How to Make Granny Kat’s Pumpkin Roll

A pumpkin roll is a thin, spiced pumpkin sponge baked in a jelly roll pan, rolled up while warm, then unrolled and filled with sweet cream cheese. This version follows the much-loved Granny Kat’s style from Allrecipes, written out with exact cup and gram measurements, oven temperatures in °F and °C, and the cues that keep the cake from cracking.

Recipe at a Glance

• Yield: one 10-inch roll, 10 slices
• Prep time: 25 minutes
• Bake time: 13–15 minutes
• Cooling time: 45–60 minutes (rolled in a towel)
• Chill time: at least 1 hour after filling
• Oven: 375°F (190°C)
• Pan: 15 × 10 × 1-inch (38 × 25 cm) jelly roll pan

Ingredients

Pumpkin cake

• ¾ cup (94 g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
• ½ teaspoon (2 g) baking powder
• ½ teaspoon (3 g) baking soda
• 2 teaspoons (5 g) ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
• ¼ teaspoon (1.5 g) fine salt
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
• ⅔ cup (160 g) pure pumpkin purée (not pumpkin pie filling)
• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract
• ¼ cup (30 g) powdered sugar, for the towel

Cream cheese filling

• 8 oz (226 g) full-fat brick cream cheese, softened
• 6 tablespoons (85 g) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar, sifted, plus extra for dusting
• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract
• Pinch of fine salt

You’ll also need parchment paper and a thin, lint-free kitchen towel at least as large as the pan. For a softer, spreadable frosting to use on other cakes, see our cream cheese icing recipe.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Prepare the pan and towel

Heat the oven to 375°F (190°C) with a rack in the center. Grease the jelly roll pan, line it with parchment and grease the parchment. Spread the towel on the counter and sift the ¼ cup (30 g) powdered sugar evenly over it.

2. Mix the batter

Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices and salt in a small bowl. In a large bowl, beat the eggs and granulated sugar with a mixer on medium-high for 3–4 minutes, until thick, pale and about doubled in volume. Beat in the pumpkin and vanilla on low. Add the flour mixture and fold or mix on low just until no dry streaks remain.

3. Bake

Spread the batter evenly into the corners with an offset spatula. Bake for 13–15 minutes, until the top springs back when lightly pressed in the center and a toothpick comes out clean. Do not overbake: a dry sponge cracks when rolled.

4. Roll while hot

Immediately run a knife around the edges and turn the cake out onto the sugared towel. Peel off the parchment. Starting at a short end, roll the cake up together with the towel. Cool seam side down on a wire rack for 45–60 minutes, until no longer warm in the center.

5. Make the filling

Beat the cream cheese and butter on medium until completely smooth, about 2 minutes. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla and salt and beat on low, then medium, until creamy. Avoid overbeating, which can make the filling loose.

6. Fill, re-roll and chill

Gently unroll the cooled cake (it will stay curved). Spread the filling evenly, leaving a ½-inch (1 cm) border on the far short end. Re-roll without the towel, using it to guide the cake. Wrap the roll in plastic wrap and refrigerate seam side down for at least 1 hour. Trim the ends, dust with powdered sugar and cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) slices with a serrated knife.

Troubleshooting

• Cake cracked when rolling: it was overbaked or cooled before the first roll. Check at 13 minutes and roll it as soon as it leaves the oven. Small cracks disappear under a dusting of powdered sugar.
• Cake stuck to the towel: not enough powdered sugar on the towel, or a textured towel. Use a smooth cotton towel and a full, even layer of sugar.
• Filling squeezes out: the cake was still warm, or the roll was too tight. Cool fully and leave the border on the far end.
• Runny filling: tub-style or low-fat cream cheese was used. Use full-fat brick cream cheese and chill the roll before slicing.
• Dense, flat sponge: the eggs and sugar weren’t beaten long enough. They should be thick and pale before the pumpkin goes in.

Variations

• Nutty: sprinkle ½ cup (55 g) finely chopped toasted pecans or walnuts over the batter in the pan before baking.
• Ginger: stir 2 tablespoons (20 g) finely chopped crystallized ginger into the filling.
• Spice shortcut: replace the four spices with 1 tablespoon (7 g) pumpkin pie spice.
• Gluten-free: use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend that contains xanthan gum, by weight.

Storage and Make-Ahead

• Refrigerator: wrapped tightly, up to 5 days. Because of the cream cheese filling, don’t leave it at room temperature for more than 2 hours.
• Freezer: wrap the filled roll in plastic wrap and then foil and freeze up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight, or slice it partly frozen for very neat slices.
• Make ahead: the filled roll is best made 1 day before serving, which also makes slicing easier.

Planning a pumpkin-themed dessert table? Pair this roll with our classic pumpkin pie or bake a batch of cottage cheese pumpkin muffins for breakfast.

FAQs

Why roll the cake while it’s hot?

A warm sponge is flexible. Rolling it in the towel while hot lets it cool in a curved shape, so it rolls up again with the filling without breaking.

Can I use a 13 × 9-inch pan?

Not easily. The batter is thicker in a smaller pan, needs a longer bake and is more likely to crack. A 15 × 10-inch jelly roll pan gives the right thickness.

Can I use pumpkin pie filling instead of purée?

No. Canned pumpkin pie filling already contains sugar and spices, so the cake would be too sweet and wet. Use plain 100% pumpkin purée.

How far ahead can I make a pumpkin roll?

Up to 2 days in the refrigerator or up to 2 months in the freezer. Dust with fresh powdered sugar just before serving.

How do I get clean slices?

Chill the roll for at least 1 hour, use a serrated knife with a gentle sawing motion and wipe the blade between slices.