Classic Pumpkin Roll (2024)

I’ve got one simple trick that makes this classicPumpkin Roll recipe EASY and mess-free! It has the best soft texture and flavor with a delicious cream cheese filling.

I truly love all of my pumpkin recipes, but there are only a few that I regularly bake every single year and they include this pumpkin roll, Pumpkin Cupcake, and my mom’s amazing Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies!

Classic Pumpkin Roll (1)

Pumpkin roll

Do you know why pumpkin rolls are intimidating? Because our moms’ method of making them made a HUGE and SCARY mess that rarely resulted in a nice and pretty pumpkin roll. I’m excited to share the simplest trick and tastiest recipe for making a beautiful and mess free pumpkin roll!

Most recipes have you invert the baked cake onto a large towel that has been dusted with powdered sugar. Then you’re supposed to roll the cake up in the towel. Honestly, this method has always been a dusty, powdered-sugary MESS for me. Not to mention that you end up with a sticky mess of a rag when it’s done.

Guys, there is such a BETTER and EASIER way! Parchment paper is the trick!

For a MESS-FREE pumpkin roll:

Use Parchment paper! The biggest tip to making an easy, mess-free pumpkin roll is to roll the pumpkin cake up inside the parchment paper that it was baked on. Allow it to cool, rolled up. Then unroll it and spread with cream cheese frosting.

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How to make a homemade pumpkin roll:

  • First, line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper, leaving a little overhang on the long edges, so that it’s easier to lift the cake from the pan when it’s done baking.
  • Next, spread the cake batter on top of the parchment paper in the pan and smooth it into an even layer. Bake it for about 15 minutes.

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  • When the cake is finished baking, carefully lift the cake from the pan and roll the hot cake up inside theparchmentpaper. This method is SOO much easier than turning it out onto a towel and praying that it doesn’t crack, or stick to the towel.

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  • Allow the cake to cool completely, rolled up in the parchment paper, on top of a wire cooling rack. Once it’s cool unroll the pumpkin roll and discard the parchment paper. Spread the cream cheese filling all over the top of the pumpkin roll and roll it back up into a log (without the parchment paper).

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  • You’ll be left with a beautiful, simple, pumpkin roll and hardly any mess to clean up. #winning

Does a pumpkin roll need to be refrigerated?

Yes, store it in the refrigerator. Once you have spread the cream cheese filling and rolled the pumpkin roll back into a log, wrap it in plastic wrap and leave it in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour before serving!

How to keep pumpkin roll from cracking:

The biggest trick to preventing your cake roll from cracking is to roll the cake up in the parchment paper as soon as it comes out of the oven. The hot cake will be soft and pliable and should roll up without cracking.

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To make ahead:

Pumpkin roll can be prepared completely and refrigerated for 1-2 days ahead of time, before serving. OR, you can bake the cake, roll it in the parchment paper to cool. Once cool, refrigerate it (rolled in the parchment paper) for up to one day, before frosting. Once you have fully assembled your pumpkin roll, you can also store it in the refrigerator for a few days!

Can I freeze a pumpkin roll?

Yes, you can freeze a prepared pumpkin roll for up to 2-3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before slicing and serving.

Consider trying these pumpkin recipes:
  • Chewy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
  • Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins
  • Pumpkin Cinnamon rolls

You can alsoFOLLOW MEonFACEBOOK,TWITTER,INSTAGRAMandPINTERESTfor more great recipes!

Recipe

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Pumpkin Roll

This classic pumpkin roll recipe is made with a delicious pumpkin cake, rolled up with a fluffy cream cheese filling. Always a crowd favorite, and easier than ever to make!

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Author Lauren Allen

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 8

Calories 260

Prep 10 minutes mins

Cook 15 minutes mins

Total 25 minutes mins

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Ingredients

Filling:

  • 8 ounces cream cheese , softened
  • 2 Tablespoons butter , softened
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup powdered sugar , plus more for dusting

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a jelly roll pan (15 x 10'') with parchment paper, leavingan extra inch of parchment sticking up on both long sides of the pan so that you can easily lift the cake out after baking. (You can VERY lightly grease the parchment paper, if you want to, but you don't need to!)

  • In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice. In a separate bowl mix the eggs, sugar, vanilla and pumpkin until smooth.

  • 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.

  • 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 one of the short ends, use your hands to 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).

  • 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.

  • Roll up the cake without the parchment paper. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, before serving.

  • Dust the top with powdered sugar, if desired. You could use a duster, spoon, or even your fingers to lightly sprinkle it on top of the roll. Cut into slices and serve.

  • Store in the fridge, covered, for up to three days.

  • For more pumpkin treats, click here!

Notes

Make ahead:

Pumpkin roll can be prepared completely and refrigerated for 1-2 days ahead of time, before serving. OR, you can bake the cake, roll it in the parchment paper to cool. Once cool, refrigerate it (rolled in the parchment paper) for up to one day, before frosting. Once you have fully assembled your pumpkin roll, you can also store it in the refrigerator for a few days!

Freeze:

Prepared pumpkin roll can be frozen for up to 2-3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before slicing and serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 260kcalCarbohydrates: 27gProtein: 5gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 108mgSodium: 353mgPotassium: 119mgFiber: 1gSugar: 16gVitamin A: 3745IUVitamin C: 0.8mgCalcium: 48mgIron: 1.3mg

Did You Make This Recipe?

Tag @TastesBetterFromScratch on Instagram with #TastesBetterFromScratch!

Have you tried this recipe?!

RATE and COMMENT below! I would love to hear your experience.

Recipe adapted from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe.

I originally shared this recipe October 2014. Updated September 2017 and October 2019.

This post contains affiliate links.

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Original Post

Updated

Categories

  • Cakes/Cupcakes
  • Dessert
  • Freezer Friendly
  • Holiday
  • Pumpkin
  • Thanksgiving

About The Author

Classic Pumpkin Roll (12)

Lauren Allen

Welcome! I’m Lauren, a mom of four and lover of good food. Here you’ll find easy recipes and weeknight meal ideas made with real ingredients, with step-by-step photos and videos.

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Classic Pumpkin Roll (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to rolling a pumpkin roll? ›

Roll the cake while it's hot!

This is the secret to a perfectly-swirled roll cake. While the cake is still hot, use the parchment to transfer the cake from the baking pan onto a clean kitchen towel. Using the towel as a hot mitt, roll the cake into a tight spiral from the narrow side.

What is pumpkin roll filling made of? ›

Pumpkin Roll Ingredients

You likely have most of the ingredients you'll need on hand. If not, here's what to add to your grocery list: For the Cake: eggs, sugar, pumpkin puree, cinnamon, all-purpose flour, and baking soda. For the Filling: cream cheese, confectioners' sugar, butter, and vanilla extract.

Why is my pumpkin roll tough? ›

Overworking the flour into the egg mixture will activate the gluten and make the pumpkin sheet cake tough and harder to roll. Roll the cake as soon as it is removed from the oven. The best way to prevent the cake roll from cracking is to roll the cake up in the kitchen towel as soon as it comes out of the oven.

Why did my pumpkin roll crack when I rolled it? ›

The cake is much more likely to crack if it is rolled when cooled. You also want to pull the cake from the oven as soon as it is done baking. An over-baked cake is much more likely to crack, even if rolled while it is hot from the oven.

How do you keep a pumpkin roll from splitting? ›

When the cake is finished baking, carefully lift the cake from the pan and roll the hot cake up inside the parchment paper. This method is SOO much easier than turning it out onto a towel and praying that it doesn't crack, or stick to the towel.

Why is my pumpkin roll wet or sticky? ›

If you let the cake cool before you roll it, then it will just break. If you roll while it's too hot, the powdered sugar will melt and it will be sticky.

How to make pumpkin roll without a jelly roll pan? ›

If you do not have a jelly roll pan and don't want to buy one, you can use a half sheet pan; just trace a 10×15-inch rectangle on parchment paper and spread the cake batter in that area only. For a super pretty presentation, slice off the ends of the pumpkin roll before serving to showcase the swirl!

What is the difference between Libby's pumpkin and pumpkin pie filling? ›

They are the same product. Both canned pumpkin puree and pie filling are useful, shelf-stable ingredients that can help speed up your kitchen prep time. Just remember that puree is unsweetened, while pie filling contains sugar and spices. This will help you choose the right pumpkin product for your recipes.

How long will pumpkin roll keep in the fridge? ›

Pumpkin rolls keep well in the refrigerator and freezer, so they're the perfect dessert to make ahead of time if you'd like. To store your pumpkin roll, wrap it up tightly in plastic wrap. Then you can either refrigerate it for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.

How to wrap a pumpkin roll for a gift? ›

Parchment Paper: To give your pumpkin bread that homemade charm, use a sheet of parchment paper. Place your cooled pumpkin bread on the parchment paper, and gently wrap it, folding the edges neatly. Tie It Up: To secure the parchment paper, use a piece of twine or ribbon.

Why did my pumpkin bread come out gummy? ›

If your pumpkin spice bread is gummy or undercooked in the center, it's typically because it either 1) needed more time to bake in the oven or 2) the batter was too wet, which led the bread to collapse in on itself a bit (this happens if you measure ingredients by volume, rather than by weight: it's easy to ...

Why is my pumpkin bread so wet? ›

Preventing your pumpkin bread from having a soggy bottom is all about how you let it cool. When it comes out of the oven, let the loaf sit in the pan for a 5 minutes. Then, and here's the secret, turn it out upside down onto a cooling rack. Remove the parchment paper, and allow it to cool completely.

Why did my homemade rolls get hard? ›

Mistake to Avoid #2: Tough Dinner Rolls

Do your dinner rolls resemble shoe leather? Too much flour, or not the right kind, could be to blame. Dough made only from flour with a high or even average amount of protein (like bread flour or all-purpose flour) can become tough from overmixing.

How to roll a Swiss roll without it cracking? ›

Starting at the shorter edge of the cake, roll the cake and greaseproof paper up together, making sure that it is especially tight at the beginning. It's important that the cake is warm so it can set in the right shape. If it's too cold, it won't roll properly. Once rolled, leave it to cool completely.

Why does my Swiss roll crack when I unroll it? ›

Make sure you roll up the cake when it's hot out of the oven. If you let it cool much at all, it will risk cracking when rolling or unrolling. I highly recommend using a scale to measure your flour as it's the most accurate method and will prevent you from ending up with a dense cake.

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