Easy Homemade Pumpkin Roll Cake

Name: Easy Homemade Pumpkin Roll
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 3/4 cup flour; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 1 teaspoon baking soda; 1 Tablespoon pumpkin pie spice; 1 cup sugar; 2/3 cup pumpkin puree ((NOT pumpkin pie mix)); 3 large eggs; 1 teaspoon vanilla; 8 oz cream cheese (softened); 1 cup powdered sugar; 2 Tablespoons butter (softened); 1 teaspoon vanilla

Author: Victoria Pruett Updated: August 6, 2024

This easy pumpkin roll recipe with cream cheese filling is the only one you’ll ever make from now on. The perfect Libby’s pumpkin roll recipe is simpler than you think and will be an instant family favorite!

2 slices of homemade pumpkin roll cake on a white plate, additional slices in the background — This page may contain affiliate links. Learn More

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I worked at a little local coffee shop right out of college and we made a from-scratch pumpkin roll that was out of this world! It was a customer favorite and we could barely keep it in stock.

Now, I make it for my family during the holidays and it disappears almost as fast as I can make it!

Easy Pumpkin Roll Recipe

After so many years of making this recipe, here are my top two tricks for making this a foolproof pumpkin roll!

Wax Paper – This is the key to everything, basically! You need to use wax paper, not parchment paper for easy release after the pumpkin roll has been baked and rolls. Otherwise, it will likely get stuck!
Pumpkin Puree – NOT pumpkin pie mix. Those are two totally different ingredients. If you use pumpkin pie mix in a can, and not plain pumpkin puree, it won’t work. Pumpkin pie mix has other ingredients in it and you just want the plain pumpkin puree. We use Libby’s pumpkin puree, but you can use other pumpkin puree if you want, just make sure you’re using the same number of ounces.

How to Make A Pumpkin Roll Cake {VIDEO}

I’m including a quick video of exactly how to make this homemade pumpkin roll recipe, and there is also a full printable recipe card at the end of the post with all the ingredient measurements for you too!

Ingredients

Let’s break down the ingredients! I always get questions about substitutions and whatnot, so I wanted to cover them all individually in order to let you choose what works for your family. The full ingredient measurements are included in the printable recipe card at the end of the post.

NOTE: Any ingredient substitutions will produce a slightly different taste and texture from the original recipe.

Flour – Any all-purpose flour will work here, if you use whole wheat flour the texture will not be as fluffy, but it will still be delicious!
Pumpkin puree – As a reminder, this is NOT pumpkin pie mix!! Just use canned pumpkin puree. We like to use the Libby’s brand, but use what you can find!
Eggs – Whole eggs are called for in this recipe. I have tested this recipe using 1/2 cup of Greek yogurt in place of the eggs and it works well!
Salt – A flavor enhancer, don’t skip it!
Baking soda – This helps with the rise, don’t confuse it for baking powder!
Pumpkin pie spice – I love this blend of spices so much! You can even make your own homemade pumpkin pie spice if you want!
Sugar – Can sugar is recommended. As it is a large part of the structure of the cake, a liquid sweetener like honey or maple syrup is not recommended. You can use a low-calorie sweetener as long as it’s a 1:1 replacement for regular sugar.
Cream cheese – Used as the base for the cream cheese filling! You can use a vegan cream cheese instead, but using a high-quality cream cheese will greatly enhance the overall quality of the finished pumpkin roll.
Powdered sugar – While powdered sugar is traditional, in the filling you can use whatever sweetener you would like. We’ve used a 1/2 cup of maple syrup in place of the powdered sugar and it was delicious!
Butter – The butter in this recipe is used to loosen the cream cheese filling. You can use coconut oil or vegan butter if needed.
Vanilla – A flavor enhancer, vanilla adds a wonderful depth of flavor to this dish!

Instructions

While there is a video above, I wanted to break down the steps with tips along the way. This is such a simple recipe once you make it the first time, but it can seem overwhelming when you haven’t made it before!

So, take a second and read through these steps with all my tips before you get started!

Step 1: Make the batter.

Combine the pumpkin, eggs, sugar, and vanilla together in one bowl and mix well. In a separate mixing bowl combine the dry ingredients and mix well.

Slowly add in the dry mixture to the wet pumpkin mixture and mix until it’s completely combined. It will be a wet batter.

Step 2: Pour the batter in the pan.

Lightly spray your cookie sheet with non-stick spray. Then line it with wax paper. Let it overlap on the edges a bit to make it easier to get out of the pan when it’s done baking.

Use a silicone spatula or spoon and spread the batter into the wax paper lined cookie sheet.

Smooth it evenly so you don’t have high and low spots. It doesn’t need to be perfect by any means, just try to give it some semblance of being even.

Step 3: Bake it.

Bake it at 350 for 15 minutes exactly and take it out of the oven. Let it cool for 5-10 minutes, then grab the excess wax paper and lift it out of the pan, and lay it flat on a cooling rack.

Step 4: Roll it up.

Wait ten minutes longer, then roll the pumpkin roll up WITH the wax paper still on it. A ton of recipes will tell you to powder a dish towel and roll it up in that, but that never really works well for me and makes an ugly nasty dish towel. So, just use the wax paper.

Let it cool completely before unrolling it to spread the cream cheese mixture.

Step 5: Make the filling.

Mix together the cream cheese, powdered sugar, butter, and vanilla until it’s smooth. Try not to eat all the filling (I often fail, because it tastes just like my mom’s homemade cheesecake!)

Unroll the pumpkin cake, and spread the icing evenly over the entire surface. Roll the whole pumpkin roll back up now, slowly removing the wax paper as you go.

Step 6: Refrigerate the pumpkin roll.

Your Foolproof Pumpkin Roll needs to sit in the fridge overnight, or for 4-6 hours minimum before serving.

I always wrap mine in a fresh piece of wax paper and seal it with a piece or two of scotch tape. It’s not pretty, but it works. When you’re ready to serve it, put it on a tray, slice it into 1″ pieces, and enjoy!

An entire pumpkin roll on a plate, one slice cut and the ingredients like libby's pumpkin puree in the background.

How long does a Pumpkin Roll last in the fridge?

I’ve only ever kept mine in the fridge for a few days (if that long) before my family has gobbled the whole thing. As long as it’s kept in a sealed container, you should be fine to keep it in the fridge for a week.

Even More Fall Recipes

Mama’s Pumpkin Pie – this is the best pumpkin pie recipe I’ve had, and I love it so much!
Pecan Pie French Toast – this is one of my all-time favorite recipes! It’s so rich and easy to make!
Traditional Sweet Potato Casserole – this is a simple dump-and-cook recipe that’s a staple on our Thanksgiving table each year!

I can’t wait for you to make this foolproof pumpkin roll recipe! They’re not difficult to make, but they are absolutely delicious! You’ll never buy another store-bought one again!