Soft, spiced pumpkin cake rolled with creamy filling makes a beautiful and delicious fall dessert everyone will love. And the best part? This pumpkin roll with cream cheese frosting is easier to make than you think, and my step-by-step photos and tips guarantee success.

sliced pumpkin roll with candied pecans

This classic pumpkin roll is a must-bake for fall! The cake is light but full of flavor thanks to pumpkin pie spice, brown sugar, and vanilla, and you’ll love how it pairs with the creamy cheese filling. It may seem like a lot of work, but it’s doable for all levels of bakers, and I promise you can achieve a beautiful and perfectly rolled cake in no time at all. 

This pumpkin roll is a fun fall baking project, and perfect for gatherings and holidays like Thanksgiving and even Christmas. Serve slices of this cake as is, or top with powdered sugar and candied pecans for extra flavor and fall flair.

pumpkin swiss roll cake with candied pecans

Table of Contents

What is a swiss roll cake?

This pumpkin roll is a type of “swiss roll”, “jelly roll”, or “cream roll” cake. It’s a very thin rectangular cake rolled up with a creamy filling, so that when you slice it you get a beautiful spiral of cake and filling.

pumpkin roll ingredients measured out

Ingredients you’ll need

Here are all the ingredients need to make a classic pumpkin roll cake (full recipe with amounts at the end of this article):

  • All-purpose flour
  • Pumpkin pie spice (makes it easy to grab just one spice from the pantry, not several)
  • Baking powder, baking soda and salt
  • Brown sugar
  • Canned pumpkin puree (you’ll need about half of a 15oz can, save the rest for another recipe!)
  • Eggs
  • Butter
  • Vanilla
  • Cream cheese
  • Powdered sugar
  • Candied pecans (optional, for a garnish and a bit of crunch)

How to make this pumpkin roll, step-by-step

  1. Make pumpkin cake batter. The cake is very simple to make! Combine dry ingredients in one bowl, combine wet ingredients in other, then combine until smooth.mixing pumpkin roll cake batter in bowl
  2. Bake in a jelly roll pan. Spread the batter into a prepped 10×15-inch pan and bake in a 350°F oven for about 10 minutes.spreading cake batter in jelly roll pan; baked pumpkin cake
  3. Roll cake while hot, then cool. Cover the top of the cake with parchment paper and a thin towel. Start at one short end and carefully start rolling it up. It’s gonna be super hot, so protect your hands with another towel if needed. Once it’s rolled up, set it aside to cool completely.rolling up hot pumpkin cake into a log
  4. Make cream cheese filling. Beat ingredients with an electric mixer until smooth.
  5. Unroll and add filling. Carefully unroll the cake, removing the towel and top parchment. Spread the frosting evenly over the cake, leaving a small border on the sides.filling pumpkin cake with cream cheese frosting
  6. Re-roll and chill. Carefully roll the cake back up into a log and cover in plastic wrap. Chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours to firm it up for slicing. rolling up filled pumpkin roll
  7. Slice and serve. See below for serving suggestions. Enjoy!

Serving suggestions

Set the pumpkin roll on a platter or cutting board and dust with powdered sugar, if you want. For picture-perfect edges, trim the ends before serving. Cut into 1-inch slices and serve, adding any garnishes you like (though this cake is pretty perfect as it is!). I like chopped candied pecans for a pleasing little crunch, and a drizzle of caramel sauce is another delicious addition.

sliced pumpkin roll cake with knife

Tips for success

  • Read the recipe through before starting. This is always important, but especially important for a recipe like this where working quickly is a factor. You don’t want to get to a step and realize you’re not ready for it.
  • Yes, you will need a jelly roll pan to make this recipe. Like other traditional swiss roll cakes, this one is baked in a rimmed 10×15-inch “jelly roll” pan. It’s slightly smaller than a regular baking sheet pan (which is 13×18 inches) and it’s the only size pan that will work with this recipe. (A larger pan won’t have enough cake batter to fill it, and a smaller pan makes a cake too thick to roll.)
  • Measure flour correctly. All of my recipes use the “scoop and sweep” method, and I also include gram measurements. Too much flour will yield a tough cake that’s hard to roll.
  • Roll the cake while it’s hot. We roll it while it’s hot because it’s soft and malleable, and cooling it all rolled up sets it to hold that shape. Since we can’t add the frosting to a hot cake, we’ll unroll when it’s cool, add the frosting, and then roll it back up.
  • You got this! This recipe has everything you need to know, so feel confident and have FUN.
  • How to get nice, clean slices: Slice with a serrated knife for neat swirls, wiping it clean as needed.
  • Make this pumpkin roll ahead of time. The rolled-up (unfilled) cake will keep at room temperature for up to 24 hours. The filled cake can be stored in the fridge wrapped in plastic wrap for up to 5 days, though it will be at its best if served within 2 days.
  • Use up the leftover pumpkin puree with my Creamy Pumpkin Alfredo pasta recipe.

baking tip:Why did my cake crack while rolling?

Overbaking or rolling the cake when it’s too cool can cause cracks. Bake just until edges pull away from the pan, and the top bounces back when gently pressed (test several areas with your finger).This ensures it’s soft enough to roll. Start rolling the cake while it’s still warm and pliable, no more than a few minutes after you take it out of the oven. Have your counter space and supplies all ready to go so there’s nothing slowing you down.
More Baking Tips »

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pumpkin swiss roll cake with candied pecans
5 from 2 reviews

Pumpkin Roll

Servings: 12 servings
Soft, spiced pumpkin cake rolled with creamy filling makes a beautiful and delicious fall dessert everyone will love.
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Ingredients
 

For the pumpkin cake:

  • ¾ cup (105 grams) all-purpose flour
  • 1 ½ tsp pumpkin pie spice
  • ½ tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp baking soda
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 1 cup (213 grams) light or dark brown sugar
  • â…” cup (180 grams) canned pumpkin puree
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 tablespoon (28 grams) salted butter , melted
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the cream cheese filling:

  • 4 oz (113 grams) cream cheese , at room temperature
  • 4 tablespoons (56 grams) salted butter , at room temperature
  • 2 cups (205 grams) powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¼ teaspoon salt

Equipment

jelly roll pan
10×15-inch bake pan
offset spatula
Offset spatula
Hand-held mixer
Hand mixer

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 375°F and line a 10×15-inch jelly roll pan with parchment paper and grease with nonstick baking spray. Cut a second piece of parchment paper the same size and set aside.
  • In a large bowl, combine flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a second bowl whisk together the brown sugar, pumpkin puree, eggs, melted butter, and vanilla extract. Add dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture and whisk until no streaks of flour remain.
  • Pour cake batter into the prepared pan and spread it into an even layer all the way out to the edges so it bakes evenly. Bake until the cake appears dry, starts to pull away from the edges of the pan, and springs back when pressed, about 10-12 minutes.
  • As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, run a spatula around the edges of the cake and carefully slide it out onto a clean surface. Spray the second sheet of parchment paper with nonstick spray and place spray side-down on top of the cake. Place a clean thin towel on top of the parchment paper, which will keep the cake from rolling up too tight and cracking. Start with one short end and carefully roll the hot cake up into a log (use a second towel to protect your hands, if needed). The cake will resist at first, but it will get easier as you roll.
  • Let the cake cool on a wire rack until cooled to room temperature, about 30-45 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, prepare the cream cheese frosting. Add cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, vanilla extract and salt to mixer bowl and beat on low until combined, then increase speed to medium high and beat for 3-4 minutes until light and fluffy, pausing once to scrape down the bowl.
  • When the pumpkin cake has cooled, carefully unroll it and remove the towel and top parchment paper. The parchment may stick slightly, use a spatula as needed to carefully peel it off of the cake. Top the unrolled cake with the frosting and spread it out in an even layer, leaving a ½-inch border around all of the sides.
  • Starting with the same short end, carefully roll the cake back up into a log, removing the bottom parchment paper from the cake as you go. Once the cake has been rolled up completely, cover tightly with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours to firm up the frosting.
  • When ready to serve, remove plastic wrap. Cut into slices and dust with powdered sugar (optional). Serve slices topped with chopped candied pecans, if desired.

Notes

  • Make your own pumpkin pie spice: ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon each of ground ginger, ground nutmeg, ground cloves, and ground allspice.
  • Make this pumpkin roll ahead of time. The rolled-up (unfilled) cake will keep at room temperature for up to 24 hours. The filled cake can be stored in the fridge wrapped in plastic wrap for up to 5 days, though it will be at its best if served within 2 days.
Calories: 277kcal, Carbohydrates: 46g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 10g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Trans Fat: 0.2g, Cholesterol: 52mg, Sodium: 234mg, Potassium: 105mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 38g, Vitamin A: 2460IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 44mg, Iron: 1mg
Cuisine: American
Course: Dessert
Author: Annalise Sandberg
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