Easy Pumpkin Roll with Maple Cream Cheese

This pumpkin roll recipe with maple cream cheese filling is a delicious, moist and festive pumpkin cake and is the perfect fall dessert everyone will love. Add this pumpkin roll recipe to the Thanksgiving dessert table and it will be the star of the show.

This homemade pumpkin roll is filled with everything you love about fall treats. Pumpkin spice cake is topped with a delicious maple cream cheese filling, and then it’s all rolled up into a delicious cake roll that just screams orange leaves, crisp weather, and pumpkin goodness. 

I don’t know about you, but pumpkin is one of my favorite things about the fall. When the leaves change, the weather gets cool, and everyone brings out their flannel, I know it’s time to start making pumpkin recipes. I live for this time of year, and all the pumpkin tastes that I get to create when it comes around. I’ve made everything from pumpkin soup to pumpkin muffins, bread, and more over the years, but one of my favorite recipes is this delicious homemade pumpkin roll. It’s so good and so pretty, and it’s easier to make than you think!

Homemade Pumpkin Roll 

This homemade pumpkin roll features a delicious pumpkin spice cake layered with maple filling and rolled up into the classic roll we all know and love. It’s the embodiment of fall if you ask me, and it tastes absolutely amazing. 

Rich, tender pumpkin spice cake is cooked as a thin sheet, then a filling of maple syrup and cream cheese is created and spread over the top. From there, the entire thing is rolled up into the classic cake roll to be served as a delicious treat that’s perfect for almost any occasion. It’s a rich, delicious dessert that looks extra fancy, but in reality, it’s quite easy to make. It’s a winner on every level! 

This dessert is perfect for a special weekend dessert that then becomes a tasty afternoon snack on the weekdays. It’s also excellent for any potluck or get-together you might be attending during the autumn months. Whenever I bring out one of my homemade pumpkin rolls, I know that I won’t be taking home any leftovers. And I’m always right!

How to Roll a Pumpkin Roll

This is the one part of the recipe that might give you some trouble, but don’t worry. I’m here to help. You might think it takes some secret, magical touch to roll the cake for this or any other cake roll recipe, but it’s really very simple. 

To roll the pumpkin roll, you have to do it when it’s nice and hot, right out of the oven hot. At this stage, the cake is still pliable and will easily roll. If the cake is cool, it will simply break. Here’s a step-by-step guide to rolling a cake.

1. Bake a thin sheet cake.
2. After baking, transfer the hot cake to a kitchen towel dusted with powdered sugar. The sugar serves the same purpose as flour – it keeps the cake from sticking. 
3. Peel off the parchment paper. Sprinkle powdered sugar on the top side of the cake and roll up around the towel starting from the short end
4. Roll the hot cake tightly, using the towel, and place on a wire rack until completely cooled. A tighter roll will stay in place more easily. 
5. Once the cake has cooled completely, unroll the cake and spread filling over the top. Roll the cake back up, without the towel and not too tightly so filling won’t spill out.
6. Roll the cake in plastic wrap, then refrigerate or freeze at least 2 hours or overnight.

That’s all there is to it! 

FAQ

Why does my roll crack?
A cool cake won’t roll, no matter how thin it is. It will simply crack. Roll your cake while it’s hot. 

Why is my pumpkin roll sticky on the outside?
That’s the condensation from the process of the cake cooling in its rolled form. That’s another reason why dusting the towel with powdered sugar is important. Another reason is that the cake might have been under baked.

Do I have to refrigerate the pumpkin roll?
Yes. The filling for this homemade pumpkin cake roll uses both cream cheese and butter. Both of those must be refrigerated. 

How long is a pumpkin roll good in the refrigerator?
You can store it for up to three days in the refrigerator. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and then place it in an air-tight container. 

Can you freeze a pumpkin roll?
Yes, you can. You can freeze it for up to one month. Let it chill completely in the refrigerator, and then wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and then in foil. Freeze for up to one month. 

Pumpkin Cake Roll Recipe

This is a deceptively easy recipe. Any time you see a cake roll, you immediately think it must be incredibly difficult to make, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. In reality, this is an easy recipe that only takes a few ingredients and a little bit of time to create. 

Pumpkin Roll Ingredients

It only takes a few ingredients to create this delicious homemade pumpkin roll recipe. The best part is that every ingredient on this list is a kitchen staple. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised at all if you didn’t have to do any shopping whatsoever to make it! Here’s what you’ll need. 

For The Pumpkin Cake

• All purpose flour
• Baking soda
• Cinnamon
• Salt
• Pumpkin pie spice
• Sugar
• Large eggs
• Canned pumpkin puree
• Vanilla extract

Maple Cream Cheese Filling Ingredients

• Cream cheese
• Butter, room temperature
• Vanilla extract
• Maple syrup
• Confectioners sugar (Powdered sugar)

How To Make A Pumpkin Cake Roll

You’ll find the recipe card complete with amounts and times at the end of the post, but for now, take a look at this quick recipe overview to see just how easy it is to make this tasty homemade pumpkin roll. It’s so much easier than you might think. 

Step-by-Step Instructions

For The Pumpkin Cake

Preheat The Oven – Preheat the oven to 350° and line a 15×10 inch jelly roll pan with parchment paper. Grease or spray with non-stick cooking spray, set aside.

Making The Cake – In a medium bowl, whisk flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice together. In a large bowl, beat together sugar, eggs, canned pumpkin, and vanilla. Add dry ingredients into wet mixture, and mix well. Finally, pour an even layer of batter onto prepared pan and bake for 14-16 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Rolling The Cake – Lay a kitchen towel on a clean surface and generously coat with powdered sugar. When cake is baked, turn out onto prepared towel and peel off parchment paper. Sprinkle powdered sugar on the top side of cake as well, and roll the cake up around the towel starting from the short end. Roll the cake tightly and place on a wire rack until completely cooled (make sure to roll it up right when it comes out of the oven to avoid cracking).

For The Maple Cream Cheese Filling

Making The Filling – Make the filling by beating together cream cheese and butter. Add vanilla, maple syrup and powdered sugar. Once the cake has cooled completely, unroll the cake and spread filling over the top. Roll the cake back up (not too tightly so filling won’t spill out). Roll the cake in plastic wrap, then refrigerate or place in the freezer and freeze at least 2 hours or overnight.

Serving The Cake Roll – When you are ready to serve, remove plastic wrap, dust with powdered sugar and cut into desired slices. Can add a cream cheese frosting, if desired.

Try This Classic Pumpkin Roll Recipe Today

This classic pumpkin roll is delicious and it looks so fancy. The trick is that it’s super easy! It’s the perfect family dessert or a potluck item to impress everyone. Hey, you don’t have to tell them how easy it was to make! Give it a try, and I know you’ll love it.

Looking For More Pumpkin Recipes?

Thanksgiving Side Dish Recipes

Here are a few pics that are perfect to pin to your favorite Pinterest boards.

Enjoy, Terri

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