Pumpkin roll with cream cheese filling
Classic pumpkin roll: a soft, spiced pumpkin sponge rolled around sweet cream cheese filling. Rolled warm so it doesn't crack, and freezer friendly.
16% of it needs you at the counter
- Hands-on
- 25 min
- Cooking
- 14 min
- Resting
- 2 hr
- Serves
- 10
- Calories
- 340
- Protein
- 5 g
- Per serving
- $0.61
Why this recipe works
A pumpkin roll looks impressive on a holiday table but uses pantry ingredients and one pan. The secret is all in the rolling: do it while the cake is warm and it bends without breaking. It also freezes beautifully, so you can make it weeks ahead.
- Rolling the cake while it's still hot, in a towel dusted with powdered sugar, sets its curved shape so it doesn't crack when you fill it.
- Beating the eggs and sugar until thick and pale gives the thin sponge enough air to stay flexible.
- A 15x10-inch pan makes a cake the right thickness; a bigger sheet makes it thin and brittle.
Ingredients
For the cake
For the filling
You will need
- 15x10-inch jelly roll pan
- Parchment paper
- Thin kitchen towel (not terry cloth)
- Stand or hand mixer
Method
Tap a step number to mark it done.
Prep
Heat the oven to 375°F. Grease a 15x10-inch jelly roll pan, line it with parchment and grease the parchment. Lay a thin kitchen towel flat and dust it evenly with the ¼ cup powdered sugar. Whisk the flour, baking soda, spices and salt together.
Make the batter
Beat the eggs and sugar on high until thick, pale and doubled in volume, about 3 minutes. Beat in the pumpkin, then fold in the flour mixture by hand until no streaks remain. Spread evenly in the pan.
Bake
Bake for 13 to 15 minutes, until the top springs back when lightly touched.
Roll while hot
Right away, run a knife around the edges and turn the cake out onto the sugared towel. Peel off the parchment. Starting at a short end, roll the cake up with the towel inside it and cool completely seam side down, about 1 hour.
Fill
Beat the cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth. Gently unroll the cake, spread the filling to within ½ inch of the edges and roll it back up without the towel.
Chill and slice
Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 1 hour so the filling firms up. Trim the ends, dust with powdered sugar and slice.
Cook's notes
- Don't overbake: a dry cake cracks however carefully you roll it. Check at 12 minutes.
- A few small cracks on the outside are normal and disappear under a dusting of powdered sugar.
- To freeze, wrap the filled roll in plastic and foil for up to 3 months; slice it while still slightly frozen for neat cuts.
Nutrition per serving
340 calories
$0.61 estimated cost per serving
Where the calories come from
| Protein | 6% of calories | 5 g |
|---|---|---|
| Carbs | 52% of calories | 45 g |
| Fat | 42% of calories | 16 g |
| Fiber | 1 g | |
| Sodium | 300 mg |
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for the listed ingredients and amounts; not lab-tested. Cost estimated from average US retail prices.
Questions people ask
How do you keep a pumpkin roll from cracking?
Use a 15x10-inch pan, don't overbake, and roll the cake in a sugared towel while it's still hot, then let it cool rolled up before filling.
Can you freeze a pumpkin roll?
Yes. Wrap the filled roll tightly in plastic and foil and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge for a few hours before serving.
How long does pumpkin roll last in the fridge?
Up to 5 days, wrapped well. The cream cheese filling means it must stay refrigerated.
