Sweet Halloween Pumpkin Roll

If you ask me, pumpkin rolls are the perfect way to celebrate Halloween.

This spiced cake dessert makes a family-friendly treat that’s packed with warm fall flavors. Soft pumpkin cake gets rolled up with sweet cream cheese filling for a classic combination.

The cake is made with real pumpkin puree and a blend of cinnamon and nutmeg that fills your kitchen with cozy autumn smells. A dusting of powdered sugar and maybe some orange sprinkles help the whole thing come together.

It’s a crowd-pleasing dessert that looks fancy but is surprisingly simple to make, perfect for Halloween parties or cozy family dinners.

What Kind of Pumpkin Should I Use?

For this pumpkin roll, you’ll want to stick with canned pumpkin puree rather than trying to make your own from scratch. Canned pumpkin has a consistent texture and moisture level that works perfectly for baking, plus it saves you tons of time. Make sure you’re buying plain pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling, which already has spices added that could throw off your recipe. Libby’s is a popular brand that most bakers swear by, but any pure pumpkin puree from the grocery store will do the trick. If you do happen to have fresh pumpkin on hand, you can roast and puree it yourself, but just make sure to drain any excess moisture before using it in the recipe.

Options for Substitutions

This pumpkin roll has some room for swaps, though a few ingredients are pretty important to keep:

• Cake flour: Don’t have cake flour? You can make your own by removing 2 tablespoons from 1 cup all-purpose flour and adding 2 tablespoons cornstarch. Sift it together a few times to get that light texture.
• Canned pumpkin puree: Stick with canned pumpkin puree for this one – fresh pumpkin has too much moisture and will make your roll soggy. If you absolutely must use fresh, roast it first and drain out excess liquid.
• Mascarpone cheese: If you can’t find mascarpone, cream cheese works great as a substitute. Just make sure it’s at room temperature so it mixes smoothly with the other filling ingredients.
• Heavy whipping cream: You can use regular whipping cream (35% fat) instead of heavy cream, but avoid using milk or half-and-half as the filling won’t set properly.
• Orange food coloring: This is totally optional – your roll will still taste amazing without it. If you want natural coloring, try adding a tiny bit more pumpkin puree to the orange batter portion.
• Spices: Feel free to use pumpkin pie spice (about 3/4 teaspoon) instead of mixing individual spices. You can also add a pinch of ginger if you like extra warmth.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking

The biggest mistake when making pumpkin roll is overbaking the cake, which leads to cracks when you try to roll it – keep a close eye on it and remove from the oven as soon as it springs back lightly when touched, usually around 10-12 minutes.

Rolling the cake while it’s too hot or too cool will also cause cracking, so let it cool for just 2-3 minutes before rolling it up in a clean kitchen towel dusted with powdered sugar.

Don’t skip the step of separating your eggs and whipping the whites to soft peaks, as this creates the light, flexible texture that makes rolling possible without breaking.

Finally, make sure your filling isn’t too thick or it will squeeze out the sides when you roll – if your mascarpone mixture seems stiff, add an extra tablespoon of heavy cream to get the right consistency.

What to Serve With Pumpkin Roll?

This pumpkin roll is honestly perfect on its own, but I love serving it alongside a hot cup of coffee or spiced chai tea to really bring out those warm fall flavors. If you’re hosting a Halloween party or fall gathering, it pairs beautifully with other seasonal desserts like apple cider donuts or caramel apples. For a fancy touch, try adding a dollop of whipped cream and a light dusting of cinnamon on each slice, or serve it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream if you want to go all out. The creamy mascarpone filling is rich enough that you don’t need much else, but fresh berries like raspberries can add a nice tart contrast to balance the sweetness.

Storage Instructions

Refrigerate: Your pumpkin roll needs to stay chilled to keep that creamy filling from getting too soft. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. The flavors actually get better after a day or two as everything melds together!

Freeze: This dessert freezes really well for up to 3 months. Wrap the whole roll in plastic wrap, then in foil, or slice it first and freeze individual pieces between parchment paper. It’s great to have stashed away for unexpected guests or when you want a special treat.

Serve: Let frozen slices thaw in the fridge for about 2-3 hours before serving, or about 30 minutes at room temperature. The cake stays nice and moist, and the cream filling gets back to that perfect creamy texture. No need to warm it up – it’s meant to be enjoyed chilled!

Preparation Time	30-45 minutes
Cooking Time	12-14 minutes
Total Time	2 hours 30 minutes – 3 hours
Level of Difficulty	Medium

Estimated Nutrition

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

• Calories: 1100-1250
• Protein: 20-25 g
• Fat: 60-70 g
• Carbohydrates: 130-150 g

Ingredients

For the cake base:

• 6 tbsp sugar
• 3 large eggs, separated (room temperature)
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/2 cup pumpkin puree (I use Libby’s canned)
• Orange food coloring (optional, for vibrant color)
• 1/8 tsp ground cloves
• 1 tbsp canola oil
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup cake flour
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

For the decorative batters:

• 2.5 tbsp cake flour (for pumpkin batter)
• 2 tbsp sugar
• Heaping portions of whipped egg whites from above (stiff peaks)
• 3/4 tsp cocoa powder (unsweetened, for deeper color)
• 1/2 tbsp cake flour (for chocolate batter)

For the filling:

• 3/4 cup powdered sugar
• 3/4 cup plus 2 tbsp heavy cream (cold, for whipping)
• Pinch salt
• 1/2 cup mascarpone cheese (room temperature for smooth blending)
• Extra powdered sugar (for dusting towel, prevents sticking)

Step 1: Prepare Your Equipment and Mise en Place

• Parchment paper
• Extra powdered sugar
• All ingredients, measured and organized

Preheat your oven to 350°F and prepare a 10×15 inch pan by lining it with parchment paper (you can place a design template underneath if you want decorative details).

Have all your ingredients measured and separated by component—pumpkin batter, chocolate batter, and filling ingredients in separate groups.

Bring your eggs to room temperature for maximum volume when whipping, and have your mascarpone at room temperature for smooth blending.

I like to dust a clean kitchen towel generously with powdered sugar before I start baking—this prevents the cake from sticking when you roll it.

Step 2: Build the Pumpkin Batter Base

• 1/2 cup cake flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/8 tsp ground cloves
• 3 large egg yolks
• 6 tbsp sugar
• 1 tbsp canola oil
• 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Combine the cake flour, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ground cloves in a small bowl and set aside.

In a larger bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar until pale and thick (about 2 minutes), then whisk in the canola oil, pumpkin puree, and vanilla extract until fully combined.

Gently fold the spiced dry mixture into the pumpkin mixture until just combined—don’t overmix or you’ll deflate the batter.

Step 3: Whip Egg Whites and Create Piping Batters

• 3 large egg whites
• 2 tbsp sugar
• Pumpkin batter from Step 2
• 2.5 tbsp cake flour
• 1/2 tbsp cake flour
• 3/4 tsp cocoa powder

In a clean, dry bowl, whip the egg whites until foamy, then gradually add 2 tablespoons of sugar while continuing to whip until medium peaks form—you want stiff but not dry peaks.

Now you’ll divide the pumpkin batter from Step 2 into three portions for piping and filling.

For the chocolate outline: take 1/8 cup of pumpkin batter, fold in 1/2 tablespoon of cake flour and 3/4 teaspoon of cocoa powder, then fold in 1 tablespoon of the whipped egg whites and transfer to a small piping bag.

For the pumpkin piping base: take 1/3 cup of pumpkin batter, fold in 2.5 tablespoons of cake flour, then fold in 2 tablespoons of whipped egg whites and transfer to another piping bag.

Leave the remaining batter and egg whites separate—you’ll combine them in the next step.

Step 4: Pipe Design and Prepare for Baking

• Chocolate batter from Step 3
• Pumpkin piping batter from Step 3
• Remaining pumpkin batter from Step 2
• Orange food coloring
• Remaining whipped egg whites from Step 3

Using your chocolate batter in the piping bag, pipe your desired design (such as ghost outlines) onto the parchment paper.

Using the pumpkin-flour batter in the second piping bag, fill in your design shapes.

Fold the orange food coloring (if using) into the remaining plain pumpkin batter, then fold in the remaining whipped egg whites until fully combined—this creates your main cake batter.

Pour this orange batter over and around your piped designs, smoothing it gently with a spatula to create an even layer.

Let the pan sit at room temperature for 10 minutes while the oven finishes heating.

Step 5: Bake and Roll the Cake

• Prepared cake batter from Step 4
• Powdered-sugar-dusted towel from Step 1

Bake your cake for 12-14 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the top springs back when lightly touched—don’t overbake or the cake will crack when rolling.

While the cake bakes, spread your powdered-sugar-dusted towel on a clean surface.

As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, place it on your prepared towel and immediately peel off the top parchment paper.

Working quickly while the cake is still warm, roll the cake and towel together into a log, starting from one of the shorter ends.

Place the rolled cake seam-side down and let it cool completely to room temperature, about 1 hour.

Step 6: Prepare the Mascarpone Cream Filling

• 3/4 cup plus 2 tbsp heavy cream
• 3/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1/2 cup mascarpone cheese
• Pinch salt

While the cake cools, whip the cold heavy cream with 3/4 cup of powdered sugar until medium-stiff peaks form—you want it thick but still spreadable.

In a separate bowl, blend the room-temperature mascarpone with the pinch of salt and 2 tablespoons of heavy cream until smooth and creamy.

I always blend the mascarpone separately first to ensure there are no lumps before folding.

Gently fold half of the whipped cream into the mascarpone mixture, then fold in the remaining whipped cream until fully combined—you want a light, fluffy filling with no streaks.

Step 7: Fill, Roll, and Chill the Cake

• Cooled rolled cake from Step 5
• Mascarpone cream filling from Step 6

Unroll your cooled cake gently onto a clean surface.

Spread the mascarpone cream filling evenly over the cake, leaving about 1 inch clear around the edges to prevent filling from squishing out when you roll.

Starting from one of the shorter ends, roll the cake back up into a log without the towel this time, rolling it as tightly as you can without tearing the cake.

Wrap the finished roll in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours (or up to 24 hours) to set the filling and make it easier to slice cleanly.

When you’re ready to serve, slice with a sharp, warm knife and dust with additional powdered sugar if desired.