Easy Pumpkin Roll Recipe: Moist Cake With Cream Cheese Filling

This easy pumpkin roll recipe bakes a moist, warmly spiced pumpkin cake in a jelly-roll pan, rolls it up while still warm so it holds its curl, then fills it with a silky cream cheese frosting for that bakery-style swirl in every slice. It is the easiest show-stopping fall dessert you can make ahead — and it slices beautifully straight from the fridge.

Pumpkin roll has a reputation for cracking, but the technique here is forgiving: a thin, flexible cake, a powdered-sugar-dusted towel, and one crucial move — rolling the cake while it is hot. That warm roll sets the cake’s “memory” so it curls back up effortlessly around the filling later. The result is a crack-free swirl of orange spice cake and tangy cream cheese filling that looks like you spent all day on it.

Why this easy pumpkin roll recipe works

• Crack-free swirl, guaranteed: rolling the warm cake in a sugar-dusted towel trains it to hold its curve, so the final filled roll stays smooth.
• Moist, springy crumb: pumpkin puree and a short bake keep the cake flexible — exactly what a roll needs.
• Balanced filling: tangy cream cheese whipped with butter, vanilla, and powdered sugar cuts the cake’s spice sweetness.
• Make-ahead friendly: it must chill for at least an hour before slicing, so it is naturally a day-ahead dessert for Thanksgiving and fall gatherings.

Ingredients

For the pumpkin cake

• 3/4 cup (95 g) all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
• 2/3 cup (160 g) pumpkin puree
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Powdered sugar, for dusting the towel and the finished roll

For the cream cheese filling

• 8 oz (225 g) cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup (60 g) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt

Equipment

• 15×10-inch jelly-roll pan
• Parchment paper
• Large mixing bowls
• Electric hand mixer or stand mixer
• Clean kitchen towel (not terry cloth)
• Fine-mesh sieve for dusting

How to make a pumpkin roll

1. Make the pumpkin batter. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a 15×10-inch jelly-roll pan with parchment paper and lightly grease it. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt. In a large bowl, beat the eggs and granulated sugar with an electric mixer until thick and pale, about 2 minutes. Beat in the pumpkin puree and vanilla, then fold in the dry ingredients just until no streaks remain — the batter should be thick, smooth, and ribbon off the spatula.
   
2. Bake in the jelly-roll pan. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread it into an even layer all the way to the corners with an offset spatula. Bake for 13–15 minutes, until the top springs back when lightly touched and the edges are just pulling away from the pan. Do not overbake — a dry cake is what cracks.
   
3. Roll it warm. While the cake bakes, lay a clean kitchen towel on the counter and dust it generously with powdered sugar. Immediately invert the hot cake onto the towel, peel off the parchment, and starting from a short end, roll the cake up inside the towel. Set it seam-side down and let it cool completely, about 1 hour. Rolling it warm trains the cake to hold its curl without cracking.
   
4. Beat the cream cheese filling. In a medium bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and butter together until completely smooth and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt until silky. The filling should hold soft peaks — firm enough to spread, soft enough to swirl.
   
5. Fill and re-roll. Gently unroll the cooled cake. Spread the filling in an even layer over the cake, leaving a 1-inch border bare along one short end. Starting from the opposite short end, re-roll the cake firmly but gently, using the towel to help. Place the roll seam-side down on a serving platter.
   
6. Chill and slice. Wrap the roll in plastic wrap and chill for at least 1 hour (up to overnight) so the filling sets and the slices hold their swirl. Dust with powdered sugar, slice into 10 even pieces with a sharp serrated knife, wiping the blade between cuts, and serve.
   

Tips

• Roll while warm — always. This is the single most important trick. A hot cake is flexible; once it cools flat, it will crack when you try to roll it.
• Do not overbake. Check at 13 minutes. The cake should look set but feel soft; dryness causes cracking.
• Chill before slicing. The hour in the fridge firms the filling so each slice shows a clean spiral instead of squishing.
• Wipe the knife. A clean, wiped blade between slices keeps the cream cheese swirl sharp on every piece.

Also Check: Decadent Ferrero Rocher Cake Recipe: 7-Step Chocolate Delight

Frequently asked questions

Why did my pumpkin roll crack?

Almost always one of three things: the cake overbaked, it cooled flat before rolling, or the towel was not dusted with powdered sugar and it stuck. Roll it hot, in a sugared towel, and you will avoid cracks.

Can I make pumpkin roll ahead of time?

Yes — it is actually better the next day. Assemble, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Dust with powdered sugar just before serving.

Can I freeze a pumpkin roll?

Yes. Wrap the unsliced roll tightly in plastic wrap and then foil, and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then dust with powdered sugar and slice.

Can I use homemade pumpkin puree?

Yes, as long as it is well drained. Blot it with paper towels or simmer off excess moisture first — watery puree makes the cake soggy and prone to tearing.

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