Pumpkin Roll
This picture perfect Pumpkin Cake Roll is a lot easier to make than you may think! Spiced pumpkin cake is rolled with sweet cream cheese frosting. It’s as delicious as it is gorgeous and it comes together in no time!
Pumpkin Roll
This easy pumpkin cake roll isn’t just pretty to look at. It’s also SO good! Spiced, moist, soft pumpkin cake is rolled up with the best classic cream cheese frosting. Every bite is pretty perfect! If you’re a pumpkin lover, you’ll love all that this simple, yet impressive cake has to offer. Don’t forget to frost the top or dust it with powdered sugar to really seal the deal!
Don’t be intimidated by the process of rolling the cake. It’s a whole lot easier than you may think! Plus, I’ve really simplified this already easy process in my step-by-step instructions to try and make sure even the most novice of home bakers can master it. If you really want to impress everyone at Thanksgiving this year, this is the dessert recipe to make.
Not a pumpkin fan? Try this decadent Chocolate Cake Roll!
How to Make Pumpkin Cake Roll
In just a few easy steps, you’ll have a Thanksgiving dessert that’ll have everyone talking… and going back for a second slice!
- Prepare. Preheat the oven to 375°F and spray a jelly roll pan. Line the pan with parchment paper and leave about 2 inches of it hanging over the sides of the pan. Coat the paper with spray.
- Make the cake batter. Mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, cardamom and salt. In a separate bowl, beat together the eggs and sugar until thick, then beat in the pumpkin puree. Combine the wet and dry ingredients to form the batter.
- Bake. Spread the batter into an even layer on the prepared pan. Bake for 13-15 minutes.
- Cool and roll. Lift up the parchment paper and carefully place the cake on a cooling rack. Start with the narrow end and roll the cake and parchment paper together. Let cool to room temperature on a wire rack.
- Make the frosting. Beat together the cream cheese, powdered sugar, butter and vanilla until smooth.
- Roll the cake and frosting. Unroll the cake and spread the cream cheese all over it in an even layer. Re-roll the cake and pull the parchment paper off of it as you go.
- Chill. Wrap the cake in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for a minimum of 1 hour before serving.
If you’re a fan of chai spice, make this easy chai spice mix and use in place of the pumpkin pie spice/cardamom blend.
Tips for the Best Pumpkin Cake Roll
- Check for doneness. Press your fingertips gently on top of the cake. Once it springs back after being lightly pressed, it’s fully cooked and ready to come out of the oven.
- Using a dark pan? If your jelly roll pan is dark colored, your cake will only need 11 minutes to cook as opposed to 13-15.
- Let the parchment paper hang over. There should be about 2 inches of parchment paper hanging over either side of your baking pan. This will help you lift the cake from the pan when it’s time to transfer to a cooling rack.
- Let it cool! This is so important. You need to let the cake fully cool to room temperature before you roll it with the cream cheese frosting. Otherwise, it’ll melt the frosting and you’ll end up with a big mess.
Enjoy more of my favorite pumpkin recipes this fall!
- Pumpkin Chiffon Pie
- Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes with Praline Topping
- Baked Pumpkin Donuts
- Pumpkin Pie
- Pumpkin Bars
For more pumpkin dessert ideas, follow us on Instagram and Facebook!
Get the Recipe: Pumpkin Roll Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 large eggs
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 2/3 cup Pumpkin Puree
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar, to sprinkle on towel
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 package, 8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
- 6 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Powdered sugar, for dusting
Equipment
- 1 Jelly Roll pan
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375° F. Coat a 15 x 10-inch jelly-roll pan with cooking spray then line with parchment paper leaving a 2 inch overhang on each side of the pan. Coat the paper with cooking spray.
- Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, cardamom and salt in small bowl. Beat eggs and granulated sugar in large mixer bowl until thick. Beat in pumpkin. Stir in dry ingredients.
- Spread the batter evenly into the jelly roll pan.
- Bake for 13 to 15 minutes or until top of cake springs back when lightly pressed with a finger. (If using a dark-colored pan, begin checking for doneness at 11 minutes.)
- Immediately transfer the cake to a cooling rack by lifting with the parchment paper.
- Roll up cake and parchment together, starting with the narrow end. Cool on wire rack to room temperature.
- Beat the cream cheese, 1 cup powdered sugar, butter and vanilla extract in a mixer bowl until smooth.
- Carefully unroll the cake then spread the cream cheese mixture evenly over the cake. Reroll cake pulling the parchment away from the cake.
- Wrap the cake roll in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour. Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving, if desired.