Spiced Pumpkin Cake Roll with Creamy Cream Cheese Filling (Print Version)

Warm Pumpkin Cake Roll recipe featuring a tangy cream cheese filling. Learn my secrets for a crack-free roll and a perfectly spiced, moist autumn dessert.

# Recipe Info:

Prep Time: 30 Minutes minutes
Cook Time: 15 Minutes minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Servings: 10 Servings
Difficulty: Intermediate
Cuisine: American
Dietary: Vegetarian

# Ingredients:

→ For the Spiced Pumpkin Cake

01 - 1 cup all-purpose flour
02 - 1 cup granulated sugar
03 - 1 teaspoon baking powder
04 - 1 teaspoon baking soda
05 - 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
06 - 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
07 - ½ teaspoon ground cloves
08 - ½ teaspoon ground ginger
09 - ½ teaspoon salt
10 - 3 large eggs
11 - ⅔ cup pumpkin puree (100% pumpkin, not pie filling)

→ For the Cream Cheese Filling

12 - 8 ounces cream cheese, softened (full-fat is best!)
13 - ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
14 - 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
15 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Dusting & Finishing

16 - Extra powdered sugar, for dusting

# Instructions:

01 - First things first, let's get that oven ready! Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Then, grab a 15x10-inch jelly roll pan. Line it with parchment paper, letting it hang over the sides a bit—this is your secret weapon for lifting the cake later, trust me. Give the parchment a light spray with cooking spray. I always forget this step and end up wrestling the paper. It smells like anticipation in my kitchen at this point.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together your flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, and salt. Give it a good whisk to make sure all those warm spices are evenly distributed. This is where the magic of the Spiced Pumpkin Cake Roll really begins to smell amazing. I've definitely clumped my spices before, and you get weird pockets of intense flavor, so mix well!
03 - In a separate large bowl, beat the eggs until they're light and fluffy, then mix in the pumpkin puree. Pour the wet pumpkin mixture into your dry ingredients and stir just until combined. Don't overmix, hon, or your cake will be tough! I often get a little too enthusiastic here, but a light hand is key for a tender cake.
04 - Pour the batter evenly into your prepared jelly roll pan. Spread it right to the edges. Pop it into the preheated oven for about 13-15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. The kitchen starts to smell absolutely divine at this point, like autumn personified. I once overbaked it, and it cracked like crazy, so watch it closely!
05 - This is the moment of truth for your Pumpkin Cake Roll! While the cake is still warm, immediately invert it onto a clean kitchen towel heavily dusted with powdered sugar. Carefully peel off the parchment paper. Starting from a short side, roll the cake and towel together. Let it cool completely on a wire rack, seam-side down. This trains the cake to hold its roll, and honestly, it’s where I get nervous every time!
06 - Once your cake is completely cool, beat together the softened cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract in a medium bowl until it’s super smooth and creamy. Make sure there are no lumps—that means your cream cheese and butter need to be truly soft. This filling is the tangy counterpoint to the sweet pumpkin, and it’s what makes this Spiced Pumpkin Cake Roll sing!
07 - Gently unroll the cooled cake. Spread the cream cheese filling evenly over the entire surface, leaving a small border at one end. Carefully re-roll the cake (without the towel this time!). Wrap the finished Pumpkin Cake Roll tightly in plastic wrap and chill it in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours. This helps it firm up for slicing. My kitchen always looks like a baking tornado hit it by this point, but it's worth it!

# Notes:

01 - Always roll the cake while it's still warm with a powdered sugar-dusted towel; it prevents cracking, I learned that the hard way.
02 - For the smoothest filling, make sure your cream cheese and butter are completely at room temperature before beating.
03 - If you're out of a specific spice, a good quality pumpkin pie spice blend can be used as a substitute.
04 - Serving this Pumpkin Cake Roll chilled, with a fresh dusting of powdered sugar, makes it look extra elegant.

# Equipment Needed:

01 - 15x10-inch jelly roll pan
02 - parchment paper
03 - mixing bowls
04 - electric mixer
05 - wire rack
06 - clean kitchen towel

# Nutrition (Per Serving):

Calories: 350
Total Fat: 18g
Total Carbohydrate: 45g
Protein: 5g

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