The best and easiest Pumpkin Roll recipe with a moist and tender crumb, filled with smooth cream cheese frosting. I have the best trick to make this simple and completely mess-free!
Do you love pumpkin recipes? Try Pumpkin Spice Eggnog, Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies, Pumpkin Snickerdoodles, or Pumpkin Cake!
Our Pumpkin Roll is No-Fuss, No-Mess, All Flavor
Our Pumpkin Roll is No-Fuss, No-Mess, All FlavorDon't be intimidated to make pumpkin roll! It's the most basic sheet cake, rolled up to look fancier than it is. And we don't mess with your Grandma's old-fashioned method of dumping the cake on a towel covered in powdered sugar –what a mess! My method is the easiest and works great every single time! If you want to take this dessert to the next level, try using homemade pumpkin purée.
How to make a Pumpkin Roll:
Prep Pan: Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly spray a 10×15” pan with cooking spray, then line with parchment paper and leaving an extra inch of parchment paper hanging over the long sides so you can easily lift it up after it bakes. Lightly spray the parchment paper with non-stick spray.
Make Batter: Combine flour, salt, cinnamon, baking soda, and pumpkin pie spice in a bowl. Mix eggs, vanilla, sugar, and pumpkin in a separate bowl, until smooth. Pour dry ingredients into wet ingredients, just stirring until combined.
Bake: Pour batter in prepared pan, spreading into an even layer. Bake for 13-16 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Watch it closely since every oven is different. Remove from oven. Lift the parchment paper up and place on a heat-safe flat surface. While cake is hot, start at a short end and slowly roll the cake inside the parchment paper all the way. Let cool completely on a wire cooling rack.
- Tip: It's very important to roll up the cake when it's hot from the oven, so it doesn't crack. The hot cake is soft, pliable, and will roll and set in this shape, so it doesn't crack.
Add Filling: Mix cream cheese, butter, vanilla, and powdered sugar together with an electric mixer until it's fluffy and smooth. Carefully unroll cooled pumpkin cake then gently smooth the filling in an even layer. Roll up the pumpkin swiss roll back up, without the parchment paper and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerator for at least 1 hour before serving.
Serve: Dust the top of the pumpkin roll cake with powdered sugar, if desired. Cut into slices and serve. Keep leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Make Ahead and Freezing Instructions:
To Make Ahead: The assembled pumpkin roll with cream cheese filling can be made and refrigerated, covered, for 1-2 days. Or if you just want to make the cake part ahead of time, you can bake it, roll it in parchment paper to cool, then refrigerate it while it's rolled in the parchment paper for one day before spreading the frosting. Keep leftovers covered and in the refrigerator.
To Freeze: Wrap in plastic wrap and aluminum foil then freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw completely overnight in the refrigerator before slicing and serving.
More Fall Cake Recipes:
- Pumpkin Cheesecake
- Fresh Apple Cake
- Carrot Cake Loaf
- Pumpkin Cupcakes
- Pumpkin Mug Cake
- Apple Coffee Cake
- Flourless Chocolate Cake
- Gingerbread Cake
- Sticky Toffee Pudding
- Homemade Rum Cake
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Recipe
Pumpkin Roll
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 2/3 cup canned pumpkin (or homemade pumpkin puree)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Filling:
- 8 ounces cream cheese , softened
- 2 Tablespoons butter , softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup powdered sugar , plus more for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Prep Pan: Lightly grease a jelly roll pan (10 x 15'') with non stick cooking spray. Place parchment paper on top so it sticks, leaving an extra inch of parchment sticking up on both long sides of the pan so that you can easily lift the cake out after baking. Lightly grease the parchment paper.
- Dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice.
- Wet Ingredients: In a separate bowl, mix the eggs, sugar, vanilla and pumpkin until smooth.
- Combine: Add dry ingredients to the bowl and stir just until combined and no dry streaks remain. Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Every oven is different, so watch it closely.
- Roll: Immediately lift the payment paper and hot cake out of the pan and onto a flat (heat-safe) surface. While the cake is hot, starting at a short end, gently and slowly roll the cake (and parchment paper!) all the way up. Allow it to cool completely, on top of a wire cooling rack. (This allows it to cool underneath the roll, and keeps the cake from sweating).
- Frosting: While the cake roll is cooling, mix the cream cheese, butter, vanilla, and powdered sugar together with an electric mixer until it is fluffy and smooth. Once the cake roll is cooled completely, unroll it very carefully. Gently smooth the filling in an even layer over the cake, leaving a 1-inch border.
- Roll up the frosted cake without the parchment paper. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, before serving.
- Serve: Dust the top with powdered sugar, if desired. Cut into slices and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
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I originally shared this recipe October 2014. Updated September 2017, October 2019 and October 2024.
Original recipe adapted from Mel's Kitchen Cafe. I've added more spices.
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Love this recipe! I have friends/family ask for these pumpkin rolls on repeat!
Oh my goodness, this recipe is fantastic!!!!!! I made 1 on Thursday to freeze for Thanksgiving, but the hubby liked it so much that he ate half of it. It was easier than I expected and I have since made 2 more that are hidden in the freezer!! 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Tried this recipe this week, my first time ever making a pumpkin roll cake. It was so easy and so good! I got lots of compliments on it!
I just started making these this week and WOW!! They are a HUGE HIT AROUND THIS HOUSE. THANK YOU.. AN SO EASY TO PUT TOGETHER. . this is a HUGE mood lifter cause I feel like I’m baking like a PRO.. 😁❤
This is the BEST pumpkin roll recipe ever! Made it three times so far, and each time, turned out perfect. So delicious and MUCH easier than the old tea-towel method. Wish I would have had this recipe 30 years ago! Thank you so much, Lauren! 🤗
I’ve made this recipe twice now, and like other people both times it has cracked when I unroll because it sticks to the parchment, even though I’ve tried the suggestions. But otherwise it’s super simple and delicious!
Finally, i lost my original recipe for PUMPKIN ROLL and YOURS IS EXACTLY LIKE MINE. I had paniced because I didnt want to make all of the other ones i was finding. AND THEN I found yours. I make it the same way too. This one is By far the BEST ONE BY FAR. Ive been making this one for so many years, I will write this down in MANY places. THANK YOU SO MUCH….HAPPY THANKSGIVING LOVE YOUR RECIPES
Delores, you are so sweet and I am so glad you found! I am glad you enjoy the recipe as much as I do! Thanks for following Tastes Better From Scratch and Happy Thanksgiving!
Complete GAME CHANGER! I did not have high hopes for this recipe (sorry) but I gave it try and was complete amazed at how simple and delicious it is. I have looked yet but do you have a recipe for a yule log?
I am so happy to hear it!! Thanks for sharing! I don’t have a “yule log” specific recipe yet but I will be sharing a new chocolate peppermint cake roll recipe in December!
Made this today. The parchment paper trick is great. My kids thought it was delicious as did I. The cake did crack a little, but it didn’t matter after I sliced it up. Also, the parchment paper crinkled up before I put it in the oven (unbeknownst to me). So there were indentations in the cake. Again, it didn’t matter after I sliced it up.
I just started making my Pumpkin rolls on Parchment paper this year. I have made 10 to date & always think I wonder if anyone else knows how much better this is than the traditional method lol. Store bought Pumpkin rolls to me anyway, do not have a good flavor. It tickles me to see you add additional spices as do I. You go girl! ?
Thanks for sharing–I completely agree 🙂
I added pumpkin spice too the mixture also…yummy, and when I iced the cooled cake, I added extra filling, balanced it out perfectly.
Thanks for sharing–sounds perfect.
I was so happy to try the parchment paper virus the messy tea towel method, I tried using the parchment paper, rolled them up and let them cool completely. Went to unroll them and they stuck to parchment paper and cracked. Needless to say they are in the trash can. What did I do wrong?. Have to use the rea towel method now, since I have the filling made! Feeling disappointed!
Hi Linda, I am so sorry to hear that! My best advice, along with making sure the cake is completely cooled before unrolling it (you could even refrigerate it after it’s cooled off), is to allow them to cool on top of a wire cooling rack so that it prevents sweating inside or on the botton of the cake. Also make sure the cake is really well cooked–it’s such a moist cake that if it’s undercooked at all it may just be too soft and moist to come off of the parchment easily.
Again, sorry you had trouble and hope you get to try again. I’ve made this so many times with no trouble, and it’s so much easier than the towel method.
Don’t throw it out if it doesn’t turn out right .instead make a trifle out if it using the messed up cake then vanilla pudding add some chopped nuts some whipped cream then repeat untill you’ve used up the cake😁
Dear Lauren,
I wanted to ask how would I go about making a roll cake just like this but vanilla/plain so I can fill it with different jams or other fillings. I have tried making it with other cake roll recepies and failed twice already 🙁 Any advice is really appreciated!
Thank you so much!!
Fiorella
Hi Fiorella, I’m so sorry, I don’t have a vanilla/plain cake roll recipe yet. I would try this recipe, using the parchment paper method: http://www.dinnerwithjulie.com/2013/10/28/vanilla-cake-roll-lemon-mascarpone-cream/
Thank you, Lauren! I will try this recipe and wish for the best 🙂
Warm regards,
Fiorella
I don’t have plastic wrap can I wrap in tinfoil when all done?
I would put it on your serving plate, and then tent the tinfoil over the plate to cover it. Hope you love it!
I added some cloves and nutmeg for additional flavor. Yummy. And I’d make more icing next time. Just so that it would look like the picture a bit more. The recipe makes for a thin icing center. A nice rich one would be “icing on the cake”so they say.