If you love a good pumpkin recipe, you’re going to adore this super simple pumpkin roll with cream cheese filling! With a soft cake layer and a sweet cream cheese filling, it’s the perfect fall dessert! Be sure to add this one to your Thanksgiving dinner plans!
Pumpkin recipes have a special place in my heart; especially a good pumpkin roll recipe. I may live in Texas, but my hometown is a small town in South Central Ohio called Circleville.
As you drive down to the main intersection of town, you find the typical small town courthouse looming above the rest of the buildings near it with a few brick lined streets still lined with the original brick that was laid in the 1800’s.
Drive through the downtown portion of Main St., it is quite easy to tell that Ohio State reigns as the college football team of choice.
Easy Pumpkin Roll Recipe
Circleville really isn’t famous for much. Ted Lewis and the woman who played the maid on 2 and a Half Men were both from here. The Native American chief Logan Elm was from nearby as well. It for the most part is a sleepy town that is growing rapidly but was hit hard by the opiod epidemic.
The biggest claim to fame is The Circleville Pumpkin Show and all the tasty pumpkin recipes that come with it each year. The Pumpkin Show is a really big festival every year celebrating pumpkins, of course! There is the annual contest to see who grew the biggest pumpkin.
Have you ever seen a 1,500 lb pumpkin?
Each year Lindsay’s Bakery bakes their massive 6 foot pumpkin pie. There are vendors, carnival rides, games and of course, loads of tasty pumpkin recipes.
You can find pumpkin burgers, pumpkin chili, pumpkin fudge, pumpkin doughnuts and more! My love of all things pumpkin was nurtured each year as my favorite festival rolled into town and this easy pumpkin roll recipe is one of my all-time favorites.
It only tops my second favorite, chocolate chip pumpkin bread recipe by a little bit. 😉
Best Pumpkin Roll Recipe
Ask my family and they will tell you that over the years, I have perfected my pumpkin roll recipe. The key to the perfect pumpkin roll is quite easy even though the method can be hard.
A lot of bakers either have the cake turn out too dry or the filling is off. Either one being off can ruin the perfect flavor and texture of a pumpkin roll, but luckily, I am going to show you how to do it so you bake an absolutely perfect pumpkin roll.
Secrets to making the perfect pumpkin roll
This pumpkin roll recipe with a cream cheese frosting recipe is easier to make once you understand a few things;
First, you will need to use a jelly roll pan and not a sheet cake pan. Jelly roll pans like THESE are thinner and you need a thin cake portion for a good roll.
Secondly, use a hand mixer. I am not at all sure why, but this pumpkin roll recipe will turn out leaps and bounds better than if you use a stand mixer.
Next, yes you can use homemade pumpkin puree instead of the canned stuff. I have, however, never done it so I do not know how it will affect the taste. Do so at your own risk.
It’s also a great recipe to use frozen pumpkin with if you have any in the freezer. If you’re new to freezing squash, I have a tutorial right HERE.
Lastly, please use real butter in this recipe. Not only is it less toxic for you, but it also gives your final product a much better flavor. Want a really great flavor? Make homemade butter using THIS technique.
For the Pumpkin Roll Cake:
- 3/4 c. all-purpose flour
- 1 c. granulated sugar
- 2/3 c. canned pumpkin or homemade pumpkin puree
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
- Small amount of powdered sugar for dusting
For the Cream Cheese Filling:
- 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
- 4 Tbsp. real Butter, softened
- 1 c. powdered sugar
- 1 tsp. real vanilla extract
Supplies Needed:
Pumpkin Roll Recipe
Equipment
- Jelly Roll Pan
- Parchment Paper
- Flour Sifter
- Mixing Bowls
- Hand Mixer
- Clean kitchen towel
Ingredients
For the Cake
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour sifted
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ⅔ cup canned pumpkin or homemade pumpkin puree
- 3 large eggs Room temperature
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp nutmeg
- powdered sugar for dusting
For the Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 oz cream cheese softened
- 4 tbsp butter softened
- 1 c powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° F. Bring eggs, butter and cream cheese to room temperature. Grease jelly roll pan, line with parchment paper and grease parchment paper. Set aside. Dust powdered sugar over clean kitchen towel. Set aside.
- Beat eggs and sugar until light and fully combined.
- Add all cake ingredients except flour and pumpkin. Mix after each addition.
- Add flour and pumpkin. Mix well.
- Pour batter into greased jelly roll pan.
- Bake at 350°F until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. About 10-12 minutes. Once cake is baked, allow it to very slightly cool. Turn cake onto clean and dusted towel and remove parchment paper.
- Trim edges to even them out.
- Spread cream cheese frosting over one side of the cake making sure to frost end to end.
- Flip one end of towel over the cake. Begin to very slowly roll cake into log. Once your roll is started, remove the towel and finish rolling into a pumpkin roll. Chill 2 hours, then slice and serve.
For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
- Add all ingredients to a mixing bowl and mix until a smooth, spreading consistency is reached.
- Once a smooth consistency is reached, taste and adjust flavor using the notes below.
