Pumpkin Roll Cake + Video

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A classic pumpkin roll cake will never go out of style – it’s easy, tasty, and fun! Make this stunning dessert to serve after a holiday meal.

A pumpkin spice roll is a wonderful alternative to a traditional pie. It has all the classic flavors you love, but it’s wrapped around a rich cream cheese filling too!

You may be nervous to take on this kind of dessert, but it’s really quite simple. All you need are the right tools and a little bit of patience.

Does autumn mean “pumpkin spice everything” to you? Then you’ll love the seasonal flavors incorporated in these snickerdoodle cookies, no bake pumpkin cheesecake, or ooey gooey bombs. I even have a New York cheesecake recipe if you’re craving something truly decadent!

titled image for pumpkin roll cake recipe


 

Pumpkin Roll Cake – Tips and Tricks

  • Spray the pan. This prevents the parchment paper from sliding around when you pour in the batter.
  • Use room temperature ingredients. Allow the eggs to rest on the counter about 30 minutes before you get started. They’ll incorporate more evenly into the batter and give the cake a fluffier texture.
  • Go slow! Take your time when rolling and watch the edges so they stay even. 
  • Tip for preventing cracks: The cake is more pliable when hot, so you’ll need to shape it right out of the oven. Once it cools in this shape, you can unroll it to add the filling and reshape it without any breaks!
  • Create perfect slices. Unflavored dental floss glides cleanly through the cake without squishing like a knife might. If you don’t have any, be sure to use a large knife that is very sharp – you want to press down in one motion, not saw back and forth.
pumpkin swiss roll ingredients

RECIPE VIDEO

Watch the video below to see how easy it is to make this recipe!

pumpkin spice cake batter in a pan

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rolling pumpkin cake in kitchen towel

FAQ – Common Recipe Questions

What’s the best way to soften cream cheese?

On the counter is the preferred method so the texture is consistent. It takes about 30 to 45 minutes to soften, so keep an eye on the clock.

If you forgot, don’t worry! You can unwrap the block, place it on a heat-safe plate, and microwave for 20 to 30 seconds at 50% power.

rolling frosted pumpkin cake

Can I make a pumpkin swiss roll ahead of time?

You sure can! Between baking, rolling, and chilling, it already takes several hours to make. I highly recommend preparing this a day or two in advance if you’ll be serving it at a holiday meal.

Keep it whole and slice just before serving. Once sliced, pumpkin roll cake will last for up to 5 days in the refrigerator.

You can also freeze the dessert whole for up to a month, then thaw it in the refrigerator overnight. Wrap it tightly in multiple layers of plastic to prevent it from drying out.

pumpkin spice roll on a cutting board

Enjoy!

With love from our simple kitchen to yours. 

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pumpkin roll cake close up on a board

sliced pumpkin roll cake

Pumpkin Roll Cake + Video

Donna Elick
A classic pumpkin roll cake will never go out of style – it’s easy, tasty, and fun! Make this stunning dessert to serve after a holiday meal.
5 stars from 3 reviews
Tried this recipe?Please comment and review!
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Method Oven
Servings 12

Ingredients
 

  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2/3 cup pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
  • powdered sugar for dusting

Filling

  • 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 2 tablespoons butter, softened
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 375°F.
  • Line a 15”x10” jelly roll pan with parchment paper, set aside.
  • In a medium bowl whisk together your eggs, sugar, flour, pumpkin, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger until no lumps remain.
  • Pour the batter into your prepared baking pan and spread it out to the sides.
  • Bake for about 10-15 minutes or until the top springs back when touched, remove from oven.
  • Liberally sprinkle the hot cake with powdered sugar. Place a tea towel that is slightly larger than your cake over top. Top with a cooling rack or larger baking sheet on top of that. Hold the stack together firmly and flip the cake over onto the cooling rack. Remove the parchment paper.
  • While the cake is still hot, fold the towel over the short edge of the cake. Slowly roll up your cake (with the tea towel inside) and leave it rolled until it is completely cooled about 1-1 1/2 hours.
  • Meanwhile to make your filling beat your cream cheese in a medium bowl until it is light and fluffy.
  • Add your butter, powdered sugar and vanilla and continue to beat until smooth, set aside.
  • Carefully unroll your cooled cake roll, remove the towel and spread your filling all over the surface of the cake. Then roll the cake back up tightly. Wrap the cake in plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled, about 1 hour.

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 1 | Calories: 238cal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 71mg | Sodium: 185mg | Sugar: 28g | Fiber: 1g | Calcium: 32mg | Iron: 1mg

All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe’s nutritional value will vary depending on the ingredients used, measuring methods, and portion sizes.

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
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titled collage for pumpkin cake recipe

Originally published November 2017, updated and republished October 2021

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11 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    My mom makes this cake, and I had to get the recipe from her. No more waiting for my mom to make it, I can make it myself! It came out just as good as hers did.

  2. Thank you for wonderful ideas for honoring my family and friends from my kitchen to the table ❤️❤️❤️

  3. A few problems I had with this…unfortunately I had several cracks in the roll when I unrolled it to add filling. And my roll seemed to stick to the towel so it made it difficult to re-roll it. What did I do wrong? Help

  4. 5 stars
    Aileen, I put powered sugar lightly on the towel, also I throw some chopped up pecans on the towel. Hope this helps! ( A few cracks won’t hurt the flavor.) 😊

  5. 5 stars
    What a fabulous recipe! I just added another sheet of parchment on top of the cooked cake before rolling it in the towel to prevent sticking while cooling. It turned out perfectly!

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