Pumpkin Roll with Cream Cheese Filling
Pumpkin Roll with Cream Cheese Filling brings together a tender pumpkin sponge and a smooth, creamy spiral. The cake is rolled while warm, cooled, filled, then chilled so it is ready to slice with its filling tucked neatly inside.
The method rewards a light touch at two key moments: folding the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture and handling the warm cake. Those details help the sponge stay tender and make it easier to roll.
What gives the sponge its pumpkin flavor
Canned pumpkin puree gives the batter its pumpkin flavor and moist texture. Granulated sugar sweetens the cake, while cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg bring warm spice without masking the pumpkin. Baking powder and baking soda help the sponge rise.
Beating the eggs with the sugar until thick and pale helps build the batter’s light texture. Once the flour mixture goes in, fold just until combined. Overmixing can make the crumb less tender, so stop when you no longer see streaks of dry ingredients. Spread the batter evenly so the cake bakes to a consistent thickness.
Why you roll the cake while it is warm
A warm sponge is flexible enough to curve without fighting its shape. Turn it onto a towel dusted with powdered sugar, remove the parchment, and roll from a short end with the towel inside. The sugar helps keep the cake from sticking to the towel as you work.
Let the rolled cake cool completely before adding the filling. Unrolling it while it is still warm can make the cream cheese mixture soft, while forcing a cool cake into a new shape can make it more likely to crack. Handle the cooled sponge gently as you open it for filling.
Keep the cream cheese spiral smooth
Softened cream cheese and softened unsalted butter beat together into a smooth base for the filling. Powdered sugar sweetens and thickens it, while vanilla bean powder adds a delicate vanilla note. Beat until creamy, with no lumps of cream cheese remaining.
Spread the filling in an even layer, leaving a border around the edges. This gives the filling room to shift as you roll the cake back up, helping limit overflow. Roll from the same short end as before, keeping the cake snug without squeezing it.
Chill before slicing
Wrapping and chilling the finished roll helps it firm up before you cut it. Use a gentle touch when wrapping so the spiral keeps its shape. A sharp knife makes it easier to cut clean slices through both the tender sponge and creamy filling.
If the cake has small cracks, continue carefully: the filling still gives you a clear spiral, and the powdered sugar dusting on the towel helps keep the outside from sticking during the first roll. The key is to roll the sponge while it is warm and let it cool before filling.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does the cake need to be rolled while warm?
The warm sponge is flexible enough to take the rolled shape. Rolling it with the towel inside lets it cool in that curve, which makes it easier to fill and roll again without forcing the cooled cake into shape.
When should I add the cream cheese filling?
Wait until the rolled cake has cooled completely. If it is still warm, the cream cheese and butter filling can soften as you spread it. Once cool, unroll the sponge gently, spread the filling, and roll it back up.
How do I help keep the filling from squeezing out?
Spread the filling evenly but leave a border around the edges. Roll the cake back up from the same short end with a gentle, snug motion rather than pressing hard; the filling needs room to shift as the spiral forms.
Pumpkin Roll with Cream Cheese Filling
Course: DessertCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy10
servings30
minutes15
minutes300
kcal2
hours15
minutesThis pumpkin sponge cake is rolled while warm, cooled, filled with cream cheese frosting, and chilled before slicing. The recipe makes one roll with a tender crumb and a creamy spiral.
Ingredients
- Cake
Nonstick cooking spray, for the pan
3 large eggs
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup canned pumpkin puree
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
- Filling and rolling
1/4 cup powdered sugar, for dusting the towel
8 oz cream cheese, softened
4 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla bean powder
Directions
- Cake
- Heat the oven to 375°F. Line a 10×15-inch jelly roll pan with parchment paper and lightly coat the parchment with cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, beat the eggs and granulated sugar until thick and pale, about 2 minutes. Mix in the pumpkin puree. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt. Fold the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture just until combined.
- Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan. Bake for 15 minutes, until the top springs back when lightly touched.
- Rolling
- While the cake bakes, lay a clean kitchen towel on the counter and dust it generously with the 1/4 cup powdered sugar. Turn the hot cake onto the towel, peel off the parchment, and roll the cake up from a short end with the towel inside. Set it seam side down and let it cool completely, about 60 minutes.
- Filling
- Beat the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Beat in 1 cup powdered sugar and the vanilla bean powder until creamy.
- Assembling
- Gently unroll the cooled cake. Spread the filling evenly over it, leaving a 1/2-inch border along the edges. Roll it up again from the same short end, without the towel. Wrap the roll and chill it for 30 minutes before slicing.
Notes
- Roll the cake while it is warm, when it is flexible enough to take and hold its shape as it cools.
