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Homemade Pumpkin Roll: A Classic Fall Dessert at Home

Homemade Pumpkin Roll

A tender pumpkin spice sheet cake is rolled around a rich cream-cheese filling, chilled, and dusted with powdered sugar. This classic American dessert makes one 10-inch roll with about 10–12 slices.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 13 minutes
Total Time 1 minute
Servings: 10 servings
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Pumpkin Cake
  • 3 Large eggs
  • 1 cup Granulated sugar
  • 2/3 cup Canned 100% pumpkin purée
  • 1 teaspoon Lemon juice
  • 3/4 cup All-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon Baking powder
  • 2 teaspoons Ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon Ground ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon Ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon Salt
  • As needed Powdered sugar for towel and finished roll
Cream-Cheese Filling
  • 8 ounces Cream cheese, softened
  • 1 cup Powdered sugar, sifted
  • 6 tablespoons Unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract

Method
 

Step-by-Step
  1. Heat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease a 10 x 15-inch jelly-roll pan, line it with parchment paper, and lightly grease the parchment.
  2. Beat the eggs and granulated sugar until thick and pale. Mix in the pumpkin purée and lemon juice.
  3. Whisk the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt together. Fold the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture just until combined.
  4. Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan. Bake for 13–15 minutes, until the top springs back lightly when touched.
  5. Immediately loosen the cake and turn it onto a clean kitchen towel generously dusted with powdered sugar. Peel off the parchment.
  6. Starting at a short end, roll the warm cake tightly inside the towel. Allow it to cool completely.
  7. Beat the softened cream cheese, butter, sifted powdered sugar, and vanilla until smooth and spreadable.
  8. Carefully unroll the cooled cake, spread the filling evenly over the surface, and roll it back up without the towel.
  9. Wrap the roll in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before slicing. Dust with additional powdered sugar before serving.

Notes

Roll the cake while it is still hot so it remembers the rolled shape and is less likely to crack. Do not overbake; remove it when the center springs back lightly and the edges are just beginning to pull away from the pan. For clean slices, chill thoroughly and wipe a sharp knife between cuts.