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Pumpkin Roll Cake

Pumpkin roll cake with a tender spiced pumpkin sponge and a classic cream cheese filling, rolled into a tight swirl. The cake springs back in the oven, then cools rolled to help prevent cracking before chilling for clean slices.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 13 minutes
chilling 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 43 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 330
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For pumpkin cake
  • 0.75 cup all-purpose flour
  • 0.5 tsp baking powder
  • 0.5 tsp baking soda
  • 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 0.25 tsp salt
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 0.67 cup pumpkin puree
  • 1 tsp vanilla
For cream cheese filling
  • 8 oz cream cheese
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 6 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 0.5 tsp cinnamon
Powdered sugar for dusting
  • 1 tbsp powdered sugar

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Bake the pumpkin cake
  1. Preheat oven to 375F. Grease a 15x10 jelly roll pan and line with parchment.
  2. Beat eggs and granulated sugar until thick, then add pumpkin puree and vanilla. Beat just until combined.
  3. Fold in all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and salt. Mix until no dry streaks remain.
  4. Spread the batter evenly in the pan. Bake 11-13 minutes until the top springs back when touched.
  5. Invert the cake onto a powdered sugar-dusted kitchen towel and peel off the parchment. Let it cool in the towel shape.
  6. Roll the cake in the towel from the short end and cool completely. Keep it rolled to prevent cracking.
Fill, chill, and serve
  1. Beat cream cheese until smooth, then beat in powdered sugar, unsalted butter, vanilla, and cinnamon. Mix until creamy and spreadable.
  2. Unroll the cake and spread the cream cheese filling evenly. Leave a small border for the cleanest roll.
  3. Re-roll the cake without the towel. Refrigerate 1 hour.
  4. Dust the top with powdered sugar and slice. Serve chilled.

Notes

For the cleanest spiral, bake only until the cake springs back (don’t overbake) and roll it in the towel immediately after inverting. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days; freeze slices for up to 1 month (thaw overnight in the fridge). For a lighter version, use low-fat cream cheese and reduce powdered sugar by 2-4 tbsp, then taste and adjust filling sweetness.