Pumpkin Cake Roll with Cream Cheese Filling – High Altitude Friendly
Irresistible pumpkin cake roll—the soft, spiced sponge, the rich and tangy cream cheese filling, and that final dusting of powdered sugar. It works perfectly at high altitude or sea level—no tweaks needed. This pumpkin cake roll is cozy, nostalgic, and surprisingly easy to make.
Whether you’re baking for a fall dinner, a holiday table, or just a sweet afternoon treat, this high altitude friendly recipe is one you’ll come back to year after year.
Want more HIGH ALTITUDE PUMPKIN SPICE RECIPES? Check out Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls with maple cream cheese frosting, Pumpkin Bread with Chocolate, Pumpkin Bread with Streusel, Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins, homemade Pumpkin Pie.
This Pumpkin Cake Roll recipe is made at 8,000 ft elevation. This recipe does not need any adjustments for high altitude or sea level.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe:
- HIGH ALTITUDE FRIENDLY – whether you’re baking at 8,000 feet or sea level, this recipe works beautifully WITHOUT any adjustments
- BEAUTIFUL PRESENTATION – with its spiral layers and snowy dusting of powdered sugar, this dessert looks impressive—but it’s secretly simple to make
- MAKE AHEAD FRIENDLY – this cake roll can be made a day in advance and stored in the fridge, making it ideal for holidays or entertaining
- SUPER SOFT TEXTURE – the sponge cake bakes up light, tender, and flexible—making it easy to roll without cracking
- PERFECT PUMPKIN SPICE – the warm blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves gives the pumpkin cake that cozy, fall flavor everyone craves
Recommended Tools:
- JELLY ROLL PAN – typically 10×15 inches, ensures your cake bakes thin and even
- PARCHMENT PAPER – this makes releasing the cake from the pan so much easier
- CLEAN KITCHEN TOWEL – a powdered sugar-dusted towel helps rolling up the cake to create “roll memory”
- MIXING BOWLS – find using an electric stand mixer for the cake batter and filling to be the easiest way
- SPATULA – makes spreading the cake batter and cream cheese filling evenly a whole lot easier
- PLASTIC WRAP – this will hold the completed cake roll together until its served
Ingredients:
Pumpkin Roll
- ALL PURPOSE FLOUR – creates the base of the cake roll
- BAKING POWDER & BAKING SODA – the perfect amount of leavening for a soft, sponge cake
- SPICES – creates the warm pumpkin spice flavor we all love
- LARGE EGGS – helps bind all the ingredients together
- WHITE SUGAR – just the perfect kiss of sweetness
- PUMPKIN PUREE – the main ingredient for flavor and color
TIP: for accurate measuring of flour never scoop flour up, always spoon it into the measuring cup and level it off
Cream Cheese Filling
- CREAM CHEESE – creates a rich and tangy base
- POWDERED SUGAR – thickens the filling
- BUTTER – adds a richness
- VANILLA EXTRACT – a little secret of mine…I NEVER measure vanilla
Find the full ingredients list in the recipe box below
How To Make Pumpkin Cake Roll:
- PREHEAT & PREPARE PAN – preheat to 375° F. The pan needs to be greased then lined with parchment paper. The parchment paper should also be greased.
- MIX CAKE BATTER & ADD TO PAN – combine all the ingredients until the batter is smooth. Pour the cake batter into the pan and spread evenly.
- BAKE – bake for 13-15 minutes or until the center springs back when lightly touched
- PREPARE TOWEL – while the cake is baking lay a clean towel on the counter and lightly dust with powdered sugar
- REMOVE FROM PAN – invert the cake onto the prepared towel, remove the pan, carefully peel the parchment paper off, roll the cake up in the towel WHILE STILL HOT.
- MIX FILLING – mix all the ingredients until the filling is smooth
- FILL CAKE ROLL – unroll the cake once COMPLETELY COOLED. Spread the filling evenly, leaving about 1/4 inch on the ends. Reroll the cake and wrap in plastic wrap.
- REFRIGERATE – refrigerate at least 1 hour or up to overnight.
- SPRINKLE & SERVE – unwrap the cake roll and sprinkle the top with powdered sugar. Slice and serve.
Ingredient Variations:
Cream Cheese Maple Filling
Maple flavor and pumpkin spice go together perfectly! Switch out the vanilla extract for maple extract to create even more flavor.
- 8 ounces Cream Cheese
- 1 cup Powdered Sugar
- 6 tbsp Butter – softened
- 1 tsp Maple Extract
FAQs:
Can pumpkin cake roll be frozen?
Yes! Pumpkin cake rolls freeze beautifully. Once filled and rolled, wrap the entire cake tightly in plastic wrap and then in foil. Freeze for up to 2–3 months. To serve, thaw it in the refrigerator overnight, then dust with powdered sugar just before slicing and serving.
What is a jelly roll pan?
A jelly roll pan is a shallow baking sheet that typically measures 10×15 inches with a rim about 1 inch high. It’s designed for thin sponge cakes that can be easily rolled, like this pumpkin roll. Using the correct pan size is key for even baking and proper rolling.
Pumpkin Puree vs Pumpkin Pie Filling
Pumpkin puree is simply cooked, pureed pumpkin with no added ingredients—perfect for baking. Pumpkin pie filling, on the other hand, includes sugar and spices already mixed in. For this recipe, make sure to use 100% pure pumpkin puree, not the pie filling, so you can control the flavor and sweetness.
Other High Altitude Recipes:
If you make this delicious Pumpkin Cake Roll recipe please rate this recipe and leave a comment below about how it turned out. If you have any questions, post them below and I would love to help you out.
Pumpkin Cake Roll with Cream Cheese – High Altitude Friendly
Wild Flour Recipes | Baking at 8,000 ft
www.wildflourrecipes.com
Equipment
- mixing bowls
- Jelly Roll Pan 10×15"
- Parchment paper
- Spatula
- Clean Kitchen Towel
- Plastic wrap
Ingredients
Pumpkin Cake Roll
- ¾ cup All Purpose Flour
- ½ tsp Baking Powder
- ½ tsp Baking Soda
- ½ tsp Cinnamon ground
- ¼ tsp Nutmeg ground
- ¼ tsp Clove ground
- ¼ tsp Salt
- 3 Large Eggs room temperature
- 1 cup White Sugar
- ⅔ cup Pumpkin Puree NOT pumpkin pie filling
Cream Cheese Filling
- 8 ounce Cream Cheese room temp
- 1 cup Powdered Sugar extra for sprinkling on towel & on top
- 6 tbsp Butter softened
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
Instructions
- PREHEAT & PREPARE PAN – preheat to 375° F. Prepare the pan by greasing the pan then place parchment paper into the pan. Grease the parchment paper also.
- MIX CKE BATTER & ADD TO PAN – combine all the cake ingredients until the batter is smooth. Pour the cake batter into the pan and spread evenly.
- BAKE – bake for 13-15 minutes or until the center springs back when lightly touched
- PREPARE A TOWEL – while the cake is baking, lay out a clean towel and lightly dust the towel with powdered sugar. Make the area of powdered sugar larger than the cake size.
- REMOVE THE CAKE FROM PAN – carefully invert the cake & pan onto the prepared towel, lift the pan off, and slowly peel the parchment paper off.
- ROLL UP CAKE – WHILE THE CAKE IS HOT slowly roll the cake up in the sugared towel. Let the cake sit ROLLED UP until completely cooled. This will help prevent the cake from cracking later.
- MIX FILLING – Mix all the cream cheese filling together until smooth.
- FILL CAKE ROLL – unroll the cake once COMPLETELY COOLED. Spread the filling evenly, leaving about 1/4 inch on the ends. Reroll the cake and wrap tightly in plastic wrap.
- REFRIGERATE – refrigerate at least 1 hour or up to overnight.
- SPRINKLE & SERVE – unwrap the cake roll from the plastic wrap and lightly dust the top with powdered sugar. Slice and serve.
