This Pumpkin Roll with Cream Cheese Filling is a soft, spiced pumpkin sponge cake rolled up with a smooth, tangy cream cheese frosting — the ultimate festive dessert for fall and the holidays. It’s light, moist, perfectly balanced with warm pumpkin spice, and surprisingly easy to make at home. Whether for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or any cozy autumn evening, this homemade pumpkin roll always impresses.

Why You Will Love This Recipe

You’ll love this pumpkin roll cake for its irresistible flavor, gorgeous presentation, and simple process. The tender pumpkin sponge cake bakes up quickly, rolls beautifully, and pairs perfectly with the rich cream cheese filling. It’s make-ahead friendly, freezer-safe, and ideal for sharing — a classic dessert that’s as beautiful as it is delicious.

Pumpkin Roll with Cream Cheese Filling

If there’s one dessert that captures the heart of fall baking, it’s the Pumpkin Roll with Cream Cheese Filling. With its swirl of tender, spiced pumpkin cake and creamy frosting, it’s a dessert that looks bakery-perfect yet is completely doable in your home kitchen.

This cake has become a holiday staple, especially around Thanksgiving and Christmas, for good reason. It combines the best of everything — warm spices, soft texture, and a silky cream cheese center that melts in your mouth.

What makes this pumpkin roll stand out is its perfect balance of sweetness and spice. The cake itself is moist and lightly flavored with pumpkin pie spice, which brings out cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove in every bite. The pumpkin puree adds natural richness and moisture, ensuring the sponge stays soft and flexible for rolling.

The filling is a classic cream cheese frosting made with softened butter, vanilla, and powdered sugar. It’s sweet but tangy, and when rolled up inside the spiced cake, the two layers create that signature swirl everyone loves.

Rolling the cake might seem intimidating, but it’s easier than it looks. The key is to roll it while it’s still warm using a clean kitchen towel dusted with powdered sugar. This helps the cake keep its shape without cracking — a trick professional bakers swear by.

The aroma while baking is pure autumn comfort. As the cake bakes, the scent of cinnamon and pumpkin fills the kitchen, making it an instant mood-lifter. It’s the kind of dessert that feels nostalgic, cozy, and just right for the season.

This pumpkin roll isn’t just for special occasions — it’s a great make-ahead dessert. You can bake, fill, and roll it the day before, then chill until ready to serve. In fact, the flavor deepens as it rests, making it even more delicious the next day.

For serving, a simple dusting of powdered sugar is classic. But you can also drizzle it with caramel sauce, sprinkle crushed nuts, or top it with whipped cream for a festive touch.

This recipe also scales beautifully for gifting. Slice the roll, wrap each piece neatly, and share with friends or neighbors — it’s a sweet gesture that always delights.

If you’re new to cake rolls, this is the perfect place to start. The batter is forgiving, the flavor is unbeatable, and the result looks as impressive as any bakery dessert. And once you master this one, you’ll find endless ways to riff on it — from chocolate rolls to gingerbread variations.

In short, this Pumpkin Roll with Cream Cheese Filling is everything you want in a fall dessert: soft, creamy, flavorful, and absolutely stunning on any dessert table.

Servings & Time

Servings: 8–10
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Chilling Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes

Ingredients

For the Cake:

¾ cup all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
¼ teaspoon salt
3 large eggs, room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
⅔ cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For Rolling:

¼ cup powdered sugar (for dusting towel)
Additional powdered sugar, for garnish

For the Cream Cheese Filling:

8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
6 tablespoons butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

Preheat and prep:
Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a 10×15-inch jelly roll pan with parchment paper and lightly grease it.
Mix the dry ingredients:
In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Set aside.
Make the pumpkin batter:
In a large bowl, beat eggs and sugar on high speed until thick and pale, about 2–3 minutes. Add pumpkin puree and vanilla extract; mix until smooth.
Combine wet and dry:
Gently fold the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture until just combined. Do not overmix — this keeps the cake light.
Bake the cake:
Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan. Bake for 13–15 minutes, or until the cake springs back when lightly touched.
Roll the cake:
While still warm, turn the cake out onto a clean kitchen towel sprinkled with ¼ cup powdered sugar. Carefully peel off the parchment paper. Starting at the short end, roll the cake and towel together into a log. Cool completely on a wire rack.
Prepare the filling:
Beat cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla until smooth and creamy.
Assemble:
Once the cake is completely cool, unroll it gently. Spread the cream cheese filling evenly over the surface, leaving a small border at the edges.
Roll again:
Re-roll the cake (without the towel) and wrap it tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour to set.
Serve:
Before serving, dust the top with powdered sugar. Slice with a sharp knife and serve chilled.

Tips

Prevent cracks:
Roll the cake while it’s warm — that’s the secret to a smooth, crack-free swirl.
Make-ahead:
You can make the pumpkin roll up to 2 days ahead. Store in the fridge, tightly wrapped, until ready to serve.
Freezing:
Freeze the roll (without powdered sugar) for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight, then dust with sugar before serving.
Flavor variations:
Add chopped pecans, caramel drizzle, or a touch of orange zest in the filling for a festive twist.
Storage:
Keep leftovers refrigerated for up to 5 days.

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