjoy this sweet treat.
Hi Olga! About the mashed butternut squash... do you make this by roasting the squash? Thanks in advance!
You can either roast it or cook it in water and then drain it. Mash it with a potato masher or puree in the food processor. This is such a great recipe! I'll have to update it with step by step pictures. This was one of my first recipes to post:).