As the fall season arrives, pumpkin recipes take center stage in the kitchen. One classic dessert that never goes out of style is the pumpkin roll. This delightful treat is a perfect addition to your Thanksgiving dessert table or Fall feast. In this post, I’ll walk you through the steps of making an old-fashioned pumpkin roll with a silky cream cheese filling is just to die for good!

Ingredients for Pumpkin Cake Roll:

Eggs
Sugar
Pure pumpkin puree
All-purpose flour
Baking powder
Pumpkin pie spice
Salt
Vanilla extract

For the Brown Butter Cream Cheese Filling:

Cream cheese, at room temperature
Confectioners’ sugar
Unsalted butter
Vanilla extract

Supplies needed for a Homemade Pumpkin Roll:

10-inch jelly roll pan (aka a half sheet pan)
Plastic wrap
Parchment paper
Wire rack for cooling
Tea Towel

The Process:

Preheat your oven to 350°F (190°C) and line a 10-inch jelly roll pan with parchment paper. Be sure to leave a slight overhang on each of the narrow ends.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, pumpkin and vanilla. Mix until smooth. Combine flour and the other dry ingredients in a small bowl, And then combine the flour mixture with the wet ingredients. Mix with a whisk or hand mixer until smooth with no lumps. Be careful not to over-mix!
Pour the pumpkin cake batter onto the prepared pan and spread it out evenly with an offset spatula.
Bake the cake in the preheated oven for about 13-15 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.
As soon as the cake springs back when touched, remove it from the oven. Carefully loosen the edges of the cake with a knife, then immediately roll the warm cake with the parchment paper. Use a tea towel to hold the edges if hot.
Let the cake cool while rolled for about 30-45 minutes.
In the meantime, prepare the cream cheese filling by mixing the cream cheese, confectioners’ sugar, butter, and vanilla extract until you have a silky cream cheese frosting. I like to brown 4 tablespoons of the butter and then add the remaining 2T in. This makes the frosting extra rich and nutty.
Once the cake has cooled, unroll it and spread the cream cheese mixture evenly over the surface. Then, reroll the cake without the towel. Wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour to set the filling.
Before serving, dust the top of the cake with powdered sugar for a pretty pumpkin roll presentation.

How do I roll the cake without getting cracks?

The key is to roll the hot cake right away when it is soft and pliable. This kinda “trains” the cake to be in the rolled shape and it cools that way. Once it’s ready to frost- unroll it and spread on the filling.

Can I add different flavors or spices to the filling?

I slightly altered a classic cream cheese filling by adding in some brown butter and I highly suggest you do. I also would love this filling with vanilla bean paste, a touch of rum or rum extract, or a pinch of cinnamon.

Can you freeze a pumpkin roll?

Yes! Check out my blog post outlining how to do that HERE: Can you freeze a pumpkin roll?

This classic pumpkin roll recipe is just the best, with its moist pumpkin cake and heavenly cream cheese brown butter filling. It’s a true recipe from the heart of the pumpkin season, and it’s perfect for sharing with your family and friends.

Other amazing Pumpkin Recipes:

Old Fashioned Pumpkin Roll

Yield: 10 servings

A classic pumpkin roll with silky brown butter cream cheese filling.

Ingredients

For the pumpkin roll cake:

4 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup pure pumpkin puree
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the cream cheese filling:

8 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cup confectioners' sugar
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350°F (190°C) and line a 10-inch jelly roll pan with parchment paper. Spray the parchment with cooking spray if you have for extra easy release. Be sure to leave a slight overhang on each of the narrow ends.

In a separate bowl, whisk or use an electric mixer to combine the eggs, sugar, pumpkin and vanilla. Mix until smooth.
Combine flour pumpkin pie spice, salt and baking powder in a small bowl, and then combine the flour mixture with the wet ingredients. Mix with a whisk or hand mixer until smooth with no lumps. Be careful not to over-mix!
Pour the pumpkin cake batter onto the prepared pan and spread it out evenly with an offset spatula.
Bake the cake in the preheated oven for about 13-15 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.
As soon as the cake springs back when touched, remove it from the oven. Carefully loosen the edges of the cake with a knife, then immediately roll the warm cake with the parchment paper. Use a tea towel to hold the edges if hot.
Let the cake cool while rolled for about 30-45 minutes.
For the filling: brown 4 tablespoons of the butter in a space saucepan until toasty. Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and stir togehter. Allow butter mixture to cool for about 10-15 minutes.
In a medium sized bowl mix the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth. Add in the cooled brown butter and mix some more until creamy and smooth.
Once the cake has cooled, unroll it and spread the cream cheese mixture evenly over the surface. Then, reroll the cake without the parchment paper. Wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour to set the filling.
Before serving, dust the top of the cake with powdered sugar.