There are tons of recipes out there for pumpkin rolls but nothing beats a pumpkin roll with cream cheese icing!. This recipe is flavorful, rich and the taste of fall all rolled up with cream cheese icing.
If you’re new to fresh milled flour or unsure what this is, here is some more information to help you get started!
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I was always a little intimidated by pumpkin rolls. After 6 years of owning a retail bakery during the holidays, I have learned a few tricks along the way. 1,000’s of pumpkin rolls later, I have them perfected!
Table of Contents
The secret to a perfect Pumpkin Roll swirl!
A Ruler and parchment? Are you sure?
Someone showed this to me years ago so I can’t take credit for coming up with it. But I will tell you, it works!
After you have your pumpkin roll filled you will want to follow this step.
Place your roll, seem side down in parchment and fold the parchment over the top of the roll.
Here is a comical diagram of what is happening inside the parchment…
Hold the ruler at a 45 degree angle, pressing against the pumpkin roll and paper to apply pressure evenly across the roll. This will get all gaps in the icing filled and press the icing to the ends of the roll.
This trick, LOTS of powdered sugar and patience are key to making a beautiful pumpkin roll!
Equipment needed to make a Pumpkin Roll with Cream Cheese Icing
- Grain Mill
- Stand Mixer
- Digital Scale
- Measuring spoons
- Measuring cups
- Sheet Pan/Jelly Roll Pan 10″x15″
- Cutting Board
- Serrated knife
- Sifter
- Rubber Spatula
- Parchment Paper
- Ruler
- Cotton tea towel-must be as large as your sheet pan
Pumpkin Roll Ingredients
Cake
- Soft White Wheat Berries-You can also use Einkorn, Spelt or Soft Red Wheat. Try different grains, you will be surprised which end up being your favorite.
- Sugar
- Salt–Redmond’s Real salt is all I use!
- Eggs
- SPICES: Cinnamon, Nutmeg, GInger and Cloves
Icing
- Butter-room temperature
- Cream Cheese-room temperature
- Vanilla Extract
Using fresh milled flour to make you pumpkin roll will give you a robust flavor!
How to make a Pumpkin Roll with Cream Cheese Icing
Cake
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
- Mill your soft white wheat berries into flour and set aside.
- Add eggs and granulated sugar to your mixer, mix until smooth ribbon consistency.
- In another bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, all spices and salt. Stir until combined.
- Slowly sprinkle the flour mixture into your mixer while running.
- Be sure to scrape the sides and bottom of your bowl. Do not over mix here.
- Prepare your sheet pan by spraying the bottom and sides with non-stick cooking spray. Press a piece of parchment into the bottom of the pan and spray again. You want to make sure the entire bottom of the pan is covered with parchment.
- Pour your batter into the prepared sheet pan
- Using a rubber spatula, spread the batter into the pan until smooth and the same depth all the way across. Tap the pan on the table to level out even more.
- Place into the preheated oven bake for 10-15 minutes.
- The time can vary drastically on these based on your oven. Because these are a VERY thin batter, you want to check these frequently. Your cake is done when it springs back when touched in the center. If your finger print stays pressed into the center or the batter or it is still wet when touched add 2-3 additional minutes.
- While your cake bakes, take your cotton tea towel and lay flat on the counter. Dust GENEROUSLY with sifted powdered sugar.
- As soon as your cake comes out of the oven, take a knife or rubber spatula and run it around the edges of the pan to loosen the cake. Flip the cake onto the dusted tea towel. If you flip it quickly, it will be less likely to break or bend while flipping.
- Carefully remove the Parchment paper from the back side of the cake.
- Starting on the short side of the cake, fold the end of the towel around the cake and roll into the towel.
- Place into the fridge until completely cooled. I have had the best results with refrigerating overnight.
Icing
- The following day when you are ready to fill your pumpkin roll, make your icing.
- Add room temperature butter to a stand mixer fit with a paddle. Beat until completely smooth, scraping sides and bottom of the bowl frequently.
- Add sifted powdered sugar and vanilla extract to the bowl.
- Mix until combined.
- Add room temperature cream cheese to the butter mixture.
- Beat until completely combined and smooth.
Assembly
- Take the cooled cake out of the refrigerator.
- Slowly unroll the cake.
- Spread cream cheese icing on the cake with a rubber spatula or offset cake spatula.
- Leave an inch on the long side of the cake.
- Starting at the same end you rolled the cake in the towel, roll the cake back up.
- HERE IS THE BIGGEST SECRET!
- Take the pumpkin roll and place on a piece of parchment paper seem side down. Fold the parchment over the top of the pumpkin roll. Take a ruler and use it to apply pressure to tighten the roll and press icing towards the end of the roll and any air pockets that remained when rolled.
- Take a serrated knife and slice a half inch off of each end to expose a clean cut spiral. Dust the top with powdered sugar.
- Wrap tightly with plastic wrap.
Storage and slicing
I store my pumpkin rolls in the freezer. They cut prettiest when just barely thawed but still very cold. I pull from the freezer and let thaw 30-40 minutes before slicing.
These can be stored in the refrigerator if you prefer, the icing may smear slightly when sliced.
The Best Pumpkin Roll with Cream Cheese Icing
Equipment
Ingredients
Cake
- 110 grams soft white wheat flour 3/4 cup
- 155 g pumpkin puree 2/3 cup
- 184 g granulated sugar 1 cup
- 3 eggs
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp ginger
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp cloves
- 1/4 tsp salt
Icing
- 110 g sifted powdered sugar 1 cup
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter room temperature
- 8 oz cream cheese room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Extra
- 1 cup additional powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 ℉. If you have a convection setting, it is recommended for this cake as it is very thin and the convection setting will help bake more evenly.
- Mill your soft white wheat berries into flour and set aside.
- Add eggs and granulated sugar to your mixer, mix until smooth ribbon consistency.
- In another bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, all spices and salt. Stir until all combined.
- Slowly sprinkle the flour mixture into your mixer while running. Be sure to scrape the sides and bottom of your bowl. Do not over mix here.
- Prepare your sheet pan by spraying the bottom and sides with non-stick cooking spray. Press a piece of parchment into the bottom of the pan and spray again. **You want to make sure the entire bottom of the pan is covered with parchment. Pour your batter into the prepared sheet pan. Using a rubber spatula, spread the batter into the pan until smooth and the same depth all the way across.
- Place into the preheated oven bake for 10-15 minutes. *The time can vary drastically on these based on your oven. Because these are a VERY thin batter, you want to check these frequently.
- Your cake is done when it springs back when touched in the center. If your finger print stays pressed into the center or the batter or it is still wet when touched add 2-3 additional minutes.
- While your cake bakes, take your cotton tea towel and lay flat on the counter. Dust GENEROUSLY with sifted powdered sugar. As soon as your cake comes out of the oven, take a knife or rubber spatula and run it around the edges of the pan to loosen the cake. Flip the cake onto the dusted tea towel. If you flip it quickly, it will be less likely to break or bend while flipping.
- Carefully remove the Parchment paper from the back side of the cake. Starting on the short side of the cake, fold the end of the towel around the cake and roll into the towel. Place into the fridge until completely cooled. **I have had the best results with refrigerating overnight.
Icing
- It is very important that your butter and cream cheese are room temperature, if not it will result in chunky icing.
- The following day (or when you are ready to fill your pumpkin roll) make your icing. Add room temperature butter to a stand mixer fit with a paddle. Beat until completely smooth, scraping sides and bottom of the bowl frequently. Add sifted powdered sugar and vanilla extract to the bowl, mix until combined.
- Add room temperature cream cheese to the butter mixture. Beat until completely combined and smooth.
- Take the cooled cake out of the refrigerator. Slowly unroll the cake. Spread cream cheese icing on the cake with a rubber spatula or offset cake spatula. Leave an inch on the long sides of the cake.
- Starting at the same end you rolled the cake in the towel, roll the cake back up.
- HERE IS THE BIGGEST SECRET! Take the pumpkin roll and place on a piece of parchment paper seem side down. Fold the parchment around the pumpkin roll. Take a ruler and use it to apply pressure to tighten the roll and press icing towards the end of the roll and into any air pockets that remained when rolled.
- Take a serrated knife and slice a half inch off of each end to expose a clean cut spiral. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap.
- I store my pumpkin rolls in the freezer. They cut prettiest when just barely thawed but still very cold. I pull from the freezer and let thaw 30-40 minutes before slicing.
Nutrition
Frequently asked questions about Pumpkin Rolls filled with Cream Cheese Icing
Do I really have to let the cake cool overnight?
You want to make sure the cake is COMPLETELY cool and it can take quite a while as it is tightly rolled in a towel! If you put it in the freezer to cool, it can speed up the process but I don’t think it is worth rushing and my pumpkin roll cracking.
Can I adjust the spices in the cake?
Of course! Not all of my family loves ginger and cloves, so depending on who I am baking for, I will adjust the recipe.
Do I have to store the pumpkin roll in the freezer?
It is not required that you store it in the freezer, but it does need to be kept cold. It can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week and the freezer for 2 months. It will cut prettiest the colder it is and give you that perfect cream cheese spiral!
Tips and Tricks:
You do not want your batter too thick or it will crack when you roll it out. If it is too thin, it will potentially overcook around the edges and be crunchy.
If your jelly roll pan is slightly larger or smaller than the 10″x15″ recommendation, you may need to adjust the amount of batter used in order to create a cake that is the appropriate thickness.
Do not over bake your cake! You want to watch it an bake just until it springs back when you press your finger on top.
Cutting your pumpkin roll with cream cheese icing is one of the prettiest and most exciting parts of the whole process. Make sure it is cold and your knife is sharp!
THANK YOU!
Thank you so much for trying this recipe, I hope you love this Pumpkin Roll with Cream Cheese icing as much as my family does. If you make this recipe, please share and tag me on Instagram or Facebook! And, please leave a comment or star rating below. I love to see everyone be successful in the journey to a healthier lifestyle with fresh milled flour! Don’t hesitate to contact me with any question, chances are we will both learn something from us working through it together!
Happy Baking!
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This is pumpkin roll perfection. The cake is perfectly moist and spiced. The filling is divine. This is now my go-to recipe! Thank you sooooo much!