This classic Pumpkin Roll is made with a soft and tender pumpkin cake filled with a silky smooth cream cheese filling. It’s an easy, beautiful and delicious fall dessert that is perfect for serving at Thanksgiving, Christmas or anytime in between.
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Classic Pumpkin Roll
It’s easy to be intimidated by making a homemade Pumpkin Roll. They look so fancy, with their beautiful rolls exposed on the sides and the tops all delicately dusted with powdered sugar.
But trust me when I say you can do this - and boy oh boy will you be happy that you did. This Pumpkin Roll cake is everything you want it to be - soft, tender, full of pumpkin flavor and layered with rich and creamy cream cheese filling.
The step-by-step instructions in this recipe will show you how to flawlessly make, bake, roll and serve your very own classic Pumpkin Roll that everyone will be gushing over.
Ingredients in a Pumpkin Roll
- Flour - all-purpose flour works great.
- Baking Powder - this helps the cake rise slightly in the oven and keeps it nice and soft.
- Salt - use any type of fine-grain salt.
- Pumpkin Pie Spice - you can find this in the spice section at the grocery store.
- Pumpkin Puree - use canned pumpkin puree or even try making your own Homemade Pumpkin Puree. Do not use pumpkin pie filling, though, as it has added ingredients that you don’t want included in this recipe.
- Lemon Juice - this balances the flavors and also provides enough acidity to activate the baking powder.
- Eggs - any large eggs will work.
- Sugar - this recipe calls for regular white granulated sugar.
- Powdered Sugar - this is needed for sprinkling on the kitchen towel so that the warm cake doesn’t stick to it while rolling it up.
Cream Cheese Filling
- Cream Cheese - make sure it is room temperature and softened so that it will mix well.
- Butter - you’ll also want your butter to be room temperature. We prefer unsalted, but you can use salted if you like.
- Powdered Sugar - you’ll need some to mix into the filling and a little extra to sprinkle over the finished cake roll.
- Vanilla Extract - pure vanilla extract tastes best.
How to Make a Pumpkin Roll
- Prepare a jellyroll pan. Line a 15"x10" jellyroll pan with parchment paper, then spray the edges and parchment lightly with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
- Make the pumpkin cake batter. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and pumpkin pie spice. Whisk together. In a separate mixing bowl, combine the pumpkin puree, lemon juice, eggs and sugar and whisk together. Combine the dry ingredients with the pumpkin mixture and stir until combined.
- Spread into the prepared pan. Use an offset spatula to spread the batter evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan.
- Bake. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 13-15 minutes, or until the top of the cake springs back when touched and the edges start to pull away from the pan.
- Let cool for 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, sprinkle a clean kitchen towel with the powdered sugar.
- Roll up in a towel to finish cooling. After 5 minutes, loosen the edges of the cake with a knife if needed and turn onto the prepared towel. Gently remove the parchment paper. Start rolling the pumpkin roll up into the towel. If you want smaller rolls, roll it lengthwise and if you want larger rolls, roll it up widthwise. Allow to cool completely on a wire rack.
- Make the cream cheese filling. In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the room temperature cream cheese, powdered sugar, softened butter and vanilla extract and beat with the paddle attachment until smooth and creamy, or about 3 minutes.
- Spread the filling. Carefully unroll the cake and spread the cream cheese frosting evenly over the entire thing. Re-roll the cake and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to 24 hours.
- Serve. Before serving, remove the plastic wrap and sprinkle with powdered sugar. Slice and serve. Enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
The first thing is to be sure you do not overbake the cake! Keep a close eye on it and pull it just as it starts to pull away from the sides. The second important step is to make sure and roll the cake up while it is still warm, then allow it to cool that way in a towel.
Yes, you should for at least 1 hour. Refrigerating it prior to slicing will help make sure it doesn’t fall apart while you try to slice it. The fridge will firm up the cream cheese filling, as well as the cake layer.
Yes! Pumpkin Rolls are a great make-ahead dessert because you can make and store them in the fridge for up to 3 days ahead of time. Just be sure and wrap the roll tightly in plastic for storing.
Storing and Freezing
- Refrigerate: wrap the Pumpkin Roll tightly in plastic wrap and store in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Freezer: you can also wrap your Pumpkin Roll in plastic wrap and store in the freezer for up to 2 months. Before serving, transfer to the fridge overnight to thaw.
Tips for Sucess
- Use an off-set spatula to get the pumpkin cake as even as possible before baking.
- Let the cake sit in the pan and cool after baking for 3-5 minutes. Make sure your cake is still warm when you turn it on to the dish towel.
- Roll the cake up while warm.
- You can cool the pumpkin roll in the fridge.
- Be sure the pumpkin roll is cool (or at bare minimum, room tempreture) before adding the frosting. (or the frosting will melt)
- Roll the pumpkin roll up tight and wrap with plastic wrap to keep it's shape.
- Cut with a serated knife.
- Wipe the knife down between cuts to keep the pumpkin roll from having frosting smeared on it.
- You can freeze the pumpkin roll (best if rolled up but not cut) for a couple months in the freezer.
Pumpkin Roll Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup All-Purpose Flour
- 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- 1 Tablespoon Pumpkin Pie Spice
- 1 cup Pumpkin Puree
- 1 teaspoon Lemon Juice
- 3 large Eggs
- 1 cup Sugar
- ¼ cup Powdered Sugar to sprinkle on the towel
Cream Cheese Filling
- 1 8 ounce package Cream Cheese room temperature
- 2 Tablespoons Butter room temperature
- 2 ½ cups Powdered Sugar plus extra for decorating the finished cake
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Line a 15"x10" jellyroll pan with parchment paper, then spray the edges and parchment lightly with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and pumpkin pie spice. Whisk together.
- In a separate mixing bowl, combine the pumpkin puree, lemon juice, eggs and sugar and whisk together. Combine the dry ingredients with the pumpkin mixture and stir until combined. Use an offset spatula to spread the batter evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan.
- Bake in a preheated oven for 13-15 minutes, or until the top of the cake springs back when touched and the edges start to pull away from the pan.
- Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, sprinkle a clean kitchen towel with the powdered sugar.
- After 5 minutes, loosen the edges of the cake with a knife if needed and turn onto the prepared towel. Gently remove the parchment paper.
- Start rolling the pumpkin roll up into the towel. If you want smaller rolls, roll it lengthwise and if you want larger rolls, roll it up widthwise. Allow to cool completely on a wire rack.
Cream Cheese Filling
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the room temperature cream cheese, powdered sugar, softened butter and vanilla extract and beat with the paddle attachment until smooth and creamy, or about 3 minutes.
Finishing
- Carefully unroll the cake and spread the cream cheese frosting evenly over the entire thing. Re-roll the cake and wrap in plastic wrap.
- Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to 24 hours. Before serving, remove the plastic wrap and sprinkle with powdered sugar. Slice and serve. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Here are more of our favorite pumpkin dessert recipes:
- Pumpkin Waffles
- Pumpkin Muffins with Cheesecake Swirl
- Easy Pumpkin Muffins
- Pumpkin Spice Snickerdoodle Cookies
- Pumpkin Cupcakes
- Pumpkin Bread
- The Best Pumpkin Pie
- More Dessert Recipes
- More Fall Recipes
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This Pumpkin Roll is an easy, beautiful and delicious fall dessert that is perfect for serving at Thanksgiving, Christmas or anytime in between. It's made with a soft pumpkin cake filled with cream cheese filling and dusted with powdered sugar to finish.
Gina
My swirl was definitely not as pretty as yours (impressive!) but this came out delicious! Lovely fall treat and fun to change it up from the normal pumpkin breads and muffins I usually make.
Taryn
I grew up eating pumpkin roll on Thanksgiving instead of pie. This was a great replica of that favorite!