This easy pumpkin cake roll is soft, spiced and rolled up with a dreamy cream cheese filling. My tips keep it from cracking, and it freezes beautifully for the holidays!
Some of my sweetest fall memories are from my mom’s big farmhouse kitchen. She had one special corner of the counter where all the magic happened. That was where she rolled out pie crusts, frosted cakes, and made her famous pumpkin cake roll.
As a little girl, I loved pulling up close and watching her work. I remember holding my breath as she carefully rolled up that warm pumpkin cake in a sugar-dusted towel, as if it was the most delicate thing in the world. To me, it was pure kitchen magic! Now every fall, when I roll up a pumpkin roll of my own, I’m right back in that farmhouse kitchen, standing beside my mom at her corner of the counter.
This classic pumpkin cake roll with cream cheese filling is every bit as cozy as I remember. It looks fancy, but with a few simple tips, it’s easier than you’d think. Let me show you how!
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
- The most important thing is that it tastes amazing! Pumpkin roll cake is one of the most delicious pumpkin recipes with just the right amount of pumpkin pie spice and sweet cream cheese filling.
- This delicious pumpkin cake can be make and frozen ahead if you want to plan for upcoming guests.
- If you’re looking through your recipes for pumpkin desserts for Fall, this one makes a pretty presentation and is so easy to slice & serve.
Ingredients for Homemade Pumpkin Roll Recipe
(For the exact measurements, please refer to the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.)
Ingredients for the pumpkin cake
- Eggs
- Sugar
- Pumpkin purée
- Lemon juice
- All-purpose flour
- Baking powder
- Cinnamon
- Ginger
- Nutmeg
- Salt
- Powdered sugar (for the towel)
Ingredients for the cream cheese filling
- Cream cheese, softened
- Butter, softened
- Powdered sugar
- Vanilla
How to Make a Pumpkin Cake Roll
A pumpkin roll looks fancy, but with just a few tips and tricks, anyone can make one! Here’s a quick look at how it all comes together. You’ll find the full measurements and instructions in the printable recipe card below.
Preparing the Pumpkin Cake
Start by lining your pan with parchment paper so the cake comes out easily. Beat the eggs and sugar until they’re light and fluffy, then stir in the pumpkin purée and a little lemon juice. Gently fold in the flour, baking powder, salt and those cozy fall spices, and spread the batter thin and even in the pan.
While it bakes, generously sprinkle a lightweight tea towel with powdered sugar. Don’t be shy with it! Then, the minute the cake comes out of the oven, work quickly: flip it onto the towel, peel off the parchment, and roll it up, towel and all, while it’s still warm. That’s the secret to a pumpkin roll that doesn’t crack! Let it cool completely, still rolled up.
Step 1: Beat eggs & sugar until light yellow in color.
Step 2: Mix dry ingredients together in a seperate bowl.
Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined.
Spread pumpkin cake batter evenly into a jelly roll pan.
Making the Cream Cheese Filling
While the cake cools, whip up the dreamy filling. Beat the softened cream cheese and butter together until smooth, then add the powdered sugar and vanilla and beat until it’s light and creamy. Make sure your cream cheese and butter are nice and soft so you don’t end up with lumps.
Assembling the Pumpkin Roll
Once the cake has cooled, gently unroll it. Don’t worry, it remembers its shape! Spread the cream cheese filling evenly over the top, leaving a little space around the edges. Roll it back up without the towel this time, wrap it in plastic wrap, and pop it in the fridge to chill and firm up. When you’re ready to serve, dust it with a little more powdered sugar and slice it with a warm knife for nice clean slices. Just slice and serve!
How to Make a Pumpkin Roll Cake Video
I always find it easier to make something new if I can watch it being done first. My video skills are beginner, but I put together a short video of the process of how to do a pumpkin cake roll. You would use the same technique for any swiss roll recipe. Just click on the image below to watch:
Tips & Tricks
- Don’t forget to line your pan with parchement paper. This moist, sponge cake is very thin and the parchment paper allows you to get it out of the pan quickly and easily.
- Dust on a generous amount of icing sugar onto the towel, or the cake may stick.
- I actually put my plastic wraped cake roll (that I rolled a towel around) in the freezer to set up. As it started to set, I pulled it out and adjusted the plastic wrap tighter so the cake roll was rolled nice and tightly.
- The cake is very moist, so sprinkle on the powdered sugar on the top right before serving, as it “disappears” into the cake quick!
- To get pretty slices of pumpkin cake roll, heat up a sharp knife under hot water and wipe it dry before slicing each slice. It works like a charm!
Variations
- Sprinkle 1 cup finely chopped walnuts or pecans onto the cake batter before putting it into the oven for nutty crunch in the cake.
- Reserve some of the cream cheese filling mixture and pipe it on the top for a different presentation.
Frequently Asked Questions about Pumpkin Rolls
Why did my pumpkin roll crack?
Cracks usually happen when the cake cools before it’s rolled, or when it bakes a minute too long. Roll it up in the powdered sugar towel the moment it comes out of the oven, while it’s still warm and flexible. And if a little crack sneaks in? A dusting of powdered sugar hides everything, and it will still taste wonderful!
Can you freeze a pumpkin roll?
Yes, and it’s one of my favourite things about this recipe! Wrap the filled roll tightly in plastic wrap, then foil, and freeze it for up to 2 months. Thaw it in the fridge, and it’s ready to slice. It’s perfect for getting ahead before Thanksgiving or Christmas.
Can I make a pumpkin roll ahead of time?
Absolutely. Make it a day or two ahead and keep it wrapped in the fridge. It slices even more neatly once it’s had time to chill.
How do you store a pumpkin roll?
Because of the cream cheese filling, keep it in the fridge, wrapped in plastic wrap or in an airtight container. Enjoy it within 3 to 4 days.
Pumpkin roll cake can be made and frozen ahead by wrapping it in plastic wrap and storing it in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
To use pumpkin cake roll that has been frozen, remove from the freezer and thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
What’s the difference between a pumpkin roll and a pumpkin cake roll?
They’re the very same thing! Some folks call it a pumpkin roll, a pumpkin cake roll, or even a pumpkin log. Whatever you call it, it’s a fall favourite.
Top tip: Roll up the cake while it’s warm!
For best results, work quickly with the pumpkin cake right after it comes out of the oven. It needs to be rolled up in its towel while it is still warm.
More PumpkinRecipes:
- Pumpkin Bread with Cake Mix
- Old Fashioned Pumpkin Pie
- Turkey Pumpkin White Bean Chili
- Spicy Pumpkin Soup
- Blackberry Muffins (with pumpkin!)
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Pumpkin Roll Cake Recipe with Cream Cheese Filling
Moistly spiced pumpkin cake embraces a heavenly cream cheese swirl, rolled into a classic Swiss roll shape for the ideal sweet finish. Just cut and enjoy!
Ingredients
Method
- Grease a 15 x 10 inch jelly roll pan with cooking spray and lay parchment paper inside as a sling. Set aside.
- Heat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, whisk eggs and sugar together using an electric mixer until the blend becomes a pale yellow hue – roughly 5 minutes. Use a rubber spatula to clean the bowl's sides and base.
- Incorporate the pumpkin and lemon juice into the mixture on low speed, blending only until everything is just combined.
- In a separate large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt through whisking, ensuring the mixture is completely lump-free.
- Gently mix the dry components into the wet ingredients until fully incorporated.
- Pour the pumpkin cake batter into the prepared pan and use a large offset spatula to smooth it into an even layer, making sure the batter reaches the pan's edges.
- Bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes. The cake is ready when it springs back slightly to the touch and a cake tester inserted in the center emerges clean.
- While the cake bakes, lightly dust a kitchen towel with powdered sugar.
- After removing the cake from the oven, slide a knife around the baking sheet's perimeter and lift the cake out using the parchment paper sling you set up earlier.
- Move the hot cake to a large wire cooling rack, then immediately invert it onto the powdered sugar-dusted kitchen towel and peel away the parchment paper backing. The paper should slide off effortlessly while the cake is still hot.
- Starting at one short end, gently roll the pumpkin cake as tightly as you can, leaving it encased in the towel on the cooling rack to cool entirely.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer with a paddle attachment, beat the softened cream cheese and butter on high speed until the mixture is fluffy.
- After measuring, sift the powdered sugar and add it gradually. Mix on low speed until combined, then beat on medium speed. Add the vanilla and continue beating until fully incorporated.
- Once the cake has cooled completely, carefully unroll it.
- Spread the cream cheese mixture evenly across the entire surface, ensuring it reaches the edges and sides.
- Roll the cake up as tightly as possible and cover it with plastic storage wrap. I noticed some filling squeezed out during rolling. (Perhaps this is normal?) I used that as the bottom of the roll and wrapped everything in plastic. As it cooled, it set up perfectly.
- Refrigerate the cake to chill for at least 2 hours or overnight before serving.
- Just before serving, dust with powdered sugar for an attractive presentation.
