Recipe for pumpkin roll with cream cheese filling

Prep: 30 min. Bake: 15 min. + freezing

10 servings

This pumpkin roll recipe is great to keep in the freezer for a quick dessert for my family or unexpected guests, to take to a gathering, or to give as a yummy gift. —Erica Berchtold, Freeport, Illinois

Ingredients

• 3 large eggs, separated, room temperature
• 1 cup sugar, divided
• 2/3 cup canned pumpkin
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• FILLING:
• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 2 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Additional confectioners' sugar, optional

Directions

1. Line a 15x10x1-in. baking pan with waxed paper; grease the paper and set aside. In a large bowl, beat egg yolks on high speed until thick and lemon-colored. Gradually add 1/2 cup sugar and pumpkin, beating on high until sugar is almost dissolved.
2. In a small bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining 1/2 cup sugar, beating until stiff peaks form. Fold into egg yolk mixture. Combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; gently fold into pumpkin mixture. Spread into prepared pan.
3. Bake at 375° until cake springs back when lightly touched, 12-15 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes. Turn cake onto a kitchen towel dusted with confectioners’ sugar. Gently peel off waxed paper. Roll up cake in the towel jelly-roll style, starting with a short side. Cool completely on a wire rack.
4. In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter, confectioners' sugar and vanilla until smooth. Unroll cake; spread filling evenly to within 1/2 in. of edges. Roll up again, without towel. Cover and freeze until firm. May be frozen for up to 3 months. Remove from the freezer 15 minutes before cutting. If desired, dust with confectioners’ sugar.

Pumpkin Roll Tips

How can you keep your pumpkin roll from cracking?

Cracks are the bane of all cake rolls, but they aren’t inevitable! Just like all cake recipes, there are tips and tricks you can utilize to make the perfect cake. The most important thing you can do to prevent cracks is to roll the sponge cake while it’s still hot out of the oven. The heat and moisture still in the cake will help keep the sponge intact. Another cause of cracks is if your cake is overbaked. Timing is key—since the cake layer is so thin, you have to remove it from the oven just as it’s done. Learn more about how to make a cake roll without cracks.

How can you make this pumpkin roll recipe your own?

Jazz up your pumpkin roll by swirling some of your favorite jams or preserves into the filling for a decorative and extra flavorful effect. We suggest apricot preserves, blackberry jam, apple butter, even a bit of maple syrup to go with the autumnal flavor. Sprinkle the top of the roll with some toasted pecans, almonds, or mini chocolate chips.

How should you store your pumpkin roll?

Like many cakes, leftover pumpkin roll can be stored for a number of days without sacrificing any quality. If wrapped well and refrigerated, this cake can be stored up to 4, maybe 5 days. You can also make this pumpkin roll recipe ahead of time and freeze it. First, wrap the assembled cake in plastic wrap or parchment paper, and then in foil. You can then freeze it up to 3 months. To use, let the cake roll thaw, unwrapped, in the refrigerator. Learn more about how to store cakes.

Can you make your pumpkin roll ahead of time?

A lot of cake rolls have a delicate filling of whipped cream or mousse. Cake rolls with these types of fillings can only be made up to 24 hours ahead of time because after that, the filling starts to collapse and makes the cake soggy. But this pumpkin roll recipe has a cream cheese filling, so you can make it days ahead of time without having to worry about it falling apart. However, if you get stuck and didn’t get to make your cake ahead of time, be sure to budget in at least 30 minutes for the cake to cool and "harden" into the roll shape.

—James Schend, Taste of Home Deputy Culinary Editor and Mark Neufang, Taste of Home Culinary Assistant

Nutrition Facts

1 slice: 285 calories, 12g fat (7g saturated fat), 94mg cholesterol, 261mg sodium, 41g carbohydrate (32g sugars, 1g fiber), 5g protein.

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We love this amazingly light and spongy, well spiced Pumpkin Roll with Cream Cheese Filling. The pretty swirled cake is festive, not overly sweet and great for holiday gatherings like Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Classic Pumpkin Roll Recipe with Cream Cheese Filling

Our easy Pumpkin Roll makes a stunning presentation and couldn’t be easier to make! The cake batter comes together quickly and bakes in under 15 minutes. The overall hands-on time is less than 30 minutes giving you plenty of opportunities to squeeze this recipe into your holiday menu.

Most of the time listed for this quintessential fall favorite is for cooling and chilling. Make it the night before and chill until needed. Sprinkle with powdered sugar just before serving and enjoy.

Overview of ingredients:

For the pumpkin roll:

• powdered sugar
• all-purpose flour
• baking soda
• pumpkin spice – if you don’t have pumpkin spice on hand, use a combination of cinnamon, ginger, ground cloves and nutmeg. Pumpkin spice is also sold as pumpkin pie spice. You can also make your own DIY Pumpkin Pie Spice.
• salt
• room temperature eggs
• granulated sugar
• canned pumpkin puree

For the cream cheese filling:

• cream cheese at room temperature for easy blending
• unsalted butter at room temperature
• powdered sugar
• vanilla extract
• (optional) lemon juice for a nice tangy and bright citrus flavor

Equipment needed to make Pumpkin Roll:

• 10×15-inch jelly roll pan
• parchment paper
• mixer
• clean, thin kitchen towel

Overview: how to make Pumpkin Roll

1. How to make the cake:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 10 x 15-inch jelly roll pan with parchment paper. Leave extra paper hanging over the sides of the pan. Set aside.

Spread a clean, thin kitchen tea towel out onto the countertop. Sift powdered sugar over the towel. This will be used to roll up the cake.

First whisk together the dry ingredients and set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment beat the sugar and eggs using an electric mixer until lightened and thick, about 6 to 8 minutes.

Add the pumpkin puree and blend on low just until incorporated.

Using a spatula fold in the flour mixture until smooth. Pour into the prepared pan and spread the batter spread evenly.

Bake for 13 to 15 minutes or until the cake springs back when touched or a toothpick comes out with no wet batter.

2. How to roll the pumpkin cake:

Carefully turn the hot cake out (face down) onto the prepared, powdered sugar coated cotton kitchen towel. Carefully remove the parchment paper and discard.

Slowly roll the pumpkin sheet cake up into the towel, starting with a narrow end. Cool completely on a wire rack before filling, about 2 hours. Rolling the cake while warm will help prevent cracking.

3. How to make the cream cheese frosting / filling:

Beat the cream cheese and butter together with a hand mixer until blended and smooth. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla and lemon juice, if using. Beat until blended.

4. How to fill the cake roll:

Gently and slowly unroll the cooled cake. Dollop the filling over the cake then spread evenly using an offset spatula leaving a 1/2 inch border around the edges.

Re-roll the cake leaving the towel behind. If any part of the cake sticks to the towel while rolling, use a small paring knife or thin spatula to help loosen and pull away.

Seal the cake roll in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 24.

To serve, remove the cake from the fridge, carefully unwrap and place on a serving platter. Sift powdered sugar over the top of the cake, slice and serve. You can also top with pecans or walnuts if desired.

What we love about this Pumpkin Roll cake recipe

We love how easy this cake is to make and how pretty it is once rolled and filled.

It’s a simple cake with a perfect combination of flavors.

We’ve made this cake many, many times over the years. Most of the time we use 1 teaspoon of pumpkin spice but have added up to 2 teaspoons total for extra flavor. If your family is nuts for pumpkin spice everything, 1 1/2 teaspoons may be a great place to start.

The cake is not overly sweet but has plenty of flavor from the pumpkin spice and tangy cream cheese filling.

To brighten the flavor just a little, we add one teaspoon of fresh lemon juice to the silky, rich cream cheese filling. Lemon is a terrific flavor that complements many pumpkin and gingerbread recipes.

Make ahead Pumpkin Roll with Cream Cheese Filling

As mentioned above, this cake is best served after it’s had time to chill. It won’t hurt to wait 18 hours or so before serving.

However once dusted with powdered sugar the cake is best eaten within a few hours. Powdered sugar soaks into this moist sponge and disappears leaving the exterior somewhat moist.

This melted sugar does not affect the flavor of the cake. It only makes the exterior somewhat damp. Leftovers will keep for up to 5 days if well sealed in the refrigerator.

For best results dust with powdered sugar right before you’re ready to serve and enjoy!

What’s your favorite holiday pumpkin recipe?

We love our pumpkin desserts and have many tested and perfected recipes you might like to try:

Pumpkin Pie, Pumpkin Breakfast Cake, Pumpkin Crinkle Cookies and Spiced Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies are just a few that come to mind.

We have two pumpkin cheesecake recipes and love them both. One has an unbaked filling and turtle inspired topping, while the second is more like a New York style spiced cheesecake.

Enjoy!

Thanks for PINNING!

Pumpkin Roll with Cream Cheese Filling

Total Time: 3 hrs 43 mins

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Spongy, well spiced pumpkin cake rolled up with a silky cream cheese filling. An instant holiday classic!

• 10×15-inch jelly roll baking pan

For the pumpkin roll:

• ⅓ cup powdered sugar for dusting on towel before rolling up
• ¾ cups all-purpose flour (100g)
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin spice (add up to 1 additional teaspoon for more spice)
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 3 large eggs room temperature
• 1 cup granulated sugar (222g)
• ⅔ cup canned pumpkin puree (165g)

For the filling:

• 8 ounces cream cheese room temperature
• 4 tablespoon unsalted butter room temperature
• 1 cup powdered sugar sifted (115g)
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice (optional)

To prepare the cake:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 10 x 15 jelly roll pan with parchment paper with extra hanging over sides. Set aside.

• Lay a thin clean kitchen tea towel out flat on a clean kitchen counter. Sift powdered sugar over the towel.

• In a small bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, pumpkin spice and salt. Set aside.

• In a separate large mixing bowl combine the eggs and sugar. Using an electric mixer beat until lightened and thick, about 6-8 minutes. Add the pumpkin and mix on low until blended. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the flour mixture until smooth. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan.

• Bake for 13 to 15 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Remove from the oven and then carefully turn the cake out (face down) onto the prepared sugared towel. Gently peel off the parchment paper and discard. Slowly roll the cake up in the towel, starting with narrow end. Cool to room temperature before filling.

To prepare the filling:

• Combine the cream cheese and butter in a medium bowl. Using an electric mixer beat until smooth. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla and lemon juice, if using. Mix on low until blended and smooth.

• Gently and slowly unroll the cooled cake. Dollop the cream cheese filling evenly over cake then spread leaving a ½-inch border around the edges. Re-roll the cake (without the kitchen towel). Wrap the cake roll in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour before serving.

To serve:

• Unwrap the cake roll and place on a serving platter. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Use a serrated knife to slice into 1-inch thick pieces. Store leftovers in an airtight container with a lid.

• Substitute 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon and 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves for the pumpkin spice
• Pumpkin Roll can be made the day before serving. 
• The cake should be served immediately after sprinkling with powdered sugar.
• The surface of the leftover cake may be moist after the powdered sugar soaks into the sponge. The cake is still good to eat for several days. Add fresh powdered sugar to the leftover roll before serving if desired.
• Store leftovers in the refrigerator.

Originally adapted from Libby’s Original Pumpkin Roll recipe 

Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. When multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.

Calories: 397kcal | Carbohydrates: 57g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 108mg | Sodium: 331mg | Potassium: 122mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 46g | Vitamin A: 3823IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 48mg | Iron: 1mg

Spiced Pumpkin Roll with Cream Cheese Filling

Everybody loves this easy to make, pretty, swirled, light and spongy classic Pumpkin Roll!

Originally published November 2010, updated November 2021

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