Easy Pumpkin Roll

This easy pumpkin roll recipe is a classic dessert made of delicately sweet and warmly spiced cake curled up around silky cream cheese that everyone adores!

A pumpkin roll is a delicately sweet and warmly spiced cake curled around a silky cream cheese filling. It’s the perfect recipe for fall and a classic dessert that everyone adores. This is an easy pumpkin roll recipe that anyone can make.

David has been after me for years to make a pumpkin roll. I just haven’t been very motivated to make it. I mean, really, how the heck do you get a sheet cake to curl around filling? It seemed like a lot of work to me, so I never attempted it.

Looking at a pumpkin roll can seem pretty intimidating. However, it looks a lot more complicated than it is. Now that I have made a pumpkin roll, I have to tell you; it is a lot easier than you think.

Here’s how I made this easy pumpkin roll…

Ingredients Needed

For the Pumpkin Cake:

• The Base of the Cake: eggs, sugar, flour, baking soda
• Spices: ground cinnamon and nutmeg (freshly ground is best)
• Pumpkin Puree: homemade is best. Canned is perfectly fine just make sure you get pure and that it does not have spices already added.

For The Filling:

• Cream cheese, unsalted butter (ROOM TEMPERATURE), confectioiner’s sugar and pure vanilla extract

For Serving:

powdered sugar (optional)

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How To Make Easy Pumpkin Roll

Bake the Pumpkin Cake:

1. First of all, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. 
2. Spray a 15 ½ x 10 ½ x 1-inch jelly roll pan with cooking spray. Cut a sheet of parchment a little larger than the jelly roll pan to ensure there is enough overhang on the sides of the pan. Place it into the bottom of the pan and also spray it with a light coating of cooking spray.
3. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, granulated sugar, pumpkin, flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and fresh nutmeg, until well combined.
4. Pour the batter into the prepared jelly roll pan. Bake inside the preheated oven until the cake is puffy and a wooden toothpick comes out clean win inserted into the center of the cake; 15 to 20 minutes.
5. Remove the cake from the oven and allow it to cool for at least 5 minutes.

Special Note:
It is important to roll the cake when it is still warm. Allow it to cool for a minimum of 5 minutes.
I used the traditional clean towel method to roll the cake. However, I have read that using a clean kitchen towel is not necessary and that you can use parchment paper instead. I did not try this method, but you wouldn’t have to peel the parchment paper off after baking and use it to guide the roll.

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Roll the Pumpkin Cake While It’s Warm:

When the cake has cooled for 5 minutes, pull the sheet of cake out of the pan using the short edges of the parchment. Place the cake onto a flat surface, vertically in front of you. Cover the cake with a clean kitchen towel.

Starting from the short end nearest you, carefully roll up the cake from the short end to the short end until it forms a complete roll inside the towel. Place it seam-side down on a wire cooling rack. Let the cake roll cool completely; about 30 minutes. It’s ok to leave it until you are ready to assemble the cake.

Special Note: The cream cheese and butter must be at room temperature before mixing the filling. Leave both at room temperature for at least 30 minutes to soften them.

Make the Filling:

1. Beat the cream cheese and butter with an electric mixer until well combined.
2. Turn off the mixer, and scrape down the sides of the bowl.
3. Add the confectioners’ sugar and vanilla into the mixing bowl.
4. Beat until light and fluffy; about 2 minutes. 

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Assemble the Pumpkin Roll:

Carefully unroll the cake, leaving it on the towel (there may be some cracking). Use an offset spatula or butter knife to spread the cream cheese filling onto the cake.

Reroll the cake around the filling into a log, and transfer to a serving platter. Serve immediately or refrigerate until needed.

Dust with powdered sugar just before serving.

After a hot and dry summer, I think we are all ready for cozy and delicious fall recipes. Celebrate the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday with this light, easy, and deliciously tangy pumpkin roll recipe.

I had to play dessert police to keep David and me from eating the whole thing. We shared with some of our neighbors, and David took some to his coworkers.

You are going to love this easy pumpkin roll recipe! Give it a try and comment below to let us know how it turns out.

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