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This Pumpkin Roll Recipe is a cozy fall classic made with moist pumpkin cake, warm spices, and a rich cream cheese filling. It’s easier than it looks and makes the perfect dessert for Thanksgiving, holiday parties, or a cozy anytime treat.
Why You’ll Love This Pumpkin Roll Recipe
- Perfect balance of sweet pumpkin and warm spices
- Soft, tender cake that rolls without cracking
- Cream cheese filling that’s smooth and not too sweet
- Make ahead-friendly and freezer-safe
Ingredients for Pumpkin Roll Cake
For the Pumpkin Cake
- All-purpose flour – A 1:1 gluten-free flour blend can be used.
- Pumpkin pie spice – This warm blend usually includes ground cinnamon, nutmeg, ground cloves, ginger, and allspice. You can also make your own mix if you don’t have store-bought on hand.
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Table salt
- Eggs – Flax eggs can work for egg-free cake, though texture may change.
- Granulated sugar – Use brown sugar for a deeper flavor.
- Pure vanilla extract – Maple extract also works for a warm twist.
- Pumpkin puree – Use canned 100% pumpkin like Libby’s for the best texture and consistency, just like a classic Libby’s pumpkin roll. Avoid pumpkin pie filling (it has added sugar and spices). Fresh pumpkin puree works too, as long as it’s well-drained and smooth.
- Powdered sugar
For the cream cheese filling
- Cream cheese – Low-fat can work but full-fat is best for texture.
- Salted butter – Unsalted is fine with a pinch of salt.
- Pure vanilla extract
- Powdered sugar
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make a Pumpkin Roll Cake
- Prep and preheat: Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a 15-inch jelly roll pan with parchment paper and spray with nonstick spray.
- Mix dry ingredients: Whisk flour, pumpkin pie spice baking powder, baking soda and salt in a small bowl.
- Whip eggs and sugar: In a large bowl, beat eggs, sugar, and vanilla with a hand or stand mixer on high for 2 to 2½ minutes until frothy and pale.
- Add pumpkin: Mix in pumpkin puree until smooth.
- Combine: Gently fold in the dry ingredients until just combined.
- Bake the pumpkin cake batter: Pour batter in the pan. Bake for 12–14 minutes, until the center springs back when lightly touched and a toothpick comes out clean.
- Roll while warm: While baking, dust a tea towel with powdered sugar. Remove from oven, loosen edges, flip onto towel, peel off parchment, dust with more powdered sugar, and roll the cake tightly with the towel. Cool on a wire rack for about 2 hours.
- Make the filling: Beat cream cheese, butter, and vanilla until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar and mix until creamy.
- Assemble: Unroll the cooled cake carefully. Spread the filling evenly, avoiding the sides of the cake. Starting from the short end (or narrow end), roll the cake back up gently and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill for at least 2 hours.
- Serve: Unwrap the pumpkin roll, dust the top of the cake with powdered sugar, trim the ends, and slice into 12 even pieces.
Tips and Variations
- Add chopped nuts on top before baking for extra crunch
- Use a serrated knife for the cleanest slices
- Chill the pumpkin roll before slicing for neater cuts
- Sprinkle powdered sugar just before serving for a festive finish
- The cream cheese filling also doubles as a delicious cream cheese frosting. Try it on cupcakes, carrot cake, or cinnamon rolls!
Why did my pumpkin roll crack?
Cracking usually happens when the cake cools too much before you roll it. For best results, roll the cake while it’s still warm and pliable, right after removing the parchment paper.
Storage and Make-Ahead Tips
- Make-Ahead: Prepare the pumpkin roll a day in advance and chill until ready to slice and serve.
- Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.
- Reheat: Serve cold or let it sit at room temperature for 15–20 minutes before slicing.
- Freeze: Wrap tightly in two layers of plastic wrap and one layer of heavy-duty foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before dusting with powdered sugar and serving.
More Easy Pumpkin Desserts to Try
If you loved this pumpkin roll recipe, check out these cozy fall favorites:
If you’ve tried this Pumpkin Roll Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a star rating and let me know how it turned out in the comments below.
Pumpkin Roll Recipe
Serves — 12
This easy pumpkin roll recipe features soft, spiced cake and a creamy filling. It’s a perfect fall dessert to make ahead and share with friends or family.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 13 minutes
Rest time and chill time 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 28 minutes
Ingredients
Pumpkin Cake
- ¾ cup all purpose flour spooned and leveled
- 3 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon table salt
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- ⅔ cup pumpkin puree not pumpkin pie filling
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
Cream Cheese Filling
- 8 ounce package cream cheese room temperature
- 6 tablespoons salted butter room temperature
- 1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1½ cups powdered sugar
Instructions
Pumpkin Cake
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a 10x15x1 pan with parchment paper. Spray with nonstick cooking spray. Set it aside.
- Whisk together the flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set it aside.
- Using either a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, or a medium size mixing bowl and a handheld mixer on high, beat the eggs, sugar and vanilla for 2 to 2 ½ minutes, until the egg mixture is frothy and a lighter yellow color.
- Add the pumpkin puree, and mix just until well incorporated.
- Fold in the flour mixture.
- Spread the cake batter in the prepared baking pan. Bake for 12 – 14 minutes, or until the middle of the cake springs back when lightly touched.
- While the cake is baking, lay out a thin tea towel and dust with 3 tablespoons of powdered sugar. (Use a sifter to dust the powdered sugar over the cake) You will also need a large cutting board for the dusted cake transfer.
- Remove the cake from the oven and run the tip of a sharp knife edge of the baked cake in the pan.
- Carefully flip the dusted tea towel on top of the baked cake, dusted side against the cake.
- Place the large cutting board on top of the tea towel. Remember the cake pan will still be very hot, so protect your hands. Be certain to leave a small tail of the tea towel on the short edge of the cake for rolling the cake.
- Quickly flip the baking pan over so that it is now laying on top of the tea towel/cutting board.
- Carefully and slowly peel away the parchment paper.
- Lightly dust the top of the cake with powdered sugar.
- Fold the small tail of the tea towel over the short edge of the cake.
- Carefully begin rolling one end toward the other. Once rolled, transfer to a cooling rack to finish cooling completely, this could take up to 2 hours.
Cream Cheese Filling
- Using a medium size mixing bowl and a handheld mixer on high, beat together the softened cream cheese, clear vanilla and the softened butter for 1 minute until smooth.
- Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the powdered sugar. Increase the mixer speed to medium and continue mixing until completely smooth.
Assemble the Cake
- Unroll the cooled cake carefully—it may curl slightly but should not crack if fully cooled and pliable.
- Using a silicone spatula or an offset spatula, spread the filling over the surface of the cake, try to avoid the very edges of the cake.
- Once filled, slowly and with even pressure, begin to roll the cake back up. Wrap the pumpkin roll in plastic wrap to ensure it holds its shape. Chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
- Just before serving, unwrap the pumpkin roll and dust with powdered sugar.
- Using a sharp knife, slice off the ends of the cake. Slice 12 even servings. Keep covered in the refrigerator before serving.
Jenn’s Notes
Storage :
- Make-Ahead: Make it a day ahead and chill until ready to slice and serve.
- Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 7 days
- Reheat: Serve cold or bring to room temperature for 15–20 minutes before slicing
- Freeze: Wrap tightly in 2 layers of plastic wrap and a layer of heavy-duty foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before serving
- Add chopped nuts on top before baking for extra crunch
- Use a serrated knife for the cleanest slices
- Chill the pumpkin roll before slicing for neater cuts
- Sprinkle powdered sugar just before serving for a festive finish
- The cream cheese filling also doubles as a delicious cream cheese frosting.
Nutrition Info
Calories: 303kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 75mg | Sodium: 264mg | Potassium: 101mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 35g | Vitamin A: 2608IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 42mg | Iron: 1mg
Hi, do you also have a recipe for chocolate roll cake. like your pumpkin one? I look forward to hearing from you. thank you kindly, in advance, for your answers.
your fan,
Kathee
I don’t, but will add it to my “to-do” list!!
Can you use self rising flour in this recipe in place of the all purpose, baking powder and salt?
I haven’t tested this recipe with self-rising flour, so I can’t say for sure how it would turn out. In theory, you could replace the all-purpose flour with the same amount of self-rising flour and leave out the baking powder and salt, but the texture or rise might be a little different.