This classic pumpkin roll is made with a homemade blend of spices that are not only aromatic but absolutely delicious. Filling this easy-to-make pumpkin roll is a maple cream cheese filling that is subtly sweet with the flavors of maple syrup.
Ingredients in a Pumpkin Roll
- Canned pumpkin puree - not pumpkin pie mix, make sure it is 100% pure pumpkin!
- Eggs, at room temperature
- Light brown sugar, packed
- Granulated sugar
- Vanilla extract
- All-purpose flour (spoon & leveled)
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Ground cinnamon
- Ground nutmeg
- Ground cloves
- Ground allspice
- Ground ginger
- Salt
RELATED: Pumpkin Sugar Cookies
How to Make a Pumpkin Roll
The first step to making a pumpkin roll is to be prepared. When making cakes that will be rolled up it's important to have everything ready to go as soon as the cake is out of the oven. For this pumpkin roll, make sure the tea towel is laying flat and is dusted with powdered sugar before the timer is up for the cake to come out of the oven.
Preheat the oven and prepare the jelly roll pan - Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a jelly roll pan (10×15-inch) with nonstick spray and line it with parchment paper. Once lined, lightly spray the parchment paper as an extra step to make the cake nonstick for easy peeling.
Combine the wet ingredients - In a bowl, beat the eggs, pumpkin, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and vanilla together until blended well.
Combine the dry ingredients - In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, allspice, ground ginger, and salt together in a large bowl.
Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients - Slowly blend the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until combined.
Pour the pumpkin roll batter - Slowly pour the batter evenly into the prepared pan. Give the pan a subtle shake to make sure the batter is spread evenly in the pan. If necessary, tilt the pan to spread the batter to all corners.
Bake - Bake for 18 to 19 minutes, or until the cake with springy to the touch. You want the cake to be dry to the touch and bounce back when touched.
Immediately invert the cake - Immediately after the cake is out of the oven, use the parchment paper to carefully take the cake out of the pan with the parchment paper still attached and invert the cake onto a tea towel that has been dusted with powdered sugar.
Roll - Gently start rolling up the short side using the parchment paper to tuck and roll the cake.
With the cake rolled up, allow the cake to cool on the countertop or place it in the fridge to cool it more quickly.
If chilling in the fridge, remove it from the fridge while making the frosting.
Ingredients in Cream Cheese Frosting with Maple Syrup
- Cream cheese - softened
- Unsalted butter - softened
- Confectioners sugar
- Vanilla extract
- Maple syrup
How to Make Cream Cheese Frosting with Maple Syrup
Start with room temperature ingredients - In a large bowl beat the cream cheese smooth and creamy with a hand mixer.
Add the butter and beat until combined and smooth.
RELATED: Iced Pumpkin Spice Loaf
Beat in the remaining ingredients - Beat in the confectioners' sugar, vanilla, and maple syrup and beat until the frosting is smooth.
How to Frost a Pumpkin Roll
Start with a cooled cake. Carefully unroll the pumpkin roll in the tea towel. Make sure the cream cheese frosting is creamy and use an icing spatula to drop large dollops of icing on the pumpkin roll. Using the icing spatula, carefully smooth the icing evenly over the cake leaving a half-inch bare on all sides.
How to Roll a Pumpkin Roll
To roll a pumpkin roll, repeat the process to roll up the cake out of the oven. Gently tuck the pumpkin roll and begin rolling until the other short edge of the cake is tucked under the roll.
Once rolled, wrap in saran wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes until slicing and serving.
Can You Freeze A Pumpkin Roll?
Yes, you can freeze a pumpkin roll. They can be frozen for up to 2 months for best quality in the freezer when stored properly. To do this, wrap the roll tightly in saran wrap and then wrap it again in aluminum foil.
When ready to serve, remove the cake from the freezer and allow it to sit on the countertop for one hour before slicing and serving.
📖 Recipe
Pumpkin Roll
Equipment
Ingredients
Pumpkin Roll
- ⅔ cup canned pumpkin puree
- 3 large eggs - room temperature
- ¾ cup packed light brown sugar
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ¾ cup all purpose flour - spoon & leveled
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon allspice
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup confectioners sugar for rolling on tea towel
Maple Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 ounces cream cheese - softened
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter - softened
- 1 ¾ cups confectioners sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup
Instructions
Pumpkin Roll Directions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Spray a jelly roll pan (10×15-inch) with nonstick spray and line it with parchment paper. Then line it Lightly spray the parchment paper as an extra step to make the cake nonstick.
- In a bowl, beat the eggs, pumpkin, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and vanilla together until blended well.
- In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, allspice, ground ginger, and salt together in a large bowl.
- Slowly blend the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until combined.
- Slowly pour the batter evenly into the prepared pan. Give the pan a subtle shake to make sure the batter is spread evenly in the pan.
- Bake for 17-18 minutes, or until the cake with springy to the touch. You want the cake to be dry to the touch and bounce back when touched.
- Immediately after the cake is out of the oven, use the parchment paper to carefully take the cake out of the pan with the parchment paper still attached and invert the cake onto a tea towel that has been dusted with powdered sugar.
- Gently start rolling up the short side using the parchment paper to tuck and roll the cake.
With the cake rolled up, allow the cake to cool on the countertop or place it in the fridge to cool it more quickly. - If placing the pumpkin in the fridge, remove it from the fridge while making the frosting.
- Taking care, unroll the cake being careful when flattening.
- Using an icing spatula, spread the cream cheese frosting evenly on top of the cake leaving a half inch of the cake exposed on all sides.
- Being careful, roll the cake back up peeling the parchment paper as you go.
- Cover with saran wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour before slicing and serving.
Maple Cream Cheese Frosting
- In a large bowl beat the cream cheese smooth and creamy.
- Add the butter and beat until combined and smooth.
- Beat in the confectioners' sugar, vanilla, and maple syrup and beat until the frosting is smooth.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate based on third-party calculations. Actual values may vary due to ingredients, measurements, and serving sizes.
© Mama Needs Cake
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!Dana is an experienced recipe creator who crafts easy and delicious recipes for all levels of home cooks.
Her recipes range from classic comfort foods to healthy and nutritious meals, and she is always on the lookout for new and exciting ways to bring flavor and variety to the table.
Jamie says
This pumpkin roll looks absolutely delicious and yummy! The cream cheese frosting makes this overloaded with taste and flavor! I totally loved it!
amy liu dong says
Oh my gosh, seeing this is making my mouthwatering.
I will definitely make this at home for everyone.
Ann says
Wow, this pumpkin roll looks so delicious! I am all about pumpkin foods and flavoring this time year! Excited to give this one a try!
Angela says
These are so amazing! My kids love them, can't wait to make them again!!
Kelly says
I don’t have any vanilla extract on hand. Could I substitute the vanilla extract for maple syrup?
Dana says
Hi Kelly! Swapping the vanilla extract for maple syrup should be just fine. I would substitute for the same amount.