Pumpkin Roll Cake with Cream Cheese Filling
A stunning spiral cake of spiced pumpkin sponge rolled around tangy cream cheese filling—impressive enough for holiday gatherings but surprisingly approachable at home.
- Total time
- 65 min
- Servings
- 12
- Calories
- 287
- Protein
- 4g
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1.5 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
- 3 whole large eggs
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- ¼ cup butter, softened
- 1 cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- 1
Set the oven to 375°F and wait until the indicator light or beep tells you it has finished heating, about 10 minutes.
- 2
Line a 15×10-inch jelly-roll pan (a rectangular metal baking sheet) with parchment paper, creasing it into the corners so it lies flat.
- 3
In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ground ginger, and nutmeg by stirring with a fork until no lumps remain.
- 4
In a large mixing bowl, add the 3 eggs and granulated sugar, then use an electric mixer on medium-high speed to beat for 2 minutes until the mixture looks pale and fluffy, about the color of light caramel.
- 5
Add the pumpkin puree and vegetable oil to the eggs, then mix on medium speed for 30 seconds until the color is uniform throughout.
- 6
Pour the flour mixture into the pumpkin mixture, then stir by hand with a wooden spoon in wide circles until just no white streaks are visible, about 15 strokes.
- 7
Pour the batter onto the prepared pan and use a rubber spatula to spread it evenly to the edges, scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl.
- 8
Place the pan in the oven and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the cake springs back when you gently press the top with one finger, 12–15 minutes.
- 9
Remove the cake from the oven and immediately place a clean kitchen towel over the top, pressing gently so it sticks to the warm cake.
- 10
Slide the whole pan (with cake and towel still on top) onto a wire cooling rack and let it sit until you can hold your hand on the towel without it being too hot, about 5 minutes.
- 11
While the cake cools, add the softened cream cheese, softened butter, and powdered sugar to a medium mixing bowl and use the electric mixer on medium speed to beat until the mixture looks fluffy and no lumps remain, about 2 minutes.
- 12
Lift one short edge of the parchment paper and flip the cake onto a clean, dry counter so the bottom of the cake is now facing up.
- 13
Peel away the parchment paper that was underneath the cake (the paper that was on the pan); if it sticks, let it sit for 30 seconds more, then try again.
- 14
Lay a fresh piece of parchment paper on your work surface, then place the cake on top with the now-exposed top surface facing down.
- 15
Spread the cream cheese filling evenly over the cake in a thin layer using a rubber spatula, leaving a 0.5-inch border along all four edges.
- 16
Starting from one of the long edges nearest you, tightly roll the cake away from you (like rolling a jelly roll), peeling away the parchment as you roll.
- 17
Wrap the rolled cake tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours until the filling is firm and the cake is cold, so it is easier to slice.
- 18
Remove the cake from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for 10 minutes, then unwrap it and place it on a serving platter.
- 19
Using a long serrated knife (a bread knife), slice the cake into 12 equal pieces by making a gentle sawing motion, wiping the blade clean between cuts.
Tools you’ll need
- 15×10-inch jelly-roll pan
- parchment paper
- small bowl
- fork
- large mixing bowl
- electric mixer with beaters
- wooden spoon
- rubber spatula
- kitchen towel
- wire cooling rack
- medium mixing bowl
- plastic wrap
- long serrated (bread) knife
Cook smarter
Get matched recipes for what’s in your fridge
CookSnap is a free iOS app that finds real recipes from the ingredients you already have. No more grocery-list aspirations.


