Pumpkin Roll Cake

5 from 2 votes
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This Pumpkin Roll Cake is the perfect fall or holiday dessert! The cake is filled with a delicious cream cheese filling and will look stunning on your dinner table! A true showstopping dessert!

Two slices of pumpkin roll cake on a plate with a fork.

This pumpkin roll cake is epic and great for fall or the holidays just like Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Pancakes or Pumpkin Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting

In America, around August to December, pumpkins are in fashion. They are everywhere: on doorsteps, in grocery stores, in pies and in… cakes!

A Pumpkin Roll Cake on a chopping board

I have to confess before now the only thing I ever did with pumpkin in my life is manage to chew the boiled one. Then I moved to the United States and saw pumpkins being used in cooking in both sweet and savory ways.

I joined the pumpkin party and started experimenting. I have made pumpkin bread, pumpkin chocolate chip bread pumpkin chocolate chip pancakes, and this pumpkin roll cake which is absolutely delicious.

The pumpkin flavour in the cake is not overpowering but delicious. It starts off with a thin sponge which is then filled with a cream cheese mixture.

Ingredients for Pumpkin Roll Cake

Here are the ingredients you need:

Cake ingredients including baking powder, salt, and pumpkin pie spice.

Flour, pumpkin puree, baking powder, baking soda, salt, sugar, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla extract and some eggs, which I forgot to photograph at the same time with the other team players. Blame it on “mommy brain”.

Three eggs in a bowl.

How To Make Pumpkin Roll Cake

  • The first thing you need to do is preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (180 degrees C).
  • Then line a 9 by 13 inch baking sheet with parchment paper and spray with non-stick cooking spray or if you are old fashioned like me, rub some vegetable oil on the parchment paper.
  • Put the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and pumpkin pie spice in a bowl.
Dry cake ingredients in a glass mixing bowl.
  • Whisk all of the dry ingredients together then keep aside.
  • In another bowl, put in the sugar, eggs and vanilla.
Eggs, sugar, and vanilla in a glass mixing bowl.
  • Whisk together until the mixture is thick. I used an electric mixer for this.
Eggs, sugar, and vanilla that have been beaten.
  • Now add pumpkin puree to the egg mixture and mix well.
  • Then you combine the flour mixture with the egg mixture.
Wet and dry ingredients together in a mixing bowl.
  • Mix all of that into a batter. Aint she pretty?
Bowl of pumpkin roll cake batter.
  • Spread the batter onto the prepared pan, making sure it is evenly distributed.
Pumpkin roll cake batter in a lined pan.
  • Bake for about 13 to 15 minutes until the cake springs back up when touched.
Baked pumpkin cake.

Note: This cake doesn’t take long to be ready. It really doesn’t take long. So please don’t go far from your oven. Check it after about 13 minutes.

  • Immediately roll the cake carefully together with the parchment paper and set aside. If you do not use parchment paper you could roll with a clean kitchen towel. Note that if you do not roll it as soon as it is out of the oven, it will get cold fast and will be hard to manipulate into a roll, leading to cracks.
Pumpkin cake rolled on a cutting board.

How To Make The Cream Cheese Filling

Add some cream cheese, butter, confectioner’s sugar and vanilla extract into a bowl. The butter and cream cheese should be at room temperature so they can be mixed easily.

Cream cheese filling ingredients in a mixing bowl.

Mix them all up with an electric beater or a spatula.

Red spatula mixing cream cheese filling ingredients.

Finishing The Pumpkin Roll Cake

  • Now unroll the cake and spread the filling all over it.
Red spatula spreading cream cheese filling onto pumpkin cake.
  • Roll it once again and wrap it in plastic wrap.
Pumpkin cake and cream cheese filling rolled together on a wooden cutting board.
  • Refrigerate for up to an hour before serving. Yum yum!
Two slices of pumpkin roll cake on a decorated plate with a fork.

Chef’s Tip

If your roll cake cracks, simply cover up the cracks by dusting powdered sugar over the cake. It will still be a delicious cake with an even more stunning appearance thanks to the powdered sugar on top!

You could also cover up the cracks by piping whipped cream or frosting on the roll cake.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I prevent my Pumpkin Roll Cake from cracking?

To prevent Pumpkin Roll Cake from cracking, roll it up immediately after it comes out of the oven. When the cake is still soft, it is easier to roll up and will most likely roll without cracking.

Why is my Pumpkin Roll spongy?

Roll cakes are meant to be spongy because that way, they can roll up easily. If your pumpkin roll cake is too thick, trying to roll it up might cause several cracks.

Does Pumpkin Roll need to be refrigerated?

Yes. After making Pumpkin Roll, store it in the fridge for at least one hour so the flavors can meld. Also, store Pumpkin Roll Cake in the fridge in the fridge in a tightly covered container for up to 5 days.

Why is my Pumpkin Roll filling runny?

If you add the Pumpkin Roll filling to the cake while the cake is still hot or warm, the filling will start to melt and get runny. Add the filling to the cake while the cake is at room temperature.

More Delicious Fall Recipes

If you make this Pumpkin Roll Cake, please share a photo on Instagram and tag me @preciouscore. I’ll love to see it! Also, consider leaving a star rating below.

Two slices of pumpkin roll cake on a plate with a fork.

Pumpkin Roll Cake

5 from 2 votes
This pumpkin cake is filled with a cream cheese filling that is absolutely delicious. It takes a bit of time but it is totally worth it!
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 15 minutes
Total: 35 minutes
Servings: 10 servings

Ingredients  

FOR THE CAKE

  • 3/4 cup flour
  • 2/3 cup pumpkin puree
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 3 eggs
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

FOR THE FILLING

  • 6 tablespoons butter
  • 8 ounces cream cheese
  • 1/2 cup icing sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9 by 13 inch baking sheet with parchment paper and grease with vegetable oil or spray with non-stick cooking spray.
  • In a bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and pumpkin pie spice.
  • In another bowl, beat together the eggs and sugar until thick.
  • Add in pumpkin puree and mix to combine.
  • Add in flour mixture and mix well.
  • Spread the batter into greased pan, making sure the top is leveled.
  • Bake for about 15 minutes until the top of the cake springs back when touched.
  • Immediately roll the cake together with the parchment paper lining the baking pan. Allow on a rack to cool. Make sure you roll the cake immediately it comes out of the oven to prevent cracks.
  • Combine ingredients for filling in a bowl and mix together util smooth. The cream cheese and butter should be at room temperature so they are soft enough to mix.
  • Carefully unroll the cake and remove the parchment paper. 
  • Spread the filling evenly on the cake. 
  • Roll the cake again and keep in the fridge for up to an hour before serving.

Notes

Spices: If you can’t find pumpkin pie spice, use a combination of cinnamon powder and ground nutmeg. Other spices you could include are ground cloves or ground ginger.
Pumpkin Puree: You could make pumpkin puree at home by cutting the pumpkin, scooping out the seeds, roasting it for about one hour in an oven, then scooping out the pulp and blending to a puree. If this is too much for you, simply purchase pure pumpkin puree in a can from the grocery store. Note that you need Pumpkin Puree here and not Pumpkin Pie Filling.
Sweetness: If you want the cake sweeter, consider doubling the sugar measurements in both the batter and the frosting or add more sugar to your liking.

Nutrition

Calories: 279kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 67mg | Sodium: 252mg | Potassium: 77mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 31g | Vitamin A: 2825IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 32mg | Iron: 1mg

Additional Info

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 279
Tried this recipe?Mention @preciouscore or tag #PreciousCore!

About Precious

Welcome to my core! I am Precious Nkeih, the recipe developer and writer right here on my blog, Precious Core. My goal is to show you insanely delicious recipes you can replicate in your kitchen. And I love to tell stories too. Hope you find recipes here that will make cooking easier for you! Check me out on YouTube at YouTube.com/PreciousKitchen.


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18 Comments

  1. I’ll try this, though I use to see my aunt putting the cream after removing the cake from the over and roll at once then put in the freezer! Nice writeup?

    1. Thanks dear!
      I think the filling will melt away if you place it straight on a hot cake.
      But you said she puts it immediately in the freezer so maybe that’s another way of doing it.

  2. This is nice and I won’t mind someone sowing it into my life cos my baking sucks.
    Precious I don’t know what’s been happening to my comments o, dey just dey rapture anyhow.

    1. Bola, I wish I could sow two hefty ones into your life. Why are your comments getting raptured nah? I have missed reading from you.

  3. Pumpkins are way to go for this season! Never thought of pumpkin cake before! Will be making some Belgian pumpkin soup one of these days. That looks absolutely yummy! Enjoy sis

  4. Hi Pre,
    i’ve hated pumpkin all my life but this is tempting enough fro me to give it a shot. Fingers crossed