Impress your guests with this Pumpkin Roll—a soft, spiced pumpkin cake filled with sweet cream cheese frosting. A classic, cozy fall dessert that’s easier to make than it looks!
Few desserts say “fall” quite like a classic Pumpkin Roll—that perfect swirl of soft, spiced pumpkin cake wrapped around a creamy, sweet filling. It’s elegant enough for a Thanksgiving table yet easy enough for a cozy weekend bake!
Why This Version Works (And Refuses To Crack!)
- Concentrated Pumpkin: You’ll drive off extra water so the sponge bakes fast and bends instead of breaking.
- Whipped Eggs, Not Heavy Batter: We build lift with beaten eggs and sugar, then fold—this keeps the sponge flexible.
- Thin, Even Sheet: A proper jelly-roll pan + offset spatula = uniform thickness and even bake.
- Roll While Hot: The cake learns the curl while warm, then cools into muscle memory.
- Soft, Stable Filling: Cream cheese + a little butter for structure; not too sweet—so the spice speaks.
Tools That Make You Fast
- 10×15-inch (25×38 cm) jelly-roll pan, rimmed (not 9×13)
- Parchment paper cut to fit the pan, plus one extra sheet for rolling or a clean, lint-free kitchen towel
- Fine-mesh sieve, two medium bowls, one large bowl
- Balloon whisk and rubber spatula (or a hand/stand mixer)
- Small offset spatula for spreading
- Cooling rack
Ingredients (Measured Like A Bakery)
Yield: 10–12 slices
Oven: 375°F (190°C), rack center
Time: 25 minutes prep + 11–14 minutes bake + cooling
Sponge (Pumpkin Cake)
- ⅔ cup (160 g) pumpkin purée, thickened (see Step 1)
- ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) neutral oil (sunflower/avocado)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¾ cup (95 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp fine sea salt
- 1¾ tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- Pinch ground cloves (about 1/16 tsp)
For Rolling
- ¼–⅓ cup (30–40 g) powdered sugar, for dusting towel/parchment
Filling (Silky, Pipes Clean)
- 8 oz (225 g) cream cheese, soft but cool
- 4 tbsp (56 g) unsalted butter, soft
- 1½ cups (180 g) powdered sugar, sifted
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Pinch fine sea salt
Optional: 2–3 tbsp (20–30 g) very finely chopped toasted pecans (fold in at the end)
Finish
- Extra powdered sugar for dusting
Optional: Very fine orange zest or a line of cinnamon over the top
The Best Pumpkin Roll!
1. Concentrate The Pumpkin (Crack Insurance)
Spread the pumpkin purée thinly on a plate. Microwave 60–90 seconds (or bake at 300°F/150°C for 8–10 minutes) until the surface looks slightly matte and darker. Scrape into a bowl and cool 5 minutes.
Cue: Drag a spoon through; the trench fills slowly, not immediately.
2. Prep The Pan + Oven
Heat to 375°F (190°C). Line the jelly-roll pan with parchment, leaving a little overhang at the short ends. Lightly mist or wipe the parchment with a thin film of oil.
3. Set Up The Rolling Surface
Lay a clean, lint-free towel on the counter and dust generously with ¼ cup powdered sugar (or) place a second sheet of parchment down and dust that. Keep nearby.
4. Whisk The Dry
In a medium bowl whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves until the color is uniform—no spice clumps.
5. Whip Eggs & Sugar (The Lift)
In a large bowl, beat eggs and granulated sugar 2–3 minutes (hand mixer medium-high) until pale and thick—ribbons should fall from the beaters. Beat in oil, vanilla, and the thickened pumpkin until smooth.
6. Fold Like You Mean It (But Gently)
Sift half the dry mix over the pumpkin mixture. Fold with a spatula 8–10 strokes. Sift in the rest; fold just until no flour streaks remain. Batter should be light and pourable.
7. Spread Thin, Even
Pour into the lined pan. Use the offset spatula to push batter into corners and level to an even thin sheet. Rap the pan once on the counter to pop big bubbles.
8. Bake To The Cue, Not The Minute
Bake 11–14 minutes. Done = edges look set and pull slightly from parchment; the top springs back when touched lightly; a toothpick near the center comes out with a moist crumb, not wet batter. Don’t overbake—dry cakes crack.
9. Invert & Roll While Hot
Working quickly, run a knife around the edges. Invert the hot cake onto your sugared towel/parchment. Peel off the baking parchment. Dust the warm top lightly with a whisper of powdered sugar (prevents sticking).
Starting from a short side, roll the cake up with the towel/parchment inside—snug but not tight. Place seam-side down on a rack to cool 45–60 minutes until the cake is barely warm.
10. Make The Filling (Smooth, Not Runny)
Beat cream cheese and butter 1–2 minutes until creamy. Add powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt; beat just until smooth and spreadable. If it feels loose, chill 10 minutes; if too stiff, rest it 5 minutes at room temp.
11. Unroll & Fill
Gently unroll the cake. If small cracks appear, ignore them—the filling bridges everything. Spread filling evenly to the edges, leaving a ¼-inch border on the last edge (so the swirl doesn’t squeeze out). Add pecans if using.
12. Roll (The Final Spiral)
Re-roll the cake (this time without the towel), again from the short side. Wrap snugly in parchment or plastic wrap. Chill at least 1 hour (or up to 2 days) to set the shape and make slicing clean.
13. Finish & Slice
Unwrap, place seam-side down, dust with powdered sugar, and slice with a long serrated knife using gentle sawing motions. Wipe the blade between cuts for museum-quality spirals.
Texture Dials & Flavor Switch-Ups
- Ultra-Soft Sponge: Replace 2 tbsp flour with 2 tbsp cornstarch (cake-flour effect).
- Maple Twist: Swap ¼ cup powdered sugar in the filling with 2 tbsp maple syrup + 2 tbsp powdered sugar; add a pinch of cinnamon.
- Orange Glow: Add ½ tsp very fine orange zest to the sponge and ½ tsp to the filling.
- Nutty Edge: Toast pecans at 350°F/175°C for 7–8 minutes, cool, then chop very fine before folding into the filling or sprinkling in a thin line before rolling.
- Less Sweet: Drop powdered sugar in filling to 1¼ cups (150 g); add a pinch more salt to balance.
Make-Ahead, Storage & Serving
- Make-Ahead: Fully assembled roll keeps 2 days in the fridge, wrapped. Flavors mingle; slicing gets cleaner.
- Freeze: Wrap the whole roll tightly in plastic + foil; freeze up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before dusting and slicing.
- Serving Temp: Slightly chilled slices hold shape best; bring to counter 10–15 minutes for the cream cheese to relax.
- Leftovers: Refrigerate airtight 4–5 days. Dust with fresh sugar before serving (powdered sugar dissolves in the fridge).
Troubleshooting (I’ve Broken A Few On Purpose For Science)
- Cracks While Rolling: Cake was overbaked or pumpkin wasn’t concentrated. Next time bake to spring-back cue and dry the pumpkin. Small surface cracks vanish once filled.
- Sticky Top: Not enough powdered sugar on the rolling towel/parchment or steam condensed. Dust generously; work quickly.
- Filling Oozes: Cake was warm or filling was too soft. Chill the rolled cake longer; if needed, stir 2 tbsp extra powdered sugar into the filling.
- Flat Flavor: Add a pinch more salt to both sponge and filling, and dust the top with cinnamon–sugar instead of plain sugar.
- Gummy Bite: Overmixed after flour went in. Fold gently and stop when the flour disappears.
Serve It Like You Mean It
- Classic: Dust with sugar and park a dollop of lightly sweetened whipped cream on the side.
- Café Plate: Drizzle a thin ring of maple around the slice and scatter chopped candied pecans.
- Holiday Glow: Pipe mini rosettes of leftover filling on top and set a pecan half into each.
Bookmark this, preheat with purpose, and send me your spiral shot when the first slice hushes the room—your season of pumpkin roll glory starts now!
