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Pumpkin Roll

Pumpkin roll features a tender spiced cake rolled with a smooth cream cheese filling and finished with a powdered sugar dusting. Bake the pumpkin sponge quickly at 375°F, roll it while warm to keep the spiral, then chill for clean slices.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 13 minutes
Chilling 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 43 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For pumpkin cake
  • 0.75 cup all-purpose flour
  • 0.5 tsp baking powder
  • 0.5 tsp baking soda
  • 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 0.25 tsp salt
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 0.67 cup pumpkin puree
  • 1 tsp vanilla
For cream cheese filling
  • 8 oz cream cheese softened
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 6 tbsp unsalted butter softened
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 0.5 tsp cinnamon
  • 0.5 powdered sugar for dusting

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 stand mixer

Method
 

Prep and bake the pumpkin cake
  1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 15x10 jelly roll pan, line with parchment, then grease again.
  2. Beat the eggs and granulated sugar until light. Mix in pumpkin puree and vanilla until smooth.
  3. Fold in all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and salt. Mix just until no dry streaks remain.
  4. Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan. Bake for 11-13 minutes, until the center springs back when lightly touched.
Roll and cool
  1. Invert the cake onto a powdered sugar-dusted towel. Peel off the parchment while the cake is still warm.
  2. Roll the cake in the towel from the short end. Cool completely while rolled so it holds the spiral shape.
Fill, re-roll, and chill
  1. Beat the cream cheese filling ingredients until smooth: cream cheese, powdered sugar, unsalted butter, vanilla, and cinnamon. Scrape down the bowl to ensure a lump-free filling.
  2. Unroll the cooled cake and spread the filling evenly. Re-roll without the towel into a tight spiral.
  3. Refrigerate the pumpkin roll for 1 hour. Dust generously with powdered sugar before slicing and serving.

Notes

Pro tip: roll the cake while warm (but not scorching) so it doesn’t crack—cooling it in the towel locks in the spiral. Store covered in the refrigerator up to 4 days; freeze slices in an airtight container up to 2 months. For a dairy-light option, use reduced-fat cream cheese and butter.