This Easy pumpkin roll recipe uses Libby's canned pumpkin to create a delicious, homemade cake that has cream cheese filling. Enjoy this pumpkin roll cake after a holiday meal or serve up with a cup of coffee or tea for a special breakfast treat.
I have finally done it. I have made a pumpkin roll. Now, some of you may say “Yeah, so what?”, but this is the FIRST time in all my baking years that I have made a “roll” cake.
I have always been afraid that I would mess one up, so I never bothered to make one, although, I love to eat them!
Baking tools to have for a pumpkin roll recipe
- Jelly Roll pan
- Cloth kitchen towels
- Cooling rack
- Stand mixer or hand mixer
Related recipes: Pumpkin Pecan Cheesecake, Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes, Pumpkin Peanut Butter Crescent Rolls, Baked Pumpkin Donuts, Pumpkin Pound Cake
Libby's pumpkin roll recipe
Why a pumpkin roll and not a jelly roll cake? Well, the reason is pure function. I have an old recipe for pumpkin cookies that I make every fall.
The only downside is that the recipe uses only a portion of the canned pumpkin, which has left exactly 2/3 cup of pumpkin leftover.
I started reading the recipes on Libby's canned pumpkin label and what do you know! A pumpkin roll cake requires exactly 2/3 cup!
Easy pumpkin roll recipe Ingredients
For the Cake:
- All-purpose flour
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Ground cinnamon
- Ground cloves
- Salt
- Large eggs
- Granulated sugar
- Libby's 100% Pure Pumpkin
- Chopped walnuts, optional
Cream Cheese Filling:
- Cream cheese, softened
- Powdered sugar
- Butter – salted or unsalted butter will work well with this recipe
- Vanilla extract
- Powdered sugar for dusting on top of the pumpkin cake
How to make pumpkin cream cheese roll
This is my favorite holiday dessert and I'm so glad I finally made my pumpkin roll cake from scratch! It's so good!
- Start by preheat oven to 375 degrees and grease 15×10″ jelly roll pan.
- Line pan with wax paper then Grease and flour the wax paper.
- Sprinkle a thin, cotton kitchen towel with powdered sugar and set aside. Be generous with the powdered sugar so your baked cake does not stick to the towel.
- Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves and salt in a small bowl.
- Beat eggs and granulated sugar in a large mixer bowl, or in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment until thick.
- Stir in pumpkin until well combined.
- Add in flour mixture.
- Spread evenly into prepared pan.
- Bake for 13-15 minutes or until the top of cake springs back when touched.
- Immediately loosen and turn cake onto prepared towel.
- Carefully peel off paper.
- Roll up cake and towel together starting with the narrow end and leave rolled to cool.
- Cool on wire rack.
Tip: Be sure to roll the cake when still warm from the oven. This will ensure your pumpkin roll does not crack.
Cream Cheese Filling:
- Beat cream cheese, powdered sugar, butter and vanilla extract in small mixer bowl until smooth.
- Carefully unroll cake and remove towel.
- Spread cream cheese mixture over cake.
- Reroll cake.
- Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least one hour.
- Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving, if desired.
Should Pumpkin Roll be Refrigerated?
Yes. Once you spread the cream cheese filling over the cake you should refrigerate it for at least one hour. This will help the pumpkin roll cake set before slicing.
Your cake can sit out for a few hours for dessert, but should then be put back in the fridge or freezer.
How long do pumpkin rolls last
Pumpkin rolls will last up to a week in the refrigerator and a month in the freezer. Be sure to wrap the entire cake, including ends with plastic wrap to seal properly and keep air out.
Now, grab your ingredients and make a holiday dessert everyone will love!
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Pumpkin season is here! See this recipe and more in my September Roundup of fall favorites.
Libby's Pumpkin Roll
Equipment
Ingredients
Cake:
- Powdered Sugar
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp. ground cloves
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2/3 cup Libby's 100% Pure Pumpkin
- 1 cup chopped walnuts optional
Filling:
- 1 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese softened
- 1 cup sifted powdered sugar
- 6 Tbsp. butter or margarine softened ** I used 4Tbsp. butter & 2 Tbsp. margarine**
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- Powdered sugar
Instructions
For Cake:
- Preheat oven to 375′ F. Grease 15×10" jelly roll pan. ( I used a small cookie sheet);
- line pan with wax paper. Grease and flour paper.
- Sprinkle a thin, cotton kitchen towel with powdered sugar.
- Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves and salt in a small bowl.
- Beat eggs and granulated sugar in large mixer bowl until thick.
- Beat in pumpkin.
- Stir in flour mixture.
- Spread evenly into prepared pan. (sprinkle with nuts).** I did not put in nuts, because I think this cake should be smooth; it is a preference thing.**
- Bake for 13-15 minutes ( found this was done after 12 minutes) or until top of cake springs back when touched.
- Immediately loosen and turn cake onto prepared towel.
- Carefully peel off paper.
- Roll up cake and towel together starting with the narrow end.
- Cool on wire rack.
- For Filling: Beat cream cheese, powdered sugar, butter and vanilla extract in small mixer bowl until smooth.
- Carefully unroll cake; remove towel.
- Spread cream cheese mixture over cake.
- Reroll cake.
- Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least one hour.
- Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving, if desired.
Video
Nutrition
Original Post: 11.13.09
Update Post: 11/13/20, 9/15/25
So? How did it come out??
It was delicious! I even got a "wow, this is really good" from one of the kids' friends! It only lasted 3 days! I will make another one.