This easy pumpkin roll cake combines a soft, spiced pumpkin cake with a rich, tangy cream cheese filling. It’s a breeze to make, but looks impressive enough for any autumn gathering! Though this rolled cake is easy to make, jelly roll cakes can feel a bit daunting at first. That’s why we’re breaking down the process with detailed, step-by-step photo instructions, along with all my best tips to guarantee your pumpkin roll cake turns out perfectly.
Fall is in the air, and nothing says autumn quite like a classic pumpkin roll cake. This easy-to-make dessert pairs soft, spiced pumpkin cake with a rich, creamy swirl of tangy cream cheese frosting.
Not only does it look impressive, but it’s the perfect balance of warmth and sweetness for any fall occasion. Whether you’re hosting Thanksgiving or just want to enjoy a cozy weekend treat, this pumpkin roll will quickly become a seasonal favorite!
You’ll love this recipe because:
- It’s simple enough for beginners yet looks like a showstopper.
- The pumpkin spice flavors perfectly complement the cream cheese frosting.
- It can be made ahead of time and stored, making it a convenient option for holiday prep.
Ingredients & Substitutions
Shop efficiently (treat this as your grocery list) and gather your ingredients at home without running circles in your kitchen. (i.e. One trip to the fridge to get all your dairy needs.)
REFRIGERATED:
- eggs. 150g eggs (weight is without shell) – that’s about 3 large eggs if you live in North America.
- cream cheese. You need 250g of cream cheese. Get those cream cheese blocks and not the spreadable ones in tubs.
- butter. 1 tablespoon or 14g of melted, unsalted butter.
PANTRY:
- flour. 94g (¾ cup) of all purpose flour – this provides structure to the cake. I urge you to weigh your flour, but if you’re still using cups, measure flour using the spoon and level method.
- baking soda. 1 teaspoon of baking soda will help the cake rise, giving it a light, airy texture. Baking soda lose its leavening power over time so make sure yours are still good.
- salt. There’s two amounts of salt for this recipe: ½ teaspoon of fine sea salt for the pumpkin roll. Then another ½ teaspoon for the cream cheese filling. You may substitute table salt in equal amount.
- spices. 1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice. You can find pumpkin pie spice in the baking aisle of most grocery stores or make your own. Here’s a quick recipe for homemade pumpkin pie spice.
DIY PUMPKIN SPICE: To make your own pumpkin spice, combine: 3 Tablespoons ground cinnamon, 2 teaspoons ground ginger, 1 and 1/2 teaspoons ground nutmeg, 1 teaspoon ground cloves, and 1 teaspoon ground allspice. Whisk all of the ingredients together in a small bowl, the store in an air-tight jar. Store at room temperature in a dry place.
- powdered sugar. There’s two amounts of powdered sugar/ confectioner’s sugar: First, we need 85g (¾ cup) of for dusting the pumpkin roll. The second amount, which is 140g (1¼ cup) is for making the cream cheese filling.
- sugar. 200g (1 cup) of granulated white sugar
- pumpkin puree. 150g (⅔ cup) of canned pumpkin puree. We want pure pumpkin puree, NOT pumpkin pie filling.
- vanilla. 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract.
Recommended Tools For This Recipe
- digital food scale (this is a must…and check-out the cute colors!)
- stand mixer or hand mixer – I own and love the convenience of this cordless mixer!
- jelly roll pan
- parchment paper
- baking spray
- cooling rack
- fine mesh strainer
How to Make Pumpkin Roll Cake Cake Step-By-Step
STEP 1. Preheat and Prep: Preheat your oven (NO FAN) to 350°F (175°C).
Gather and measure all your ingredients. Make sure the cream cheese is at room temperature for smooth, lump-free frosting.
Spray a 15×10-inch jelly roll pan with nonstick spray or grease with butter to make the parchment paper stick. Line it with parchment paper, then spray or grease the parchment paper too so the cake seamlessly releases after baking.
(Tip: Using scissors, make small vertical cuts in each of the 4 corners of your parchment paper. This step lets you fold one flap behind the other so that the paper fits neatly inside the pan, as you see in the photo.)
STEP 2. Mix the flour mixture: Whisk the flour, baking soda, salt, and pumpkin pie spice, together in a medium bowl. Set aside.
STEP 3. Make the Wet Ingredients: In another medium bowl, whisk the eggs, sugar, and pumpkin puree together until combined.
STEP 4. Add the flour mixture into the wet ingredients and whisk until just combined. Do NOT overmix!
STEP 5. Bake: Spread batter evenly into prepared pan – an offset spatula is a great tool to use here. Give the pan a shake to make sure the batter is level and reaches the corners.
Bake until a tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 15 minutes.
STEP 6. Prepare the kitchen towel: While the cake is baking, lay a thin kitchen towel (or parchment paper) flat on the counter. The towel should be bigger than the size of your baking pan and it should have little to no texture. Dust with 3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar. Using a fine mesh sifter will help it from clumping.
Once the cake comes out of the oven, immediately invert it onto the towel then gently peel off the parchment paper.
STEP 7. Shape and cool: Starting with the short end, begin gently but tightly roll cake into a log. Do this slowly and gently. The cake will be warm since it just came out of the oven.
Let the cake to cool completely while rolled up in the towel, about 2-3 hours depending on how cold is your kitchen.
STEP 8. Make the cream cheese filling: In a mixing bowl, using a handheld mixer or stand mixer on medium high speed, beat the cream cheese, confectioner’s sugar, butter, vanilla, and salt until smooth.
STEP 9. Add the Filling: Gently and slowly unroll the cake. Flatten it out and spread the filling evenly on top, leaving about a 1/2-inch border around the cake.
STEP 10. Roll: Gently and slowly roll the cake back up, without the towel this time. Make sure you’re rolling it tightly. Some frosting may spill out the side – that’s totally okay.
STEP 11. Chill: Loosely cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 20 minutes to let the filling set before slicing and serving.
STEP 12. To serve: slice the ends, then dust the top with confectioners’ sugar, if desired.
Pumpkin Roll Cake FAQs
Prepared cake roll, with frosting, freezes well for up to 2–3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before slicing and serving.
It’s best to stick with pumpkin puree here. Pumpkin pie filling have added sugars and spices, plus the pie filling isn’t the same consistency as the puree, so the results will be compromised.
We roll the pumpkin roll cake in a towel (or piece of parchment) to prevent it from sticking to itself. Rolling the cake while it’s warm allows it to cool in the rolled shape. That means no cracks, rips, or tears when you roll it up again with the filling inside.
You can sprinkle some chopped pecans or walnuts on the cream cheese filling before rolling it up.
You can prepare the cake until step 7 and chill the rolled up cake/towel in the refrigerator for up to 1 day before continuing with step 8. Dont’ forget to remove the cake roll from the refrigerator and let it sit on the counter for a few minutes to warm back up a bit as you prepare the frosting. Otherwise, your cake might have cracks!
More Perfect Pumpkin Recipes
- Pumpkin Muffins
- Baked Pumpkin Donuts with Salted Maple Glaze (coming soon)
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Pumpkin Roll Cake
Ingredients
For Pumpkin Roll
- 94g (¾ cup – spoon and level method ) all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp fine salt I use sea salt
- 1 tsp pumpkin spice see notes for substitutions
- 150g eggs (weight is without shell) (about 3 large eggs)
- 200g (1 cup) granulated white sugar
- 150g (⅔ cup) pumpkin puree NOT pumpkin pie filling
- 85g (¾ cup) powdered sugar/ confectioner's sugar
- nonstick spray or butter for the baking pan
For Cream Cheese Filling
- 250g cream cheese softened
- 140g (1¼ cup) powdered sugar/ confectioner's sugar
- 14g (1 tbsp) melted unsalted butter
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- ½ tsp fine salt I use sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat and Prep: Preheat your oven (NO FAN) to 350°F (175°C).Gather and measure all your ingredients. Make sure the cream cheese is at room temperature for smooth, lump-free frosting.Spray a 15×10-inch jelly roll pan with nonstick spray or grease with butter to make the parchment paper stick. Line it with parchment paper, then spray or grease the parchment paper too so the cake seamlessly releases after baking.(Tip: Using scissors, make small vertical cuts in each of the 4 corners of your parchment paper. This step lets you fold one flap behind the other so that the paper fits neatly inside the pan, see step-by-step photos in my blog post)nonstick spray or butter
- Flour mixture: Whisk the flour, baking soda, salt, and pumpkin pie spice, together in a medium bowl. Set aside.94g (¾ cup – spoon and level method ) all-purpose flour1 tsp baking soda½ tsp fine salt1 tsp pumpkin spice
- Wet Ingredients: In another medium bowl, whisk the eggs, sugar, and pumpkin puree together until combined.150g eggs (weight is without shell)200g (1 cup) granulated white sugar150g (⅔ cup) pumpkin puree
- Combine. Add the flour mixture into the wet ingredients and whisk until just combined. Do NOT overmix!
- Bake. Spread batter evenly into prepared pan – an offset spatula is a great tool to use here. Give the pan a shake to make sure the batter is level and reaches the corners. Bake until a tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 15 minutes.
- Prepare the kitchen towel: While the cake is baking, lay a thin kitchen towel (or parchment paper) flat on the counter. The towel should be bigger than the size of your baking pan and it should have little to no texture. Dust with 3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar.Once the cake comes out of the oven, immediately invert it onto the towel then gently peel off the parchment paper.85g (¾ cup) powdered sugar/ confectioner's sugar
- Shape and cool. Starting with the short end, begin gently but tightly roll cake into a log. Do this slowly and gently. The cake will be warm since it just came out of the oven. Let the cake to cool completely while rolled up in the towel.
- Make the cream cheese filling: In a mixing bowl, using a handheld mixer or stand mixer on medium high speed, beat the cream cheese, confectioner’s sugar, butter, vanilla, and salt until smooth.250g cream cheese140g (1¼ cup) powdered sugar/ confectioner's sugar14g (1 tbsp) melted unsalted butter1 tsp pure vanilla extract½ tsp fine salt
- Add the Filling: Gently and slowly unroll the cake. Flatten it out and spread the filling evenly on top, leaving about a 1/2-inch border around the cake.
- Roll: Gently and slowly roll the cake back up, without the towel this time. Make sure you’re rolling it tightly. Some frosting may spill out the side – that’s totally okay.
- Chill: Loosely cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 20 minutes to let the filling set before slicing and serving.
- Serve: Slice the ends, then dust the top with confectioners’ sugar, if desired.