Fall Pumpkin Spice Roll Cake

Here is my favorite pumpkin spice roll cake recipe, with a soft, fluffy cake filled with warm spices, rolled up with sweet cream cheese frosting, and dusted with powdered sugar.

This pumpkin spice roll cake is always a hit at our fall gatherings. I love making it because it looks fancy but is easier than you’d think. Plus, it tastes like autumn in every bite!

What Kind of Pumpkin Puree Should I Use?

For this pumpkin spice roll cake, you’ll want to use plain pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling – there’s a big difference! Pumpkin pie filling already has spices and sugar added, which will throw off the balance of flavors in your cake. Look for cans labeled “100% pure pumpkin” or “pumpkin puree” in the baking aisle. Libby’s is probably the most common brand you’ll find, but any pure pumpkin puree will work perfectly. If you’re feeling ambitious, you can even make your own by roasting a sugar pumpkin and pureeing the flesh, though the canned version is just as good and much more convenient.

Options for Substitutions

This pumpkin roll is pretty forgiving when it comes to swaps, so here are some options if you’re missing ingredients:

• Pumpkin puree: Make sure you’re using pure pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. If you can’t find it, you can substitute with the same amount of sweet potato puree or butternut squash puree for a similar texture and flavor.
• Pumpkin pie spice: Don’t have pumpkin pie spice? Mix your own with ½ teaspoon cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon nutmeg, ¼ teaspoon ginger, and a pinch of cloves. You can also just use extra cinnamon if that’s all you have.
• Cream cheese: For the filling, you can use mascarpone cheese or even thick Greek yogurt mixed with a bit of butter, though the texture will be slightly different. Make sure whatever you use is at room temperature for easy mixing.
• All-purpose flour: You can substitute with cake flour (use 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons) for an even more tender cake, but don’t use self-rising flour as it will throw off the leavening balance.
• Granulated sugar: Brown sugar works well here and adds a nice molasses flavor that pairs great with pumpkin. Use the same amount, but your cake will be slightly more moist.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking

The biggest mistake when making pumpkin roll cake is not rolling it while it’s still warm – if you wait too long, the cake will crack and break when you try to roll it up.

Make sure your cream cheese and butter are truly at room temperature before making the filling, as cold ingredients will create lumps that won’t smooth out no matter how much you mix.

Don’t skip dusting your kitchen towel with powdered sugar before rolling, and be gentle but confident when you roll the warm cake – hesitation leads to uneven rolls and potential cracking.

Another common error is overmixing the batter, which can make your cake tough and dense instead of light and fluffy, so fold the dry ingredients in just until combined.

What to Serve With Pumpkin Spice Roll Cake?

This pumpkin spice roll cake is pretty much perfect on its own, but a hot cup of coffee or spiced chai tea makes it even better for an afternoon treat. I love serving it alongside some vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream, especially when the cake is still slightly warm. For a cozy fall gathering, try pairing it with hot apple cider or even a glass of cold milk for the kids. The cream cheese filling is already rich and sweet, so you really don’t need much else to make this dessert shine at your table.

Storage Instructions

Keep Fresh: Your pumpkin spice roll cake stays moist and delicious when wrapped tightly in plastic wrap or stored in an airtight container in the fridge. It’ll keep perfectly for up to 5 days, and honestly, I think it tastes even better after a day or two when all those spices have had time to meld together.

Freeze: This cake freezes like a dream! Wrap the whole roll tightly in plastic wrap, then again in foil, and it’ll stay fresh in the freezer for up to 3 months. You can also slice it first and freeze individual pieces wrapped separately for easy grab-and-go treats.

Serve: When you’re ready to enjoy frozen cake, just move it to the fridge and let it thaw overnight. For individual slices, they’ll be ready to eat in about 30 minutes at room temperature. The cream cheese filling stays perfectly creamy, and you won’t even know it was frozen!

Preparation Time	20-30 minutes
Cooking Time	15 minutes
Total Time	35-45 minutes
Level of Difficulty	Medium

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 3200-3600
• Protein: 30-40 g
• Fat: 150-170 g
• Carbohydrates: 500-550 g

Ingredients

For the pumpkin cake:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice blend
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3 large eggs
• 1-1/4 cups granulated sugar
• 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar, for dusting towel

For the cream cheese filling:

• 8 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1/4 cup salted butter, softened
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
• Pinch sea salt
• 3 cups powdered sugar

Step 1: Prepare the Pan and Towel

• 1/4 cup powdered sugar, for dusting towel

Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).

Line a 13×17” jellyroll pan with parchment or wax paper and lightly grease the paper with butter or nonstick spray.

Generously sprinkle 1/4 cup of powdered sugar on a large tea towel and set it aside on a flat surface.

This will help prevent the cake from sticking later.

Step 2: Mix the Dry and Wet Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice blend
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3 large eggs
• 1-1/4 cups granulated sugar
• 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

In a medium bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, ground cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice blend, and salt.

Set this mixture aside.

In a separate bowl, use a stand mixer fitted with the wire whisk or a hand mixer to beat the eggs and granulated sugar together until the mixture is pale and thick, which should take about 2 minutes.

Beat in the pumpkin puree and vanilla extract until fully incorporated.

Step 3: Combine and Bake the Cake

• dry ingredients mixture from Step 2
• wet ingredients mixture from Step 2

Gently stir the dry ingredients from Step 2 into the wet ingredients until just combined, being careful not to overmix.

Spread the cake batter evenly onto the prepared pan, leaving a 1/4” border around the edge.

Bake in the preheated oven for 14-15 minutes, or until the cake looks set and springs back when lightly touched.

Step 4: Roll the Cake in the Sugared Towel

Remove the cake from the oven and immediately, while it’s still hot, carefully turn it out onto the powdered sugar-dusted towel (from Step 1).

Gently peel off the parchment paper.

Starting from the short side, roll the cake and the towel up together.

Let the rolled cake cool completely on a wire rack while you prepare the cream cheese filling.

I like to roll it snugly to ensure a nice spiral.

Step 5: Make the Cream Cheese Filling

• 8 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1/4 cup salted butter, softened
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• pinch sea salt
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 1/8 tsp ground cinnamon

In the bowl of a stand mixer or with a handheld mixer, beat the softened butter until light and fluffy.

Add room-temperature cream cheese and continue to beat until the mixture is smooth and lump-free.

Add vanilla extract and a pinch of sea salt, beating to combine.

Gradually add powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating well after each addition.

I find adding a pinch of cinnamon at this stage really pairs perfectly with the pumpkin flavor.

Step 6: Fill, Roll and Chill the Pumpkin Roll

• cooled cake from Step 4
• cream cheese filling from Step 5

Carefully unroll the completely cooled cake.

Spread the cream cheese filling from Step 5 evenly over the top, going almost to the edges.

Gently re-roll the cake (without the towel) into a tight spiral.

Place the pumpkin roll, seam side down, on a serving plate and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour to set the filling and make slicing easier.

Step 7: Serve the Pumpkin Roll

After the pumpkin roll is well chilled, use a sharp serrated knife to slice and serve.

If desired, dust the top with additional powdered sugar for a beautiful finish.

I like to serve this dessert chilled—it holds its shape best and tastes even better.