Close up of finished pumpkin roll with one slice cut out to show the inside of the cake on a wooden cutting board sprinkled with powdered sugar all no a wooden surface (with logo overlay)

Perfect Fall Pumpkin Roll

Pumpkin Roll is a delicious pumpkin cake rolled with a cream cheese frosting on the inside. Perfect for those fall get-togethers or for a family dessert.

Jump to Recipe

Fall is here, and that means time for everything pumpkin! This delicious pumpkin roll cake is one of my favorite pumpkin-flavored desserts. Plus, it’s full of cream cheese. I love cream cheese!

It takes a couple of hours to make, but only about 30 minutes of that is actively doing something. The rest of the time is in the cake baking and cooling.

I got the original recipe for this pumpkin roll from one of my coworkers over 10 years ago. She used to make it every year in the fall and bring it to the office to share. Let me tell you, it didn’t last long!

Step by Step

"mise en place" for pumpkin roll: stainless steel bowls with flour mixture, sugar, powdered sugar, dry milk, eggs, and pumpkin puree, a stand mixer, and a metal sheet pan with a pat of butter on it all on a wooden surface

Start by preheating the oven to 375F. Then butter and flour a 15×10 jellyroll pan. Use either butter or oil to grease the pan. Then pour a little bit of flour on the pan. Tilt the pan all around until it’s covered in flour. And a jellyroll pan just means a flat baking sheet that has sides to it.

In a small bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger and set the bowl aside. I usually try to sift the flour because it helps it mix up better without any lumps.

Stainless steel bowl with flour mixture whisked together next to a metal sheet pan that has been greased and floured next to a stand mixer and a bowl of eggs all on a wooden surface

Use an electric mixer to beat the sugar with eggs on high until it nearly triples in volume. This usually takes about 5 minutes or so, which is why I like to use my stand mixer.

Close up of stand mixer whisk after mixing eggs and sugar together

Once the eggs and sugar have tripled in size, turn the mixer to low and add in the flour mixture.

Overhead of stand mixer with cake batter next to a white bowl with pumpkin puree all on a wooden surface

After that has stirred in, add the pumpkin puree and stir until just combined, you don’t want to over mix.

Close up of stand mixer whisk with cake batter combined with pumpkin puree

Pour the batter into your prepared jellyroll pan and use a spatula to gently level it out.

Overhead view of a metal baking sheet filled with pumpkin cake batter on a wooden surface

Bake the pumpkin cake for about 15 minutes, or until the cake is springy and the edges start to pull away from the sides of the pan. Make sure you don’t overcook the cake because it will dry out quickly since it’s so thin. Lay a clean dish towel out on the counter, and sprinkle it with a decent amount of powdered sugar.

Overhead of a brown dish towel sprinkled with powdered sugar on a wooden surface

Carefully pull the edges of the cake away from the pan and flip it over onto the dishtowel. Powdered sugar will poof everywhere, so be aware of that!

Overhead view of baked pumpkin cake on a brown dish towel that has been sprinkled with powdered sugar all on a wooden surface

Starting from the small side of the towel, carefully roll the cake up in the dish towel while it is still warm. Rest the cake on a wire cooling rack with the seam side down so it doesn’t unroll and let it cool completely.

Overhead view of a brown towel rolled around the cake sitting on a wire cooling rack on a wooden surface

After the cake has cooled, use a mixer on high speed to combine the cream cheese and butter until it’s smooth.

"mise en place" of the frosting for pumpkin roll: a square brown plate with 2 blocks of cream cheese and a piece of butter next to a bowl with powdered sugar and another bowl with vanilla extract. A stand mixer and whisk attachment are to the side and the rolled cake is on a cooling rack in the background.

Add the powdered sugar and vanilla and stir again until it is combined completely.

Overhead view of stand mixer whisk being lifted from the bowl with the mixed cream cheese frosting next to the wire rack with the pumpkin cake all on a wooden surface

Carefully unroll your cake from the dishtowel. Don’t worry if it falls apart. I don’t call this my “perfect” pumpkin roll because it looks perfect, but because it’s a perfectly delicious recipe for the fall!

Overhead of pumpkin cake rolled out on a brown towel sprinkled with powdered sugar next to a stainless steel bowl of frosting all on a wooden surface

Spread the cream cheese mixture all the way across your cake(s), making sure to leave a little bit to add to the top once it is all rolled up.

Overhead of pumpkin cake covered in frosting rolled out on a brown towel sprinkled with powdered sugar next to an almost empty stainless steel bowl of frosting all on a wooden surface

Use the towel to help you re-roll the cake again, using the cream cheese mixture inside to help hold it all together. Then spread the rest of the mixture on the top and sides of the pumpkin roll. Sprinkle with more powdered sugar as garnish. Store in the refrigerator.

Close up of finished pumpkin roll with one slice cut out to show the inside of the cake on a wooden cutting board sprinkled with powdered sugar all no a wooden surface (vertical)

Recipe

Originally Published On: September 10, 2017

Last Updated On: September 16, 2019

Close up of finished pumpkin roll with one slice cut out to show the inside of the cake on a wooden cutting board sprinkled with powdered sugar all no a wooden surface

Perfect Fall Pumpkin Roll

Pumpkin Roll is a delicious pumpkin cake rolled with a cream cheese frosting on the inside. Perfect for those fall get-togethers or for a family dessert.
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Cooling Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 45 minutes
Course:
Dessert
Cuisine:
American
Keyword:
cake
|
holidays
|
pumpkin
Servings: 12 slices
5 from 4 votes

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp butter
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
Cake
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/2 tsp ginger
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 12 oz pumpkin puree
  • 1/3 cup powdered sugar
Filling:
  • 16 oz cream cheese (softened)
  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 375F
  • Butter and flour a 15×10 jellyroll pan
  • In small bowl, combine flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger and set aside
  • In mixer bowl, beat on high sugar with eggs until eggs nearly triple in volume, about 5 minutes
  • Reduce speed to low and mix in flour mixture
  • Beat in pumpkin until just combined
  • Pour batter into jellyroll pan and gently level with spatula
  • Bake 15 minutes or until cake is springy and edges pull away from sides of pan
  • Sprinkle clean dish towel with powdered sugar
  • With small knife, loon cake edges and invert onto towel
  • Starting with short side, roll up cake in towel
  • Let cake cool completely, seam side down, in towel on wire rack
  • Meanwhile, with mixer at high speed, combine cream cheese with butter until smooth
  • Reduce speed to low
  • Beat in 1 cup powdered sugar and vanilla until combined
  • Carefully unroll cake and spread cream cheese mixture to within 1/4 inches of edges
  • Roll cake, using towel to help
  • Sprinkle with additional powdered sugar
Click the buttons below to share and print this recipe
Pin Recipe Print Recipe
Nutrition Facts
Perfect Fall Pumpkin Roll
Amount Per Serving (1 slice)
Calories 363 Calories from Fat 171
% Daily Value*
Fat 19g29%
Saturated Fat 11g55%
Cholesterol 95mg32%
Sodium 181mg8%
Potassium 137mg4%
Carbohydrates 44g15%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 32g36%
Protein 5g10%
Vitamin A 5127IU103%
Vitamin C 1mg1%
Calcium 55mg6%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutrition content will vary based on brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes, and more.

44 thoughts on “Perfect Fall Pumpkin Roll”

  1. I love pumpkin everything! I’ve never tried a rolled cake before “; they seem so intimidating. But I think I’ll give this a go!

  2. Oh wow! I’ve always wanted to do a “roll” of some kind because I think they look so cool, but I never have. This looks so incredibly tasty and not that hard at all actually! 😉

  3. 5 stars
    My husband and I have such a sweet tooth and we crave for sweets literally after every single meal even if its just a bite. These rolls look so Delicious and yummy and now I see they are not too difficult to make either.

    1. I completely understand because I am the same way! We often have mini chocolate chips in the pantry and I’ll grab a small handful of those after a meal for that kick of sweetness when we don’t have a dessert like this here.

  4. It’s fall and I love everything pumpkin. This look great. I’m savorying the opportunity to make this and eat with my favorite coffee. I love adding the cream cheese. This makes this recipe even more scrumptious. My husband always has a sweet tooth.

  5. This is the most perfect dessert for fall season! Also, the cream inside the roll looks so delicious! I’ll give a try to this recipe

  6. Ooooo yum!!! Just love pumpkin roll! It’s something I always bake during the fall. I might just have to try your recipe when the time comes!

  7. As always, you make it look/sound so easy! Not only do I want to try this combination, but (now that I know the secret of neatly “rolling” the roll!) I am tempted to try this technique on other combinations! (MMMMMM chocolate with peanut butter buttercream frosting 🙂 🙂 🙂 …)

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating