Easy Spiced Pumpkin Roll with Cream Cheese Frosting
Easy Spiced Pumpkin Roll with Cream Cheese Frosting is the ultimate fall dessert. After making this many times, I’ve perfected the technique for a soft, spiced pumpkin cake that rolls perfectly every time. The warm spices and creamy frosting make this dessert irresistible. Try it with my Easy Spring Carrot and Chickpea Salad for a perfect meal. If you love recipes like this, you’ll also enjoy Easy Spring Carrot and Chickpea Salad and Easy Cucumber Sweet Pepper Salad.
Why This Easy Spiced Pumpkin Roll with Cream Cheese Frosting Is Pure Comfort
- Soft, tender pumpkin cake
- Creamy, tangy cream cheese frosting
- Perfect for fall and holidays
- Better than store-bought
What You'll Need for Easy Spiced Pumpkin Roll with Cream Cheese Frosting
Choosing the right ingredients makes a big difference, but this recipe is forgiving enough to work with what you have.
- pumpkin puree
- sugar
- eggs
- flour
- baking powder
- salt
- ground cinnamon
- ground nutmeg
- ground cloves
- ground cinnamon
- ground nutmeg
- ground cloves
- vanilla extract
- cream cheese
- powdered sugar
- Optional: powdered sugar for dusting
- Optional: chopped pecans
📝 Ingredient Notes
- pumpkin puree: Make sure to use pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling.
🛒 Tools & Equipment I Recommend
- KitchenAid Stand Mixer — Makes batter smooth and even → See on Amazon
- Pyrex Glass Baking Dish — Even heat distribution for perfect baking → See on Amazon
How to Make Easy Spiced Pumpkin Roll with Cream Cheese Frosting
- Prepare the cake: Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 15×10-inch jelly-roll pan. In a large bowl, combine pumpkin puree, sugar, eggs, vanilla, and mix well. In another bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, and spices. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix until combined. Pour batter into prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake for 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Prepare the frosting: In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Stir in vanilla.
- Assemble the roll: Sprinkle a clean kitchen towel with powdered sugar. Carefully invert the cake onto the towel. Gently roll up the cake and towel together, starting from the short end. Let it cool completely on a wire rack. Unroll the cake, spread the frosting evenly, roll it back up, and dust with powdered sugar.
Cook's Tips for Perfect Easy Spiced Pumpkin Roll with Cream Cheese Frosting
- Common mistake and fix: Be careful not to overbake the cake. It can become dry and crack when rolling. To prevent this, check the cake a few minutes early and use a toothpick to test for doneness.
- Expert tip: For a smooth, even roll, make sure your cake is completely cool before frosting and rolling. You can even chill it for 10-15 minutes to make it easier to handle.
- Time-saving tip: Prepare the frosting while the cake is baking to save time.
- Presentation tip: For a professional look, dust the top of the roll with chopped pecans or a sprinkle of cinnamon.
Storing & Reheating Easy Spiced Pumpkin Roll with Cream Cheese Frosting
Short-Term Storage
Store in an airtight container in the fridge. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Make-ahead tip: The cake can be made a day ahead. Store in the refrigerator, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap.
Freezing Easy Spiced Pumpkin Roll with Cream Cheese Frosting
Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
How to Reheat Without Drying It Out
Oven: No reheating needed. Microwave: No reheating needed.
Recipe Notes
- Chef tip: For a smoother frosting, make sure your cream cheese and butter are at room temperature before beating.
- Best substitution: You can substitute the cream cheese with mascarpone cheese for a richer frosting.
- Make-ahead: This dessert can be made a day ahead. Store in the refrigerator, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap.
- Scaling: This recipe can be halved to make a smaller roll.
- Troubleshooting: If your cake cracks when rolling, it may be too dry or overbaked. Check the cake a few minutes early and use a toothpick to test for doneness.
Want to level up this recipe?
Wilton Bake Even Strip — Ensures even baking and prevents cracking → Check price on Amazon
Easy Spiced Pumpkin Roll with Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- pumpkin puree
- sugar
- eggs
- flour
- baking powder
- salt
- ground cinnamon
- ground nutmeg
- ground cloves
Seasonings
- ground cinnamon
- ground nutmeg
- ground cloves
- vanilla extract
- cream cheese
- powdered sugar
Optional Toppings
- powdered sugar for dusting
- chopped pecans
Instructions
- Prepare the cake: Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 15×10-inch jelly-roll pan. In a large bowl, combine pumpkin puree, sugar, eggs, vanilla, and mix well. In another bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, and spices. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix until combined. Pour batter into prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake for 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Prepare the frosting: In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Stir in vanilla.
- Assemble the roll: Sprinkle a clean kitchen towel with powdered sugar. Carefully invert the cake onto the towel. Gently roll up the cake and towel together, starting from the short end. Let it cool completely on a wire rack. Unroll the cake, spread the frosting evenly, roll it back up, and dust with powdered sugar.
Notes
- Chef tip: For a smoother frosting, make sure your cream cheese and butter are at room temperature before beating.
- Best substitution: You can substitute the cream cheese with mascarpone cheese for a richer frosting.
- Make-ahead: This dessert can be made a day ahead. Store in the refrigerator, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap.
- Scaling: This recipe can be halved to make a smaller roll.
- Troubleshooting: If your cake cracks when rolling, it may be too dry or overbaked. Check the cake a few minutes early and use a toothpick to test for doneness.
Storage
- Fridge: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Freezer: Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
- Oven reheat: No reheating needed.
- Microwave reheat: No reheating needed.
- Make ahead: The cake can be made a day ahead. Store in the refrigerator, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap.
Nutrition Per Serving
- Calories: 250
- Protein: 3g
- Fat: 9g
- Carbs: 35g
- Fiber: 1g
- Sugar: 25g
- Sodium: 150mg
- Cholesterol: 50mg
- Sat. Fat: 5g
Nutritional values are estimates only. Actual values may vary by brand and portion size.
Easy Spiced Pumpkin Roll with Cream Cheese Frosting FAQs
Yes, the cake can be made a day ahead. Store in the refrigerator, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap.
The cake may be too dry or overbaked. Check the cake a few minutes early and use a toothpick to test for doneness.
Yes, freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
No, this recipe is not suitable for the air fryer.
You can substitute the cream cheese with mascarpone cheese for a richer frosting.
A Warm Final Note
I can’t wait for you to try Easy Spiced Pumpkin Roll with Cream Cheese Frosting and see how effortlessly it comes together. When you make it, pop back here and leave a rating or share how it turned out — I love hearing from you!
