This is best pumpkin roll recipe ever! Moist pumpkin cake with cream cheese filling, dusted with powdered sugar. The perfect addition to your fall baking. Classic pumpkin rolls can come off as intimidating. They're so beautiful and seem tricky but they are not!! Let me show you HOW easy they are.
Why this is the perfect pumpkin roll!
It's really a simple and fast cake recipe. But thats not the only reason why its the best! While other pumpkin rolls are flat and overly spiced this pumpkin roll is not! its
- Its fluffy! not dense or flat.
- lightly spiced so everyone will love it from kids to adults.
- just right creamy frosting to cake ratio.
Can I make gluten-free pumpkin roll?
Yes! I have made this recipe using cup-4-cup flour and it works amazing. You don't need to change any of the proportions.
What ingredients do I need?
- 100% pure pumpkin. Not pumpkin pie filling. You can find this in the baking isle.
- ginger, nutmeg, clove and cinnamon- while we just use a little of each spice they are essential to the flavor of a classic pumpkin roll. I use ground spices found in the spice isle.
- cream cheese for the frosting. For the full flavor and texture I dont use reduced fat but regular cream cheese.
How to make Pumpkin Roll Batter
- start by mixing your dry ingredients together- add your flour, sugar
- spices
- baking powder and soda
- mix it together.
- While mixing add in your wet ingredients.
- add eggs
- and pumpkin
- mix until everything is well combined
How to place in pan so it doesn't stick
while you can generously coat your pan with butter and flour or a non-stick spray I prefer to line with a parchment sheet and then spray with a non-stick spray.
Pro-Tip: place your batter in the pan as evenly a possible.
Bake your cake, and immediately remove from the pan, flip and roll on a powder sugared line towel.
How to reduce cracks in your Pumpkin Roll
The best way to reduce the crack is to roll your pumpkin roll when it is still warm. I like to let it cool for just a few minutes. Then sprinkle a CLEAN flour sack towel or tea towel with powder sugar and flip the cake on top. Be sure to not have a towel that is overly fragrant with laundry detergent.
Let your Pumpkin Roll Cool
Once your roll has cooled make your frosting.
How to make Cream Cheese Frosting
To make cream cheese frosting you will need
- cream cheese frosting- room temperature
- butter- room temp
- powder sugar
- milk and vanilla
- cream your butter and powder sugar together.
- gradually add in your powder sugar alternating with milk and vanilla
Mix the frosting for a few minutes while it fluffs up. You'll have a rich, creamy fluffy cream cheese frosting.
Filling the pumpkin cake
With you pumpkin cake completely cooled you are ready to spread it.
- On a powder sugared surface lay your pumpkin cake out
- spread the cream cheese frosting on the cake
- make sure the frosting is spread out so the thickness is as even as possible
- Gently roll your pumpkin roll up again.
How do I store the pumpkin roll?
Now that your roll is completed you will want to store it in the fridge. Preferably in an air tight container or wrapped in a wrap. Chilling the pumpkin roll a few hours before serving will help in slicing the cake because it will be slightly firmer than if at room temp
If kept in an air tight container, in the fridge it will keep for 7 days
Depending on the thickness of the cake you can easily get 12 slices.
embrace it. The cracks will not chance the flavor or deliciousness of the cake! If you rolled your cake immediately from baking there is a chance that the cake was over cooked causing it to be a little dry.
The cake should be finished at the time the recipe calls for. If your oven bakes hotter or cooler than typical recipes keep that in mind when baking this cake. The cake should be slightly gold brown on top. If you press on the center of the cake and it is firm bounces back it is finished.
Make this recipe? Have questions?
Please let me know if you make this classic pumpkin roll recipe!! I love to hear from those who make my recipes. If you want to keep up with our newest recipes, make sure you follow is on Facebook and Instagram, and make sure to subscribe to our newsletter.
Pumpkin Roll
Ingredients
Pumpkin roll sponge cake
- 1 cup sugar
- ¾ cup flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ginger
- 1 teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon cloves
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 3 eggs
- ⅔ cup pumpkin
Cream Cheese Filling
- 3 cup powder sugar
- 8 oz Cream Cheese
- ¼ cup Butter
- ½ teaspoon Vanilla
- 1-2 tablespoons milk or heavy cream
Instructions
Sponge cake
- Sift flour, sugar and seasonings, and baking powder in a large bowl. Add eggs and pumpkin. Mix until combined.
- Pour and smooth evenly into a standard sized sheet pan lined with parchment paper.
- Bake at 375 degs for 12 mins.
- While cake is still warm and sprinkle a light layer of powder sugar over. Invert on to clean tea towel and roll up. Let cool until room temperature or in refrigerator.
- When cooled spread cream cheese filling evenly over inverted cake. Gently roll cake.
- Place on large platter and sprinkle with powder sugar.
- Refrigerate and serve chilled.
Filling
- Cream together butter and cream cheese at room temp, add in vanilla and powder sugar. Beat all ingredients till creamy and smooth.
Video
Notes
- You will want to roll the pumpkin roll while it is still warm, right after it comes out of the oven! Rolling the pumpkin cake while warm will help reduce cracks.
- Turn the pumpkin roll over on a flour sack towel or tea towel. You want to use a clean (not highly fragrant) towel that doesn't have a lot of fibers that could embed into the cake.
- Use powder sugar on the towel to keep the cake from sticking to it.
Nutrition
Diana says
If you are clumsy like me, make 2 cakes and leave them flat. Let them cool then spread filling over 1 flat cooled cake. Then put the second flat cake on top of the filling. Use it just like a cake.
Desarae says
I bet that still tasted delish!!
Linda says
Can you make ahead and freeze?
Desarae says
Hi linda! yes, you can make ahead. Typically when cakes are frozen they become a little dense afterwards, but since this is such a thin cake i dont think there will be too much of a difference. Keep refrigerated after freezing.
Jaelcrochets says
How long can it be kept refrigerated?
Desarae says
two weeks!
Morgan says
Recipe was simple and easy to follow. However, when I took my pumpkin cake out of the oven and rolled it, just as the directions said, my entire cake cracked. I didn't wait or anything. So good luck to all of you, cake rolls are hard!
Kathy swiney says
You didn’t say what size of sheet to use. Mine was a little thin. It took way over 12 min....maybe 16 or 17? I got it out at 12 and it was nowhere close! You said the filling should be thick, not like frosting. Mine was just like frosting and just kept squeezing out as I rolled. Doesn’t look good at all!
Desarae says
All ovens vary quite a bit- brands, age and even altitude play difference in baking and oven times. That could be the difference between the cook time.
The cake is pretty thin, that is what gives it the ability to roll up.
As far as the filling-- the post says it won't be as fluffy as frosting, it should be on the thicker side. IF the filling is squeezing out you can do two things dont spread it too thick toward the edges and 2. Roll very gently, don/t push down while rolling.
Elizabeth Peart says
Made three of these tonight for my husband and his co-workers. Really good but definitely tasted salty to me (though he didn't think so and absolutely loved it). I followed the directions exactly, although I only had coarse sea salt on hand due to having just moved and haven't unpacked all my baking stuff yet, so it could certainly be that, but if/when I make it again I'll reduce the salt to 1/4tsp just to be sure. I also forgot to powder-sugar the top before flipping it onto the tea towel, so that did result in some stickiness to the towel. Also, I like to add a bit of lemon juice to my cream cheese frosting to brighten it up. But overall, very happy with this recipe and will keep it as my go-to:)
Pamela says
Forgot to roll the pumpkin roll while warm any suggestions?
Desarae says
You can still totally roll it up! There might be a few cracks. you could also heat the towel a little bit before placing the pumpkin roll on it.
Emily Kemp says
This looks so delicious, can't wait to try it!