Pumpkin Roll Cake
This Pumpkin Roll Cake features a spiced pumpkin bread filled with a delicious cream cheese frosting. It’s a great dessert for celebrating chilly fall days!
This post may contain paid links. For more information, please see our disclosure policy.
“It’s October – time for loaves of pumpkin bread!” Years ago, I had a coworker who was famous for his mini loaves of pumpkin bread. As soon as the calendar ticked over to October 1, he’d start bringing in loaves of freshly baked pumpkin bread to share with anyone and everyone. The loaves were topped with a schmear of cream cheese frosting…and they were absolutely delicious!
He was kind enough to share his recipe with me, and we’ve been baking our own loaves of that pumpkin bread for years now. (On a side note, let’s just call it pumpkin cake…because that’s what it is!) I recently decided to give that recipe a facelift – in the form of a roll cake.
Pumpkin Roll Cake
I always thought roll cakes were difficult to make. They looked fancy, and I assumed they were a pain in the you-know-what to make. Then I made this chocolate Swiss Cake Roll. Not nearly as difficult as I thought!
What is a Roll Cake?
Sometimes called a Swiss roll, jelly roll or cake roll, a roll cake is a rolled sponge cake that gets filled with whipped cream, frosting or jam. The origin of this style of cake is a bit murky, but it is generally accepted that cake rolls originated in Europe sometime during the 19th century. Here in the United States, Swiss Cake Rolls (made by Little Debbie) are a common brand and a childhood favorite.
As with most baked goods, the homemade version is usually better than the store-bought version. I can say that is definitely true for the chocolate cake roll. As far as this pumpkin version? I’ve never come across a store-bought version, but I can say the homemade version is fantastic! It has that “wow factor” when you bring it out to the table, and then it was another “wow factor” once folks take a bite!
This classic Pumpkin Roll recipe features a spiced pumpkin cake that is rolled up with a cream cheese frosting. All together, this dessert is perfect for autumn days! If you’ve never tried your hand at a roll cake, then give this one a try. It’s really not nearly as hard as it looks!
The unique thing about a roll cake is the cake batter gets spread onto a 9″x13″ jelly roll pan. It’s a thin layer of batter, and the cake bakes in just 13-15 minutes. From there, the cake gets rolled up while it’s still hot. Once it cools, that’s when the cake gets unrolled, the icing gets added and then the whole thing gets rolled back up again.
How do I keep my Pumpkin Roll Cake from cracking?
One of the biggest concerns I hear about roll cakes is cracking. The secret is heat. You’ve got to roll the cake up while it’s still hot. When it’s hot, the cake will be soft and pliable, and it should roll easily without cracking. I typically use a large tea towel (or cookie towel) to roll the cake, although you could use a clean sheet of parchment paper instead. (I do not recommend using a standard kitchen towel, though, as these are typically not lint free.)
Another tip for making beautiful roll cakes is to make sure the batter is spread evenly in the jelly roll pan. If the batter is uneven, it will lead to an uneven cake that could crack when you roll out. This is an easy step, though – just use an offset spatula to spread the batter evenly across the pan before you bake it.
How do you store leftover Pumpkin Roll Cake once it’s filled?
If you have leftovers, wrap the reminder of the roll cake (or the individual slices if it’s already sliced) tightly in plastic wrap. The leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or they can be frozen for up to 2 months. If frozen, let the roll cake thaw at room temperature for 1 hour before serving.
All together, this Pumpkin Roll Cake is a fantastic fall dessert! The cake itself is moist and seasoned with the classic fall baking spices, and the cream cheese frosting is creamy and delicious. I hope this recipe becomes a yearly staple in your house – Happy Baking!
Did you bake this Pumpkin Roll Cake at home? Leave a comment, or snap a photo and tag me on Instagram (@Spicedblog) – I’d love to see your version!
Pumpkin Cake Roll
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- ¼ tsp ground allspice
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 5 large eggs
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup canned pumpkin puree note: not pumpkin pie filling
- ⅓-½ cup powdered sugar for rolling
For the Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 oz. cream cheese room temperature
- 6 Tbsp unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 cup powdered sugar plus more for dusting top
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- {optional garnish} toasted pecans
Instructions
For the Cake
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Line a standard 11”x17” jelly-roll pan (rimmed baking sheet) with parchment paper; spray paper generously with nonstick cooking spray. Set pan aside.
- Using a large bowl, whisk together flour, spices, baking soda, baking powder and salt; set dry ingredients aside.
- Using an electric mixer, beat the eggs and sugar together on high speed for 6-8 minutes, or until mixture thickens and turns pale yellow.
- Add pumpkin puree and mix on low speed until just combined.
- Add flour mixture and fold until just combined.
- Pour batter into prepared baking pan. (Tip: Spread batter evenly to edges using an offset spatula.) Tap pan on counter several times to remove air bubbles.
- Bake for 13-15 minutes, or until lightly browned on top. While cake is baking, lay a large, thin kitchen cloth on counter. Sprinkle powdered sugar generously on top of cloth.
- Once baked, run a knife around the edge of the pan to release the cake. Immediately turn hot cake out onto the powdered sugar-dusted cloth. Remove and discard parchment paper. Starting with a short end of the cake, roll up cake (and cloth). Let rolled cake cool completely (1-2 hours) before continuing.
For the Frosting
- Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese and butter together until well combined.
- Add confectioner’s sugar and vanilla extract; beat until well combined.
- Once cake has fully cooled, carefully unroll cake and spread cream cheese filling evenly on top. (Tip: Make sure to frost all the way to the edges.)
- Roll cake back up (this time without the towel). Wrap cake roll firmly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
- Prior to serving, remove cake roll from refrigerator and dust top with powdered sugar. (I used a fine-meshed sieve to dust the powdered sugar evenly.)
- {Optional} Garnish top of cake with toasted pecans.
Notes
Looking for more roll cake recipes? Check out these other favorites, too:
Cant wait to make this soon for me can i use vegan cream cheese and butter i never had pumpkin roll cake before perfect for my after office snacks love your recipes as always brightens up my day everyday after work
Hey Ramya! Yes, I think vegan cream cheese and butter would be perfectly fine in this recipe. I hope you enjoy it!
This roll cake is beautiful, David! A delicious fall dessert, but I’d gladly have a slice for breakfast too.
There’s nothing wrong with having a bit of cake for breakfast! 🙂
I was in the mood to make some sort of pumpkin dessert this past weekend, but didn’t get around to it. Well, I know what I’m going try next time I have time…this pumpkin roll cake! It looks so good, David, and those layers are perfection! Seriously picture perfect, my friend!
Ah! It’s pumpkin baking season, and this roll cake really needs to be on your baking list. It’s SO good! 🙂
That is gorgeous! You did a great job!
Thanks so much, Mimi!
David I am in with this one. It looks beautiful. I have fond memories of my Mum making the occasional honey Swiss roll which was always delicious. I must remedy that I have never made one. I also love that you guys over in the states are so decisive about special seasonal dishes, once it’s Fall, Winter etc. Quite exciting.
Cake rolls are a lot of fun to make, Pauline! And they might look fancy or complex, but once you make one…you can make a hundred. They’re really aren’t that difficult! This pumpkin spice version is SO good for fall. 🙂
ooh this is so pretty and sounds delicious David. Who doesn’t love a cream cheese icing? 🙂
Laura always says she could eat that cream cheese icing with a spoon. I don’t think I’ve ever caught her doing it…yet. Haha!
Pumpkin Roll Cake sounds like the perfect autumn dessert. The combination of spiced pumpkin cake and a creamy cream cheese frosting is simply delightful. Happy baking!
The flavors in this dessert are perfect for fall baking season! Thanks, Raymund!
Oh wow – You, my friend, have perfected the art of the “roll cake”! This pumpkin roll cake looks absolutely delicious! From the crumb to the “crust” (on the outer/under coating) to that cream cheese frosting – it’s all PERFECT! If Paul Hollywood took a bite, I bet he’d give you a handshake!
I am one of those people that struggle with the cracking of the roll cake – I recall making an oatmeal version many moons ago, time I try another! Or, I’ll just drive up there and grab the leftovers ~ you DO have leftovers, right?
Why thank you very much, Shashi! Roll cakes really aren’t that difficult to make once you get the process down. This one turned out really well with the pumpkin + pumpkin spices! You should try a roll cake again sometime. (The oatmeal one sounds tricky as the oatmeal would absorb the moisture in the cake. But it sounds delicious…hmmm.) As far as leftovers of this one? Well……. 🙂
I have a bunch of questions. First, did you say that you got your friend’s pumpkin quick bread recipe, and baked it in a jellyroll pan? Or did you modify their recipe to turn it into a spongecake? I’m interested, because I’ve always wondered if you could have good success rolling anything other than a spongecake. Also, although you give great tips, I have to say, your roll is AMAZING. Mine are alway much, much messier than that. I’d love to hear step by steps about how you get such a great spiral.
Excellent question, Jeff! I adapted that pumpkin quick bread recipe so that it would work as a roll cake. I basically went back to my roll cake recipe and started adjusting it to include the pumpkin version. I don’t think a standard quick bread recipe would translate well into a roll cake…but that’s a guess. I’ve never actually tried it!
As far as the spiral, give it a try the way I described it with the tea towel. I do slice the end (~1-2″) off of the cake once it’s done because that part isn’t very pretty. That might explain part of it!
What a beautiful pumpkin roll cake, David! That cream cheese swirl is my favourite!
Thanks so much, Michelle! I agree that cream cheese swirl looks cool – plus cream cheese frosting goes so well with pumpkin cake!
Absolutely delicious! Let’s also admire how beautiful this cake is (gorgeous colour!) I’ve made roll cakes only a few times in my life, and that was a century ago. I should try making it again – maybe something for Christmas.
You should absolutely make a roll cake again soon, Ben! Once you get the hang of how to make them, they aren’t difficult at all. Maybe a gingerbread version for Christmas??
I’ve never made a cake roll before, and this one looks delicious! I’m with your co-worker – all about the pumpkin in October… actually, I think I usually start mid September! 🙂
You should totally make a roll cake…and soon! Once you get the hang of how to make ’em, they aren’t difficult at all. And they always look so fun! 🙂