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Pumpkin Roll

Pumpkin roll is a tender, spiced jelly-roll cake baked until set, then rolled with a silky cream cheese filling. After chilling for easy slicing, it’s finished with a generous powdered sugar dusting for a classic spiral presentation.
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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
Calories: 420
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
  • powdered sugar for dusting

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 stand mixer

Method
 

Bake the pumpkin cake
  1. Preheat oven to 375F, grease a 15x10 jelly roll pan, line with parchment, then grease again so the cake releases cleanly.
  2. Beat eggs and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, then mix in pumpkin puree and vanilla until evenly combined.
  3. Fold in all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and salt just until no dry streaks remain.
  4. Spread batter evenly in the prepared pan and bake 11-13 minutes at 375F, until the center springs back when lightly touched.
  5. Invert the cake onto a powdered sugar-dusted towel and peel off the parchment.
  6. Roll the cake in the towel from the short end and cool completely so it holds the spiral shape.
Fill, chill, and serve
  1. Beat cream cheese, powdered sugar, unsalted butter, vanilla, and cinnamon until smooth and spreadable.
  2. Unroll the cooled cake, spread the cream cheese filling evenly, then re-roll without the towel.
  3. Refrigerate 1 hour to set, then dust with powdered sugar before slicing.

Notes

Pro tip: while the cake is still warm enough to bend, roll it with the towel first—this prevents cracking when you add the filling. Store covered in the refrigerator up to 4 days; freeze slices for up to 2 months (thaw overnight in the fridge) for best texture. For a lighter option, use reduced-fat cream cheese in the filling while keeping the same chilling time.