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 12/21/22
Tested by
Danielle Centoni
Danielle Centoni
Tested by Danielle Centoni

Danielle is a James Beard Award-winning food writer and editor based in Portland, Oregon.

Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Pumpkin Cake Roll With Cream Cheese Filling

The Spruce / Cara Cormack

Prep: 45 mins
Cook: 15 mins
Total: 60 mins
Servings: 10 servings
Yield: 1 cake
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
359 Calories
17g Fat
48g Carbs
5g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 10
Amount per serving
Calories 359
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 17g 22%
Saturated Fat 9g 45%
Cholesterol 94mg 31%
Sodium 296mg 13%
Total Carbohydrate 48g 17%
Dietary Fiber 1g 4%
Total Sugars 38g
Protein 5g
Vitamin C 1mg 4%
Calcium 71mg 5%
Iron 1mg 6%
Potassium 103mg 2%
*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.

2:33

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Pumpkin Cake Roll with Cream Cheese Filling/Tester Image

"This cake recipe is definitely a keeper. It looks impressive and the luscious cream cheese filling is the perfect complement to the tender, spiced cake. It manages to seem light even though the filling is rich. I found that turning the cake out onto the towel requires a quick, decisive move to keep it from cracking," —Danielle Centoni

A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

For the Pumpkin Cake:

  • Neutral oil or shortening, for the pan

  • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, more for the pan

  • Confectioners' sugar, as needed

  • 3 large eggs, room temperature

  • 1 cup granulated sugar

  • 2/3 cup store-bought or homemade pumpkin puree

  • 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

  • 1 teaspoon baking powder

  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger

  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

  • 1 cup coarsely chopped pecans, optional

For the Filling:

  • 8 ounces cream cheese, softened

  • 5 tablespoons (2 1/2 ounces) unsalted butter, softened

  • 1 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted

  • 1 teaspoon pure 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. Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 350 F (180 C/Gas 4). Oil a 10 x 15-inch jelly roll pan. Line the pan with parchment or waxed paper. Oil and flour the parchment 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 confectioners' sugar. Set aside.

    powdered sugar on a tea towel

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  4. In a large 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. Alternatively, use a stand mixer with the whisk attachment.

    eggs and sugar in a bowl, hand mixer

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  5.  Add the pumpkin puree and lemon juice. Continue to 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 medium bowl, combine the 3/4 cup flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt.

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

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  7. Fold the dry ingredients to the egg-sugar 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 until the cake springs back when touched lightly, 12 to 15 minutes. Run a small spatula or knife around the edges of the pan to loosen the cake. Immediately invert the cake onto the prepared tea towel.

    baked pumpkin roll cake on a baking sheet

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  10. Carefully remove the parchment paper from the cake.

    parchment paper removed from the pumpkin cake

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  11. Starting at the short side, roll up the warm cake, towel and all. Let cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes. While the cake is cooling, prepare the cream cheese filling.

    roll the pumpkin in the powdered sugar tea towel

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

Make the Filling and Assemble the Cake

  1. 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 confectioners' 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. Chill for at least 1 hour before serving.

    pumpkin cake rolled on a wood board

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  6. Dust the top of the cake generously with confectioners' sugar just before serving.

    Pumpkin Cake Roll With Cream Cheese Filling

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

 

How to Store

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 three months.