You know that dessert that makes people go quiet at the table? This is it. A soft pumpkin-spice sponge wrapped around silky cream cheese filling—light enough to slice, rich enough to crave.
It looks like a bakery flex but sneaks together in under an hour if you play your cards right. Bring this to a fall party and watch someone ask for the recipe before their plate hits the sink. Bonus: it’s make-ahead friendly, so you can look chill while being dangerously prepared.
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What Makes This Recipe Awesome
This pumpkin roll balances moist, tender pumpkin sponge with a not-too-sweet cream cheese filling that doesn’t ooze out when you slice it.
The technique is simple: bake a thin sheet cake, roll it while warm, cool, fill, and re-roll. It’s one of those “looks hard, actually easy” bakes that turns you into the dessert MVP with minimal drama.
The flavors are fall without being cloying. Cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg meet tangy cream cheese and a hit of vanilla.
It freezes beautifully, slices cleanly, and behaves on a buffet. Translation: it’s the loudest quiet flex you’ll bring to any gathering.
Shopping List – Ingredients
- For the Pumpkin Sponge
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 2/3 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Powdered sugar for dusting towel and finish
- For the Cream Cheese Filling
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
- Equipment (FYI, these matter)
- 10×15-inch jelly roll pan (rimmed baking sheet)
- Parchment paper
- Clean kitchen towel (lint-free)
- Wire rack
- Electric mixer
How to Make It – Instructions
- Prep the stage. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a 10×15-inch jelly roll pan with parchment, leaving some overhang for easy lifting.
Lightly grease the parchment.
- Mix dry ingredients. In a bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. This keeps the crumb even and prevents spice clumps that scream “rookie.”
- Whip eggs and sugar. In a separate bowl, beat eggs and granulated sugar on medium-high for 3–4 minutes until pale, thick, and ribbony. Add pumpkin puree and vanilla; mix just to combine.
- Combine gently. Fold dry ingredients into the wet mixture in two additions.
Don’t overmix—air is your friend here. Batter should be smooth and spreadable.
- Spread and bake. Pour batter into the pan and spread evenly to the corners. Bake 11–13 minutes until the top springs back lightly when touched and a toothpick comes out with just a few moist crumbs.
- Roll while warm—do not hesitate. Dust a clean towel generously with powdered sugar.
Immediately invert the hot cake onto the towel, peel off the parchment, then roll the cake up from the short side with the towel inside. Cool completely on a wire rack, seam side down.
- Make the filling. Beat cream cheese and butter until smooth and fluffy, 2–3 minutes. Add powdered sugar, vanilla, and a pinch of salt; beat until silky.
If it’s loose, chill for 10–15 minutes.
- Unroll and fill. Carefully unroll the cooled cake. Spread the filling to the edges, leaving a 1/4-inch border on the long edge where the roll will finish to prevent squeeze-out.
- Re-roll and chill. Roll it back up (without the towel), fairly snug but gentle. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate at least 1 hour, preferably 2–3 hours, to set.
- Finish like a pro. Trim the ends for clean slices.
Dust with powdered sugar. Slice with a sharp, warm knife (rinse and wipe between cuts for picture-perfect swirls).
Storage Tips
- Refrigerator: Wrap tightly in plastic or store in an airtight container for up to 4 days. The flavors deepen by day two—no complaints there.
- Freezer: Wrap in plastic, then foil, and freeze up to 2 months.
Thaw overnight in the fridge before serving. Slice while slightly chilled for best definition.
- Make-ahead: Bake and roll the sponge (without filling), cool, and freeze for up to a month. Thaw, fill, and finish the day you need it.
Efficiency unlocked.
Health Benefits
- Pumpkin power: Pumpkin puree brings beta-carotene (vitamin A precursor) for eye and skin health, plus fiber to keep you satisfied longer than a standard sponge.
- Reasonable sugar balance: The filling is sweet but not cloying, and the cake relies on warming spices to enhance flavor so you don’t need a sugar avalanche.
- Portion control baked in: A rolled cake naturally slices into tidy servings. Built-in moderation? Rare, but we’ll take it.
- Protein bump: Cream cheese adds a bit of protein and fat that slows absorption, keeping blood sugar spikes gentler than pure sugar bombs.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Skipping the warm roll. If you don’t roll the cake while it’s warm, it will crack like dry earth.
Roll immediately with a sugared towel—non-negotiable.
- Overbaking the sponge. Even two extra minutes can dry it out. Pull it when it springs back. If edges look too brown, you went too far.
- Overloading filling. More filling seems fun until it squeezes out and your roll slides apart.
Stick to the amounts listed.
- Filling a warm cake. If the cake is even slightly warm, the filling melts and turns into a slip-n-slide. Wait till it’s completely cool. Patience = pretty swirls.
- Skipping the chill time. Chilling sets the structure.
Slice early and you’ll regret it. Give it at least an hour, IMO two.
Mix It Up
- Maple twist: Add 1–2 tablespoons pure maple syrup to the filling and reduce powdered sugar by 2 tablespoons. Maple + pumpkin = fall supercouple.
- Pecan crunch: Sprinkle 1/2 cup finely chopped toasted pecans over the filling before rolling for texture and nutty depth.
- Chai spice swap: Replace the listed spices with 1 1/2 teaspoons chai spice blend for cozy café vibes.
- Gluten-free: Use a 1:1 gluten-free baking blend with xanthan gum.
Don’t overbake; GF dries faster.
- Lighter filling: Use Neufchâtel (reduced-fat cream cheese) and 2 tablespoons less powdered sugar. Still lush, slightly lighter.
- Festive finish: Drizzle with a thin maple glaze or dust with cinnamon sugar before serving. Because extra sparkle never hurt.
FAQ
Can I use fresh pumpkin instead of canned?
Yes, but make sure it’s well-drained and smooth.
Roast, puree, and then strain through cheesecloth to remove excess moisture. Too wet and your sponge becomes dense and gummy.
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My cake cracked—what now?
Small cracks are normal and will hide under powdered sugar. If it splits, treat it like a mosaic: press together, chill, and slice confidently.
Texture > perfection, and it’ll still taste elite.
Do I have to use a jelly roll pan?
Use a 10×15-inch pan for the right thickness. A 9×13 will make a thicker cake that’s harder to roll; a full sheet pan will be too thin and dry out. The size matters here, sadly.
Can I make this the day before?
Absolutely.
In fact, it’s better the next day. Assemble, wrap, and chill overnight. Dust with powdered sugar just before serving for that bakery finish.
How do I keep the filling from squeezing out?
Don’t overfill, leave a small bare edge on the finishing side, and chill the roll before slicing.
Also, roll snugly but not aggressively—this is a hug, not a chokehold.
Can I reduce the sugar?
Yes, slightly. In the filling, you can cut 2–3 tablespoons without wrecking texture. In the cake, reducing too much can affect structure, so keep it as written for best results.
In Conclusion
This Pumpkin Roll Fall Dessert Recipe with Cream Cheese Filling is the rare combo of stunning, straightforward, and wildly delicious.
With a few smart moves—warm roll, gentle mix, proper chill—you’ll get bakery-worthy swirls every time. Bring it to your next fall gathering and accept the compliments with grace (or smugness, your call). Slice, serve, and watch it disappear like it owes someone money.
Printable Recipe Card
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