Here is how to make an easy pumpkin roll recipe using cake mix.
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This post is all about how to make an easy pumpkin roll cake recipe using canned pumpkin and cake mix.
Fall would not be fall without delicious pumpkin desserts and treats to eat.
The pumpkin roll is a classic fall dessert, with delicious seasonal flavors and a beautiful look. It can be easy to make a pumpkin roll, especially when you use cake mix to make it.
This is an easy holiday recipe using canned pumpkin and yellow cake mix or spice cake mix to make a delicious holiday dessert. Using cake mix makes things simple and tasty, too.
The ingredients that you need to make a cake mix pumpkin roll include common fall and winter pantry ingredients, like canned pumpkin, yellow cake mix or spice cake mix, autumn spices like pumpkin pie spice and ground ginger, salt, and eggs.
A simple cream cheese filling is made with whipped cream cheese, powdered sugar, butter, and vanilla.
If you can’t find whipped cream cheese at the store, then use an 8 oz. block of plain cream cheese. Let it come to room temperature until the cheese is bendable and soft to the touch.
Then place the cream cheese in a bowl and use a whisk or an electric mixture to beat it for a few minutes until the cream cheese is light and fluffy.
Once you have your ingredients, it’s easy to assemble and bake the pumpkin cake. Then let the cake cook before spreading the cream cheese filling over it. Roll up the cake, wrap it securely in plastic wrap, and refrigerate the cake for at least an hour to let the cake set.
Cream cheese pumpkin roll cake makes a great autumn season or classic Thanksgiving dessert recipe. Serve it with delicious fall-flavored coffee, apple cider, hot cocoa, or tea.
Once you have a pumpkin roll cake, you’ll probably want more. It’s a good thing this pumpkin cake is easy to make, and it freezes well, too.
Tips on How to Make Pumpkin Roll Cake
Here are some tips on how to make cream cheese pumpkin roll cake.
Cake Mix
- Use either yellow cake mix or spice cake mix with pumpkin. The combination of canned pumpkin and yellow cake mix allows the pumpkin flavor to shine through, while canned pumpkin and spice cake mix gives the pumpkin roll a sweet and spicy pumpkin flavor.
Cream Cheese Filling
- Use whipped cream cheese spread to make a light and fluffy cream cheese pumpkin cake filling.
- Whipped cream cheese filling is often sold in 8 oz. or 12 oz. containers near boxed cream cheese. Use approximately 6 oz. of cream cheese topping to make filling for this pumpkin roll recipe. This would be about ¾ of the whipped cream cheese topping in an 8 oz. container or about ½ of the whipped cream cheese topping in a 12 oz. container.
- If you can’t find whipped cream cheese at the store, then use 6 oz. from an 8 oz. block of plain cream cheese (about ¾ of the block). Let it come to room temperature until the cheese is bendable and soft to the touch. Then place the cream cheese in a bowl and use a whisk or an electric mixture to beat it for a few minutes until the cream cheese is light and fluffy
How to Freeze Pumpkin Roll Cake
You can make pumpkin roll cake ahead of time and freeze it for storage. To freeze pumpkin roll cake, prepare the cake and then wrap it in freezer paper and/or plastic wrap.
Place the wrapped cake in a freezer bag. Freeze the pumpkin roll cake for up to 1 month. To thaw the pumpkin roll cake, place it in the refrigerator for 24 hours.
Pumpkin roll cake can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
What You’ll Need to Make a Pumpkin Roll
Here are some of the items used to make a cream cheese pumpkin roll, and that are useful for serving the pumpkin cake to family and friends once you’ve made it.
1—Jelly Roll Pan
A jelly roll pan is the classic pan for making rolled cakes like pumpkin roll cake and Buche de Noel. It’s a good pan to have during the holidays to make special cakes and desserts, The common measures for a jelly roll pan are 15x10x1 inches.
2—Mixing Bowls
You’ll need mixing bowls to make the pumpkin cake batter and to make the cream cheese filling.
3—Electric Mixer
An electric mixer makes it easy to beat eggs and combine ingredients when making recipes. Use an electric mixer to whip up an especially creamy filling for the pumpkin roll.
4—Large Spoon and Spatula
Large spoons are great for stirring and scooping cake recipe ingredients. Use a spatula to smooth the cream cheese filling over the pumpkin cake.
5—-Parchment Paper
Use parchment paper to keep the pumpkin roll cake from sticking to the jelly roll pan. Cut the parchment paper to fit the inside of the pan.
6—-Cake Mix
Both yellow cake mix and spice cake mix are best for making pumpkin cake and pumpkin cookies recipes. These cake mix flavors bring out the pumpkin flavor in delicious ways. Use either type of cake mix to make this easy holiday recipe. Both conventional and gluten-free cake mixes can be used to make this recipe.
7—Spices and Extract
Autumn spices give cream cheese pumpkin cake a wonderfully seasonal flavor. Use pumpkin pie spice, ground cinnamon, and ground ginger to add spicy flavor to the cake. Vanilla extract adds warm tones to almost any baked good.
8—-Cooling Rack
Use a cooling rack to co the pumpkin cake before adding the filling.
9—Kitchen Towel
Roll the pumpkin cake and let it cool in a clean kitchen towel before adding the cream cheese filling.
10—Dessert Plates and Forks
Dessert plates and forks add a festive decorative touch to the holiday table. A neutral set let’s you use them throughout the year for many different types of special occasions.
11—Serveware
Use a serving platter to serve the cream cheese pumpkin roll cake. A cake knife is handy for cutting cake during special occasions, including the holidays.
Easy Pumpkin Roll Cake Recipe
Here is how to make a pumpkin roll using canned pumpkin and cake mix.
Easy Pumpkin Roll Cake
Ingredients
For the cake mix pumpkin roll cake:
- ⅔ cup pure pumpkin purée
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs
- ½ box 15.25 oz box of yellow cake mix or spice cake mix
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp pumpkin pie spice use ¼ tsp of pumpkin pie spice when making the pumpkin roll cake using spice cake mix
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground ginger
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ cup finely chopped pecans optional
For the cream cheese filling:
- 6 oz. whipped cream cheese
- 4 Tbsp room temperature butter
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
To make the pumpkin cake:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line the bottom of a jelly roll pan with parchment paper.
- Add pure pumpkin purée, vanilla, and eggs to a large mixing bowl. Stir with a whisk or blend on low speed with an electric mixer to combine ingredients.
- In a separate bowl, add yellow cake mix or spice cake mix, all-purpose flour, pumpkin pie spice, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, and salt. Whisk to combine ingredients.
- Slowly add the dry ingredients to the bowl with the pure pumpkin purée. Fold dry ingredients in to the wet mixture after each addition, until a smooth cake batter forms.
- Pour pumpkin cake batter into jelly roll pan. Use a spatula or the back of a large spoon to smooth out the batter. Sprinkle finely chopped pecans over the pumpkin cake batter, if desired.
- Bake the pumpkin cake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Once baked, the pumpkin cake should spring back slightly when you press down in the middle.
To roll the pumpkin cake:
- While the pumpkin cake is still warm, roll the cake from one end to the other. Wrap the rolled pumpkin cake in a clean kitchen towel.
- Place the rolled pumpkin cake on a cooling rack, seam side down. Let the pumpkin cake to rest on the rack until it’s completely cool to the touch, for about an hour.
- While the pumpkin cake is cooling, make the cream cheese filling. Place whipped cream cheese, soft butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl. Whisk until the ingredients are well blended. Refrigerate the cream cheese filling until ready to use.
To assemble the pumpkin cake roll:
- Once the pumpkin cake is cool, carefully unroll the cake onto a flat surface. Carefully the parchment paper as you unroll the pumpkin cake.
- Use a large spoon or spatula to gently spread cream cheese filling over one side of the pumpkin cake (the side that faced inward while the cake was rolled up).
- Re-roll the pumpkin cake, so that the cream cheese filling is inside the cake. Trim the ends of the pumpkin roll cake to make them even.
- Wrap the cream cheese pumpkin roll cake in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours until the shape of the cake is set.
- When you’re ready to serve it, dust the top of the pumpkin cake with powdered sugar. Arrange the pumpkin roll cake seam-side down on a platter to serve.
This post was all about how to make an easy pumpkin roll cake recipe using canned pumpkin and cake mix.
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Credits
- Photo by Element5 Digital / Unsplash
- Photos are for illustrative purposes only.