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    Home » Recipes » Cake Recipes

    Classic Pumpkin Roll Recipe

    Published: Nov 1, 2022 by Chef Dennis Littley

    2.2K shares
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    4.98 from 90 votes
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    My Classic Pumpkin roll is a timeless fall dessert that is guaranteed to bring smiles to your dinner table. It’s one of those desserts that everyone thinks is too difficult to make, but honestly, it’s not that hard to make and is well worth the effort.

    slice of pumpkin roll in front of the roll on a white platter

    This perfectly moist spiced pumpkin cake filled with a luscious layer of cream cheese frosting is a delicious addition to any fall table. I’ve never been a fan of pumpkin recipes, but I do make an exception for this classic pumpkin dessert.

    My other pumpkin season favorite is my Pumpkin Crunch Cake.

    two slices of pumpkin roll on a white plate

    If this is your first time making a (Swiss Rolls) pumpkin cake, don’t be intimidated by the process. Making the sponge cake isn’t difficult. It’s a combination of simple pantry ingredients including, pumpkin puree, flour, pumpkin pie spice, eggs and sugar.

    If you need a Gluten-Free version of this delicious cake roll, you can find it here, Gluten Free Pumpkin Roll.

    Table of Contents:

    • Ingredients
    • How to make a pumpkin roll?
    • Cream Cheese Frosting
    • Assembling Pumpkin Roll
    • Recipe FAQ’s
    • More Holiday Desserts You’ll Love!
    • Classic Pumpkin Roll
      • Equipment
      • Ingredients
        • Pumpkin Roll
        • Cream Cheese Frosting
      • Instructions
        • Cream Cheese Frosting
      • Nutrition

    Ingredients

    ingredients to make recipe.

    Let’s start by gathering the ingredients we need to make a Classic Pumpkin Roll. In Chef Speak this is called the “Mise en Place” which translates to “Everything in its Place”.

    Not only does setting your ingredients up ahead of time speed up the cooking process, it also helps ensure you have everything you need to make the dish.

    Make sure to use 100% pure pumpkin, not pumpkin pie mix.

    How to make a pumpkin roll?

    Preheat oven to 375 degrees

    collage showing steps to make cake
    • Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves and salt in a small bowl. Set aside the dry ingredients until needed.
    • Add eggs and sugar to a large mixing bowl.
    • Beat the eggs and sugar on medium-high speed until thick.
    • Add the pumpkin puree to the egg mixture.
    • Mix the pumpkin in until well blended and creamy.
    • Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients.

    Make sure to use 100% pure pumpkin, not pumpkin pie mix.

    flour mixed in cake batter in mixing bowl

    Mix until the flour is just combined. Don’t over-mix.

    Sprinkle a dish towel with powdered sugar.

    collage showing how to bake cake roll
    • Grease a 15 x 10-inch jelly-roll pan; line the pan with parchment paper. Grease and flour the parchment paper.
    • Spread the pumpkin cake batter evenly into the prepared pan. *using an offset spatula will make spreading the cake better easy.
    • Bake for 13 to 15 minutes or until the top of the cake springs back when touched.
    • Turn out the cake onto the prepared dish towel

    *Alternatively you can skip the dish towel step and simply roll up the sponge cake in the parchment paper it was baked in.

    Cream Cheese Frosting

    While the cake is baking make the cream cheese frosting. I like using part mascarpone cheese (Italian cream cheese) when making cream cheese frosting. I like how it makes the cream cheese frosting extra smooth and silky.

    You can use all cream cheese to make the frosting and it will still be delicious!

    collage showing how to make cream cheese frosting
    • Add the cream cheese, mascarpone, powdered sugar, butter and vanilla extract to a small mixing bowl.
    • Whip ingredients on high speed until smooth and creamy

    Assembling Pumpkin Roll

    collage showing step to assemble pumpkin roll
    • Roll up the cake and towel together, starting with the narrow end. It’s important to work quickly once the cake comes out of the oven. You want to get it rolled while it’s still hot to prevent any cracking.
    • Let the wrapped cake cool on a wire rack.
    • Carefully unroll the cake; remove the towel.
    • Spread the cream cheese mixture over the cake.
    finished rolled pumpkin roll

    Carefully re-roll the pumpkin cake.

    Wrap the pumpkin roll in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour; overnight is best.

    pumpkin roll on a white platter topped with powdered sugar

    Sprinkle the roll with powdered sugar.

    slice of pumpkin roll with the rest of the roll

    Your friends and family are going to love this classic pumpkin roll, and after one bite you’ll agree this is the Best Pumpkin Roll Recipe!

    Recipe FAQ’s

    How do I store a finished pumpkin roll?

    Once filled and rolled, wrap the finished pumpkin roll tightly in a piece of plastic wrap and then again in a layer of foil. Make sure that the ends are sealed well; this is important.
    After properly wrapping the pumpkin roll you can keep them in the refrigerator for 2-3 days or you can freeze them for up to a month.
    When ready to serve the pumpkin roll, remove it from the freezer or refrigerator and allow the roll to come to room temperature before serving.

    Do I have to use a towel to roll the pumpkin roll?

    No, you don’t. The newest technique for an easy and mess-free pumpkin roll is to roll the pumpkin cake up inside the parchment paper that it was baked on. No dish towel is necessary.
    Allow the cake to cool in the parchment paper, then unroll the cake and spread the cream cheese frosting over the cake. Re-roll the cake, without the parchment paper, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate.

    Can I use pumpkin pie mix to make a pumpkin roll?

    No, you can’t. Don’t try it won’t come out well, since the pie mix is diluted and not pure pumpkin.

    More Holiday Desserts You’ll Love!

    • pumpkin pie with whipped cream on a white plate with reminder of pie in tin
      Classic Pumpkin Pie Recipe
    • slice of pumpkin praline cheesecake on a white plate in front of the whole cheesecake on a white platter
      Pumpkin Cheesecake with Pecan Praline Recipe
    • pumpkin crunch cake slice on a white platter with a fork
      Original Pumpkin Crunch Cake
    • slice of pecan pie on a white plate with more in the background
      Bourbon Pecan Pie with Chocolate Ganache

    Did you make this? Please RATE THE RECIPE below!

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    slice of pumpkin roll with the rest of the roll
    Print Recipe Save Saved!
    4.98 from 90 votes

    Classic Pumpkin Roll

    Since my first taste of Pumpkin Roll its been one of my favorite desserts.  The light and tender pumpkin cake along with the cream cheese frosting is the perfect after dinner (or breakfast) treat.
    Prep Time25 minutes mins
    Cook Time15 minutes mins
    Total Time40 minutes mins
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Servings: 12
    Calories: 356kcal
    Author: Chef Dennis Littley

    Equipment

    • jelly roll pan

    Ingredients

    Pumpkin Roll

    • ¼ cup powdered sugar to sprinkle on towel
    • ¾ cup all-purpose flour
    • ½ teaspoon baking powder
    • ½ teaspoon baking soda
    • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon *
    • ½ teaspoon ground cloves
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • 3 large eggs
    • 1 cup granulated sugar
    • ⅔ cup LIBBY’S® 100% Pure Pumpkin

    Cream Cheese Frosting

    • 8 ounce package cream cheese softened
    • 4 ounces mascarpone Cheese or cream cheese
    • 1½ cup powdered sugar
    • 6 tablespoons butter softened
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • ¼ cup powdered sugar for dusting
    US Customary – Metric
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 375 degrees
    • Grease 15 x 10-inch jelly-roll pan; line with parchment. Grease and flour the parchment paper.
    • Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves and salt in small bowl. and set aside until needed.
    • Beat the eggs and sugar in a large mixing bowl until thick.
    • Add the pumpkin puree into the egg mixture. Mixing until well blended and creamy.
    • Add the flour mixture to the pumpkin mixture and mix until just combined. Don't over-mix.
    • Sprinkle a dish towel with powdered sugar.
      *Alternatively you can skip this step and simply roll up the sponge cake in the parchment paper it was baked in.
    • Spread the cake batter evenly into the prepared pan.
    • Bake for 13 to 15 minutes or until the top of the cake springs back when touched.
    • Roll up the cake and towel together, starting with the narrow end.
      It’s important to work quickly once the cake comes out of the oven. You want to get it rolled while it’s still hot to prevent any cracking.
    • Cool on a wire rack.

    Cream Cheese Frosting

    • Whip cream cheese, powdered sugar, butter and vanilla extract in small mixer bowl until smooth.
    • Carefully unroll the cake; remove the towel and spread the cream cheese frosting over the cake
    • Re-roll the cake, then wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour, over night is best.
    • Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 356kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 84mg | Sodium: 209mg | Potassium: 91mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 37g | Vitamin A: 2742IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 55mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @askChefDennis or tag #askChefDennis!

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    About Chef Dennis

    Picture of Chef Dennis

    Chef Dennis Littley is a classically trained chef with over 40 years of experience working in the food service industry. In his second career as a food blogger he has made it his mission to demistify cooking by sharing his time-tested recipes, knowledge, and chef tips to help you create easy-to-make restaurant-quality meals in your home kitchen. Let Chef Dennis help you bring the joy of cooking into your home. For more details, check out his About page.

    Reader Interactions

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    1. LuLu

      November 26, 2022 at 1:40 pm

      5 stars
      I usually don’t make comments, but I have worked in high-end hotels for a long time I wanted to because this is the best I have ever tasted. I served this for thanksgiving everybody loved it.

      Reply
      • Chef Dennis Littley

        November 26, 2022 at 9:45 pm

        thank you for taking the time to leave a comment LuLu, I’m happy to hear you enjoyed the pumpkin roll!

        Reply
    2. Elena Bush

      November 08, 2022 at 1:58 pm

      Chef, the pumpkin roll is delicious, and easy to make. Thank you

      Reply
    3. Paulette Schiwart

      December 23, 2020 at 5:02 pm

      Love this Recipe! My only change was to lessen the Cinnamon and add Cloves. Cheers!

      Reply
    4. Genevieve | Fitty Foodlicious

      November 17, 2020 at 10:14 pm

      Oh my, give me this for breakfast on Thanksgiving day with some hot coffee. This pumpkin roll looks delicious and so easy to make.

      Reply
    5. Kushigalu

      November 17, 2020 at 2:47 am

      Drooling over this delicious pumpkin roll. Great holiday flavors. Pinned to make this for my family soon.

      Reply
    6. Gail Montero

      November 16, 2020 at 11:23 am

      5 stars
      This is certainly one of my favorite fall treats and you make it so easy to execute! Love the spices you used, too! So tasty!

      Reply
    7. Jacqueline Debono

      November 16, 2020 at 5:00 am

      5 stars
      As a child I was crazy about Swiss roll cakes but I have to confess I’ve never made one. This pumpkin version looks beautiful. I think I will give it a go because I’d love to serve this to guests during the holidays!

      Reply
    8. Julie

      November 15, 2020 at 3:13 pm

      5 stars
      What an amazing pumpkin roll! I was looking for one to make for my family and love how this one turned out. SO delish.

      Reply
    9. Linda

      November 15, 2020 at 9:21 am

      5 stars
      Roll cake is my favorite and this pumpkin cake will be a new favorite this fall. And the amount of that cream cheese filling is just right!

      Reply
    10. Capri

      November 14, 2020 at 1:32 pm

      5 stars
      This is everything I’ve been wanting in a pumpkin dessert! I almost ate the whole thing by myself! Thanks for the great recipe!

      Reply
    11. Jar of Lemons

      November 14, 2020 at 1:24 pm

      5 stars
      Definitely a classic!

      Reply
    12. Stine Mari

      November 14, 2020 at 1:45 am

      5 stars
      This pumpkin roll is so moist and tender, I love the amount of cream cheese filling in there!

      Reply
    13. Kechi

      November 13, 2020 at 9:35 pm

      5 stars
      This looks phenomenal; I am drooling. Also, I enjoyed reading about your life before social media influencer!
      Great post.

      Reply
    14. Christina

      November 13, 2020 at 4:02 pm

      5 stars
      This was so delicious!

      Reply
    15. Sula

      November 13, 2020 at 1:09 pm

      5 stars
      You had me at Cream Cheese Frosting! YUM

      Reply
    16. FOODHEAL

      November 13, 2020 at 12:51 pm

      5 stars
      Perfect for holidays, this pumpkin roll look airly and super soft

      Reply
    17. Sarah James

      November 13, 2020 at 9:38 am

      5 stars
      Your Pumpkin Roll looks delicious Dennis. I love the sound of the vanilla cheese frosting with the spicy pumpkin sponge.

      Reply
    18. Jere Cassidy

      November 12, 2020 at 11:50 am

      5 stars
      I heard you speak at a conference and I appreciate how open you are about what you know. And, then there is your food that is always delicious and easy to make. Now for this cake, I am crazy about pumpkin and I love the simplicity of roll-up cakes. This is perfect for fall.

      Reply
      • Chef Dennis Littley

        November 12, 2020 at 12:18 pm

        Thank you Jere! I miss going to conferences, but the upside of staying home is I remembered I like to cook!

        Reply
    19. Leslie

      November 11, 2020 at 2:15 pm

      5 stars
      I can’t remember the last time I had a pumpkin roll. It’s a favorite of mine. I don’t even think I have a recipe for it. I’ll have to use this bc it looks scrumptious!

      Reply
    20. Fred N

      November 11, 2020 at 2:12 pm

      5 stars
      Oh my Chef Dennis this pumpkin roll looks great! We plan on going to Lake Tahoe for our Thanksgiving celebration so I might just add this to the menu. Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
    « Older Comments

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    My name is Dennis Littley or “Chef Dennis” as I’m known both at work and across the blogosphere. As a classically trained chef with 40+ years of experience in the kitchen, I share my time-tested recipes, knowledge, and chef tips to help you create easy-to-make restaurant-quality meals in your home kitchen.

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