Pumpkin Roll

Jump to Recipe

I love everything pumpkin and this pumpkin roll recipe is so moist and tastes incredible. Time to impress your friends and family with this amazing cake.

If you like cakes as much as I do, be sure and give this recipe a try. Whether it is for Thanksgiving or Christmas, or any time of year, it’s always good to have another pumpkin-based recipe up your sleeve.

This pumpkin roll is so incredibly easy to make and it turns out looking incredible. People will think you are a master pastry chef. If I can do it, you can do it. Let’s get baking!

Step 1: Gather the ingredients

In order to make these delicious pumpkin cake roll you need several everyday ingredients:

Cake

• All-purpose flour – also known as plain flour.
• Baking soda
• Baking powder
• Ground cinnamon
• Ground cloves
• Salt
• Eggs
• White granulated sugar
• Canned pumpkin – Or you can use fresh pumpkin puree.

Cream Cheese Frosting

• Softened cream cheese
• Powdered sugar – Also known as confectioner’s sugar or icing sugar.
• Softened butter – Use unsalted or salted.
• Vanilla extract

*Additional powdered sugar will be used for the cloth and dusting.

Step 2: How to make a pumpkin roll

Begin by preheating the oven to 375 F/190 C. In a medium bowl whisk together the all-purpose flour, ground cinnamon, ground cloves, salt, baking soda, and baking powder.

In a separate large bowl use a hand mixer or whisk and mix the eggs and the sugar. Then add the pumpkin and mix some more until well blended. Scrape the sides of the bowl as necessary.

Step 3: Finish the pumpkin cake roll batter

Now it is time to incorporate the dry ingredients. Pour in about a third of the dry ingredients. Then use a spatula to stir and fold it in. Repeat those steps until all the dry mixture is blended in.

Don’t use the hand mixer at this point, it is too easy to over mix the pumpkin cake batter. Why is that a problem? Well if the batter gets over mixed the resulting cake can be denser and have a chewy texture.

Next, spray a 10×15 inch sheet pan with cooking spray and lay down a sheet of parchment paper. Spray the top of the parchment paper with the cooking spray and dust it with powdered sugar or flour.

This will help insure the cake doesn’t stick after it is done baking. Then pour the pumpkin roll batter into the pan and spread it out evenly with a spatula.

Bake the cake for 13 to 15 minutes until the cake springs back when touching it.

Step 4: Roll up the baked pumpkin cake

Once the thin pumpkin cake is done baking remove it from the oven.

Take a very clean kitchen towel and lay it out flat. Dust the top of the towel very liberally with powdered sugar. It really helps if the towel doesn’t have those small little loops in the weave.

While still warm, grab the parchment paper and lift the cake out of the pan and flip it over onto the top of the towel. So the bottom will be facing you. Remove the parchment paper. Then dust this side liberally with powdered sugar.

Next, roll up the pumpkin cake fairly tightly, then set it seam side down and all it to cool completely. If you are in a hurry, you can cool it in the fridge.

Step 5: Cream cheese frosting

You know what goes really well inside a pumpkin roll? Homemade cream cheese frosting!

To make the frosting, take a medium bowl and add the softened room temp cream cheese. Give it a good mix with the hand or stand mixer. Then add the vanilla extract and softened butter and mix until smooth. Scrape the sides of the bowl as necessary.

Now mix in the powdered sugar to finish up the frosting.

Step 6: Complete that pumpkin cake roll

Un roll the towel with the thin pumpkin cake. Then evenly spread on the cream cheese frosting. Once you are done spreading on the frosting, roll the cake back up but without the towel this time.

If you didn’t use enough powdered sugar, the cake make stick a little bit to the towel. Next wrap the cake roll up with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to cool for at least an hour. This will allow the frosting to set and make the cake easier to cut.

Step 7: Serve that delicious pumpkin roll

Now just take that pumpkin cake out of the fridge and remove the plastic wrap. Place it seam-side down on a plate or platter. Dust the top of it with powdered sugar or maybe even a fruit sauce.

Time to slice up that cake and serve it. Enjoy!

How long will the pumpkin roll last?

The pumpkin cake will last 3 to 5 days if stored in an airtight container or covered with plastic wrap in the fridge. It will last a few months if stored in the freezer.

Can I use a fresh pumpkin to make this cake?

Yes! If you don’t want to use canned pumpkin you can use fresh pumpkin. Just follow this homemade pumpkin puree recipe.

Do you like this recipe? Please give it a rating and comment down below, I really appreciate it.  If you make it tag me on Instagram @inthekitchenwithmatt. Also, sign up for the newsletter so you won’t miss out on any of my new posts and recipes.

Here are a few more recipes you may like:

Guacamole

Fudgesicles

Molasses Cookies

Homemade Powdered Sugar