Celebrate the flavors of fall with a show-stopping Pumpkin Roll featuring a tender pumpkin spice cake swirled around a rich cream cheese filling. It's the perfect make ahead dessert for brunch or a fall party but simple enough to serve anytime during pumpkin season.
If you've never made a classic Pumpkin roll, this is the year to try it! Although making any type of rolled cake can be intimidating the first time, it's not nearly as complicated as it may seem. Plus, we're sharing our favorite tips to make the perfect pumpkin swiss roll even on your first try.
Why You'll Love This Pumpkin Roll Cake Recipe
- Stunning fall dessert. There's a reason the pumpkin cream cheese roll is such a classic. It has a gorgeous orange and white swirl that screams fall. From the spiced pumpkin cake to the heavenly cream cheese filling, nothing tops a homemade pumpkin roll!
- Perfect balance of flavor. Elevate ordinary canned pumpkin by making this fluffy, tender pumpkin cake filled with warm spices. The tangy cream cheese frosting adds a creamy texture that cuts through the rich sweetness of the moist pumpkin cake, keeping this dessert from becoming too sweet.
- Easy step-by-step recipe. This classic pumpkin roll recipe is the best of the best. Follow these simple step-by-step instructions to make a perfect pumpkin roll, even as a total beginner.
Ingredient Notes
To make this delicious Pumpkin Roll recipe, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):
Pumpkin roll ingredients
- cooking oil spray - prepare the pan really well for easy removal.
- confectioner's sugar - this is used to roll the cake, not to sweeten it.
- all purpose flour - although you can also use pastry flour, all purpose flour is easy to find and works really well.
- baking soda - this will help lift the batter, making this cake light and airy.
- spices - use classic fall spices like cinnamon, allspice, ground ginger, and nutmeg.
- salt
- eggs - combined with baking soda, these will help the pumpkin cake batter rise and have a tender, fluffy texture.
- white sugar - this will sweeten the cake batter just enough without making it too sweet.
- pumpkin puree - choose either storebought or homemade pumpkin puree. Don't use pumpkin pie filling — it has sugar and spices already mixed in.
- vanilla extract
Cream cheese filling ingredients
- cream cheese - start with softened cream cheese to make the cream cheese mixture really fluffy.
- unsalted butter - room temperature butter will whip the best.
- confectioner's sugar - this adds a little sweetness to balance the tangy cream cheese.
- vanilla extract - this adds another layer of scent and flavor to make the sweet cream cheese filling taste really luxurious.
You will also need jelly roll pan (10x15 half sheet tray), cooking spray, parchment paper, clean kitchen towel, whisk, medium and large mixing bowls, hand mixer, wire rack, and a sifter for sprinkling powdered sugar.
How to Make the Best Pumpkin Roll
First, bake the pumpkin cake.
- Prep. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Spray a 10x15-inch jelly roll pan with cooking oil spray and parchment paper, ensuring that the parchment overhangs the pan by about 1-inch for easy removal. Spray the top of the parchment with cooking spray, as well. Layout a clean cotton kitchen towel. Liberally sprinkle it with confectioners’ sugar. This will be used later to roll up the pumpkin roll.
- Combine dry ingredients. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice, ginger, nutmeg, and salt, until well-combined. Set aside.
- Combine wet ingredients. In a separate large mixing bowl, add the eggs, white sugar, and vanilla. Use a hand mixer to beat on high until thickened and voluminous, about 5 minutes. Add pumpkin puree, then beat again until smooth and combined.
- Add dry to wet. Add the dry ingredients to the batter. Beat until combined and smooth.
- Bake. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Place into the oven to bake for 13-15 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
- Roll. When the cake comes out of the oven, immediately invert it onto the prepared kitchen towel, and peel off the parchment paper. Sprinkle the top of the cake liberally with more confectioners’ sugar, then immediately roll the cake slowly and gently from the narrow end with the kitchen towel until the entire cake is rolled into the towel. Note that the cake will be warm when first rolled.
- Cool. Allow the cake to cool rolled up in the towel for 30-45 minutes.
Next, make the cream cheese filling.
Prepare the Cream Cheese filling while the cake cools. In a large mixing bowl, add the butter and cream cheese. Use a hand mixer to beat until combined and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add in the confectioners’ sugar and vanilla, then beat again for 3-5 minutes, or until fluffy.
Finally, assemble the roll cake.
- Unroll. After the cake has cooled down completely for the allotted time, gently and very slowly unroll the cake.
- Ice. Use a small icing spatula to carefully spread the cream cheese filling evenly onto the cake, leaving a 1-inch border on the top and bottom empty.
- Roll. Carefully and slowly roll the cake back up. Cover tightly with plastic cling wrap and place into the fridge to set for at least 1 hour, up to overnight.
- Serve. Dust with confectioners’ sugar before serving.
Recipe Variations
- Add chopped nuts or shaved chocolate. Before you roll your frosted pumpkin cake roll, sprinkle chopped toasted walnuts or shave some dark chocolate over the cream cheese mixture for a little crunch.
- Adjust the spices. Although we love the blend of spices in this easy pumpkin roll recipe, you can use all pumpkin pie spice, all cinnamon, or add a little flair with ground cardamom or extra ginger.
- Decorate it. This beautiful pumpkin roll is lovely sprinkled with a little powdered sugar, but you don't have to end there! You can pipe a design onto the baking tray before you add the cake batter, slice it into thick rounds then glaze them with melted ganache and sugar pumpkins, or pipe little meringue mushrooms or pumpkin macarons for a fun scene. Have fun with it!
How to Serve
This pumpkin roll is delicious served on its own, or paired as part of a dessert spread with some of my favorite fall desserts, including:
- Pecan Pie Bars
- Pumpkin Bundt Cake
- Caramel Apples
- Pecan Pie Brownies
- Apple Pie Bars
For more dessert recipe inspiration, see our 50 Best Fall Desserts.
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- Prepare the pan first. To make a great swiss roll, the warm cake has to come out of the cake perfectly. Spray your sheet pan really well, lay out the piece of parchment paper, and have your clean tea towel ready to go.
- Roll the cake right away. It feels strange to roll a hot cake, but it's essential! You need to train the cake how to roll otherwise, it will crack and break when you reroll it later.
- Be gentle adding the filling. After you unroll the cake to add the cream cheese filling, the cake won't lay perfectly flat. Be gentle to avoid breaking the delicate sponge cake.
- Bring your cream cheese and butter to room temperature. For the best cream cheese filling, you need to let the cream cheese and butter soften. Otherwise, they'll be thick and dense, not the fluffy, creamy cloud you're dreaming of.
Storing and Freezing Instructions
How to Store
Before you serve this cake, it should be refrigerated to firm up, and you should continue refrigerating it after your party, too. It will last 4-5 days in the fridge in an airtight container or covered with plastic wrap. The powdered sugar may fall off or dissolve in the fridge, so sprinkle it with extra right before serving.
How to Reheat
This cake is typically served chilled or at room temperature. If you heat it, the cream cheese mixture will melt and become a mess. If you prefer it warm, try microwaving a slice for 10-15 seconds.
How to Freeze
To freeze your pumpkin roll for later, wrap it well with plastic wrap, then store it in a freezer-safe bag for 2-3 months. Let it thaw in the fridge for several hours before serving.
FAQs
The best pumpkin rolls are made with a heavenly Cream Cheese Filling, which adds a sweet tangy flavor and creaminess that pairs perfectly with the fluffy, springy cake. It's so easy to make your own cream cheese filling. Just whip together softened cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until light and fluffy.
If this is the first time you've made a swiss roll, it can be a little intimidating to nail the rolling process! Fortunately, it's quite easy. You'll need to remove the cake from the pan while it is still hot, inverting it onto a clean tea towel coated with confectioner's sugar. Then, slowly and carefully roll it from the long side. Let the hot cake cool on a wire rack for 30-45 minutes while you prepare the filling. Then, carefully unroll the cake, add your filling, and slowly reroll the cake. Let it chill in the fridge to firm up, then sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve!
Since the pumpkin roll filling is made from just cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract, there are only two reasons why the filling would be runny. The first issue is if you added too much vanilla extract. However, it would take quite a bit of extract to have this problem. It's much more likely that the cream cheese and butter are too warm. They should be soft before whipping, but not wet or runny. If your filling is too runny, chill it for 20-30 minutes, then try rewhipping.
More Pumpkin Dessert Recipes
- 20 Best Pumpkin Desserts
- Pumpkin Bread
- Pumpkin Pie
- No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake
- Pumpkin Mousse
- Mini Pumpkin Pies
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