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.
Pumpkin Roll
Equipment
- Hand mixer
- Whisk or Sifter
- Bowls
- Plastic wrap
- Kitchen towel (thin)
- Spatula
Ingredients
Pumpkin Cake
- 3/4 cup of all-purpose/plain flour 96g
- 1/2 tsp. baking soda 3g
- 1/2 tsp. baking powder 3g
- 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon 3g
- 1/2 tsp. ground cloves optional (3g)
- 1/4 tsp. of table salt 1g
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup of white granulated sugar 225g
- 2/3 cup of canned pumpkin or use fresh (150g)
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 ounces of softened cream cheese 226g
- 1 cup of powdered sugar confectioners (125g)
- 6 Tbsp. of unsalted softened butter 84g
- 1 tsp. of vanilla extract 5ml
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 F/190 C. In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, ground cloves, ground cinnamon, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.
- In a separate large bowl mix together the eggs and the sugar. Add the canned pumpkin puree and mix that in. Scrape the sides of the bowl as necessary.
- Fold the flour mixture in a little at a time with a spatula. Don't use the mixer, it is too easy to over mix it. An overmixed batter makes for chewier and denser cake.
- Take a 10×15 inch sheet pan and spray it with cooking spray. Lay down a piece of parchment paper and then spray the paper. Dust the top with powdered sugar or flour and then pour the pumpkin cake batter in the pan. Spread it out evenly with a spatula.
- Bake the cake, middle rack position, for 13 to 15 minutes until it is springy and a toothpick comes out clean.
- Remove the cake from the oven and allow it to cool for just a few minutes. Layout a clean thin kitchen towel and dust it liberally with powdered sugar. Place the warm cake on top of the towel and remove the parchment paper. Dust the top of the cake with powdered sugar. Roll up the cake tightly and place it seam side down to cool completely. If in a hurry, you can place it in the fridge.
- While the cake is cooling, make the cream cheese frosting by placing the softened cream cheese in a bowl and mixing it. Then add the softened butter and vanilla extract and mix again. Next, add the powdered sugar little by little until mixed in completely and smooth.
- Unwrap the cake and then evenly spread the frosting on top. Roll it back up but without the towel this time. Then wrap it with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for at least 1 hour. This will let the frosting set.
- When you want to serve it, top it with a fruit sauce or powdered sugar, or whipped cream and slice and serve it. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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.
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It’s definitely pumpkin season. Wow this is different never had it in a roll.
Indeed! I love pumpkin season!
I need Pumpkin Roll in my life! It’s perfect for the season. I will make it this week.
Awesome, Emman! 🙂 Let me know how it turns out if you wind up making it. 🙂
I’ve honestly never had a pumpkin roll. This recipe looks incredible! I cannot wait to try it
Cool, definitely try it sometime and let me know how it turns out. 🙂
Yep, another family favorite! I have to admit that on this one, I usually buy it rather than make it and save the roll cake work for buche de noel.
Awesome, Marie!