The powdered sugar on the kitchen towel gets everywhere, but it’s worth having it ready before the cake comes out of the oven. This pumpkin roll has a soft, thin cake wrapped around a smooth cream cheese filling, with cinnamon and cloves lending warmth without taking over. The first slice shows off the spiral, and the contrast between the lightly spiced cake and tangy filling is what makes each bite feel balanced.
I beat the eggs and sugar until they’re thick and pale, then fold in the dry ingredients gently. That keeps the batter light enough to bake into a flexible cake instead of a dense layer that’s difficult to roll. Canned pumpkin puree adds moisture and pumpkin flavor; it needs to be puree, not pumpkin pie filling. Once the cake is baked, it’s rolled while hot, cooled, filled, and chilled until the cream cheese center is firm enough to slice cleanly.
Kitchen Note
Have the towel sugared and laid out before the timer goes off. The cake needs to be turned out and rolled while it’s hot, so there isn’t time to stop and set up once it leaves the oven.
Save this Pumpkin Roll for its tender spiced cake, smooth cream cheese spiral, and make-ahead-friendly chill before slicing.
Why This Pumpkin Cake Needs a Full 10-by-15-Inch Pan
A pumpkin roll depends on a thin, even cake layer. The 10-by-15-inch jelly-roll pan gives the batter room to spread into a sheet that bakes through quickly and stays flexible enough to curve. A smaller pan makes a thicker cake, and a thick layer is more likely to crack when you roll it. A larger pan spreads the batter thinner, so the edges can dry out before the center is baked.
Grease the pan, line it with parchment, and lightly oil the parchment as well. That combination helps the cake release cleanly when you invert it, which matters because the warm sponge is delicate. Spread the batter evenly into the corners rather than leaving a deep mound in the middle. An uneven layer bakes unevenly: thin spots can dry while thicker areas remain soft.
Keep an eye on the edges near the end of baking. The cake is ready when the top springs back after a light touch and the edges begin to pull away from the pan. Those cues matter more than waiting for a deep golden color; pumpkin batter stays orange, and extra time in the oven can make a thin cake dry and less pliable.
What the Pumpkin, Eggs, and Cream Cheese Each Bring
- Canned pumpkin puree — Choose plain puree rather than pumpkin pie filling, which is already sweetened and seasoned. The puree contributes moisture and a clear pumpkin taste. There’s no need for a specialty brand; what matters is using puree rather than a prepared pie mixture.
- Eggs and granulated sugar — Beating them together builds the airy base that gives this thin cake some lift. Use large eggs, as called for here, and bring them to the thick, pale stage before adding the pumpkin. Skipping that beating time leaves less air in the batter.
- All-purpose flour — It gives the sponge enough structure to hold together when rolled. Whisk it with the leaveners and spices first so they’re distributed, then fold the mixture in gently. A vigorous stir after adding flour can make the cake tougher.
- Cinnamon and ground cloves — Cinnamon brings the familiar warm note, while cloves add a more pronounced, earthy spice. Fresh, fragrant spices make the difference here; if your cloves are old and have lost their aroma, leaving them out gives a milder cinnamon cake.
- Cream cheese and unsalted butter — These make the filling smooth, rich, and tangy without making it taste like frosting. Use both softened so they beat together evenly; cold cream cheese tends to leave lumps. Unsalted butter keeps the filling’s seasoning predictable.
- Powdered sugar and vanilla — Powdered sugar sweetens and thickens the filling, while vanilla rounds out the cream cheese tang. Sifting the portion for the towel helps distribute it in a fine layer, so it coats the surface the hot cake will touch.
From Thin Batter to a Neat Cream Cheese Spiral
Prepare the pan and mix the dry ingredients
Heat the oven to 375°F. Brush vegetable oil over the bottom and sides of a 10-by-15-inch jelly-roll pan, line it with parchment, and lightly oil the parchment. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt together in a medium bowl. Breaking up any small lumps now makes it easier to fold the dry mixture in evenly later.
Beat the eggs, then fold the batter gently
In a large bowl, beat the eggs and granulated sugar with an electric mixer on medium-high until thick and pale, about 3 to 4 minutes. Mix in the pumpkin puree. Fold in the flour mixture just until no dry streaks remain; stop there rather than beating the batter smooth. Spread it evenly in the prepared pan, including the corners.
Bake until the surface springs back
Bake for 13 to 15 minutes. Press the top lightly with a fingertip: it should spring back, and the edges should just begin to pull away from the pan. If the center stays indented, give it a little longer and check again. Avoid waiting for the whole surface to turn brown, since a thin cake can dry out quickly.
Roll the cake while it’s hot
While the cake bakes, lay a clean kitchen towel on the counter and sift 1/4 cup powdered sugar evenly over it. Invert the hot cake onto the towel as soon as it comes out, then peel away the parchment. Roll the cake and towel together from a short end, and set the roll seam-side down on a wire rack. Let it cool completely, about 1 hour.
Fill, reroll, and chill before slicing
Beat the softened cream cheese and butter in a medium bowl until smooth. Add the remaining 1 cup powdered sugar and the vanilla, then beat until smooth again. Unroll the cooled cake, spread the filling evenly over it while leaving a 1/2-inch border, and roll it back up from the same short end without the towel. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before slicing.
Two Small Changes for a Different Pumpkin Roll
A gentler cinnamon-only spice
Leave out the ground cloves for a milder cake with cinnamon as the main spice. The texture stays the same; the flavor simply loses the deeper, sharper note cloves bring.
A less-sweet cream cheese filling
For a tangier, lower-sugar filling, use 3/4 cup powdered sugar in place of the 1 cup mixed into the filling. It will taste less sweet and may be a little softer, so spread it gently and keep the finished roll chilled before serving.
Storage and Serving
- Refrigerator: Keep the roll tightly wrapped and refrigerate it for 3 to 4 days. The cake gradually softens where it touches the filling, but the slices stay moist.
- Freezer: The finished roll freezes well. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, then in foil, and freeze for up to 1 month; thaw it in the refrigerator before slicing or serving.
- Serving: Serve the roll chilled or let it sit briefly at room temperature for a softer filling. Don’t microwave it, since the cream cheese center softens unevenly and can squeeze out when sliced.
Questions That Come Up When Making Pumpkin Roll
Pumpkin Roll
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Brush the vegetable oil over the bottom and sides of a 10x15-inch jelly-roll pan, line it with parchment paper, and lightly oil the parchment.
- Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt together in a medium bowl.
- Beat the eggs and granulated sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until thick and pale, 3 to 4 minutes.
- Mix in the pumpkin puree.
- Fold the flour mixture into the pumpkin mixture just until no dry streaks remain, then spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan.
- Bake for 13 to 15 minutes, until the top springs back when lightly touched and the edges begin to pull away from the pan.
- While the cake bakes, lay a clean kitchen towel on the counter and sift 1/4 cup powdered sugar evenly over it.
- Immediately invert the hot cake onto the towel and peel off the parchment.
- Roll the cake and towel together from a short end.
- Set the rolled cake seam-side down on a wire rack and cool completely, about 1 hour.
- Beat the cream cheese and butter in a medium bowl until smooth.
- Add the remaining 1 cup powdered sugar and vanilla and beat until smooth.
- Unroll the cooled cake and spread the filling evenly over it, leaving a 1/2-inch border.
- Roll it up again from the same short end without the towel.
- Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before slicing.