A classic fall dessert featuring a light, spiced pumpkin sponge cake rolled around a rich cream cheese filling. It’s soft, perfectly sweet, and beautiful when sliced—ideal for holidays or your dessert blog!
⏱️ Prep Time
- Prep: 20 minutes
- Bake: 12–15 minutes
- Chill: 1 hour
- Total: ~1 hour 35 minutes
🧰 Equipment
- 10×15-inch jelly roll pan
- Parchment paper
- Mixing bowls
- Electric mixer
- Clean kitchen towel
🛒 Ingredients
🎂 Pumpkin Cake
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2/3 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 2 tsp pumpkin spice
- 1/2 tsp salt
🧀 Cream Cheese Filling
- 8 oz cream cheese (softened)
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 6 tbsp butter (softened)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
✨ For Rolling
- Powdered sugar (for dusting towel)
📝 Ingredient Notes
- Pumpkin puree: Use pure pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling
- Spice: Pumpkin spice or mix of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger
- Cream cheese: Full-fat gives best texture
👩🍳 Instructions
1. Prepare the Pan
- Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F)
- Line pan with parchment paper and lightly grease
2. Make the Batter
- Beat eggs and sugar until thick and pale
- Mix in pumpkin puree and lemon juice
- In another bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, spice, and salt
- Fold dry ingredients into wet mixture
3. Bake
- Spread evenly in pan
- Bake for 12–15 minutes until set
4. Roll While Warm
- Dust a clean towel with powdered sugar
- Turn cake onto towel and peel off parchment
- Roll cake gently with towel from short side
- Let cool completely
5. Make Filling
- Beat cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla until smooth
6. Fill & Roll Again
- Unroll cooled cake
- Spread filling evenly
- Roll back up (without towel)
7. Chill & Serve
- Chill for at least 1 hour
- Dust with powdered sugar, slice, and serve
🍽️ Serving Ideas
- Serve chilled with coffee or tea
- Add caramel drizzle or chopped nuts
- Perfect for holidays like Thanksgiving
🔢 Nutrition (Approx per slice)
- Calories: 280
- Fat: 16g
- Carbs: 30g
- Protein: 4g
💡 Tips & Variations
- No Cracks Tip: Roll cake while warm—this is key!
- Extra Flavor: Add cinnamon to filling
- Healthier Option: Use low-fat cream cheese
- Chocolate Twist: Add mini chocolate chips to filling
