Pumpkin Cake Roll With Cream Cheese Filling

By
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 10/20/20
Pumpkin Cake Roll With Cream Cheese Filling

The Spruce / Cara Cormack
Prep: 45 mins
Cook: 15 mins
Total: 60 mins
Servings: 10 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
412 Calories
25g Fat
43g Carbs
7g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 10
Amount per serving
Calories 412
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 25g 32%
Saturated Fat 10g 50%
Cholesterol 129mg 43%
Sodium 296mg 13%
Total Carbohydrate 43g 16%
Dietary Fiber 2g 8%
Protein 7g
Calcium 99mg 8%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

This irresistible, top-rated, pumpkin spice–flavored cake roll is filled with a scrumptious cream cheese filling. It's among the most popular pumpkin recipes, and one taste will tell you why.

Individual slices keep well in the freezer; bring some out when friends and family stop by. This is the perfect fall or winter holiday cake.

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Ingredients

  • For the Pumpkin Cake:
  • Oil or shortening (for greasing pan)
  • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for pan
  • Powdered sugar, for rolling and dusting
  • 3 large eggs at room temperature
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2/3 cup pumpkin puree (canned or homemade)
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg 
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • Optional: 1 cup chopped pecans
  • For the Filling:
  • 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
  • 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 5 tablespoons butter, softened
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Steps to Make It

Make the Cake

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Pumpkin Cake Roll With Cream Cheese Filling

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  2. Heat the oven to 350 F (180 C/Gas 4). Grease a 10-by-15-inch jelly roll pan with oil or shortening and line it with waxed paper or parchment paper. Grease and flour the waxed paper.

    parchment paper on a baking sheet

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  3. Place a kitchen tea towel (not terry cloth) on the counter and sprinkle it liberally with powdered sugar. Set aside.

    powdered sugar on a tea towel

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  4. In a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer, lightly beat the eggs. Gradually add the granulated sugar; beat until thick and light yellow in color, about 4 to 5 minutes.

    eggs and sugar in a bowl, hand mixer

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  5.  Add the pumpkin puree and lemon juice and beat on low speed until blended.

    pumpkin and lemon added to the egg mixture in a bowl, hand mixer

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  6. In a separate bowl, combine the 3/4 cup flour, baking powder, spices, and salt.

    flour, baking powder, spices, and salt in a bowl

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  7. Fold the dry ingredients to the egg mixture.

    pumpkin cake batter in a bowl

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  8. Spread batter into the prepared jelly roll pan. If desired, sprinkle the chopped pecans over the batter.

    pumpkin cake batter on a baking sheet with pecans sprinkled on top

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  9. Bake in the preheated oven for 12 to 15 minutes. The cake will spring back when touched lightly with a finger. Remove the cake from the oven and immediately turn out onto the powder sugar dusted tea towel.

    baked pumpkin roll cake on a baking sheet

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  10. Carefully remove the waxed or parchment paper from the cake.

    parchment paper removed from the pumpkin cake

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  11. Starting at the 10-inch side, roll up the warm cake, towel and all. Set aside.

    roll the pumpkin in the powdered sugar tea towel

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

Make the Filling and Assemble the Cake

  1. While the cake is cooling in the towel, prepare the cream cheese filling. Gather the ingredients.

    cream cheese filling ingredients

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  2. Beat together cream cheese and butter until fluffy.

    butter and cream cheese beat together with a hand mixer

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  3. Gradually beat in the sifted powdered sugar and vanilla. Continue beating until the mixture is smooth.

    sugar and vanilla added to the butter and cream cheese mixture, hand mixer

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  4. Carefully unroll the cooled cake. Evenly spread the cream cheese filling over the cake.

    cream cheese filling on top of the pumpkin cake

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  5. Roll up the cake—without the towel—and wrap it in plastic wrap. Cover and chill for at least 1 hour before serving.

    pumpkin cake rolled on a wood board

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  6. When you're ready to serve the cake, dust the top with powdered sugar. Slice the cake into 1-inch-thick pieces. Keep leftover slices refrigerated.

    Pumpkin Cake Roll With Cream Cheese Filling

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

 

Tip

The pumpkin roll freezes well. Wrap the whole cake or individual slices in plastic wrap and then put in a heavy-duty freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months.