Ingredients
Equipment
Method
Bake the pumpkin sponge
- Preheat the oven to 375 F (190 C), grease a 15x10-inch jelly roll pan, line it with parchment, and grease the parchment. You should see the parchment lightly coated so the cake releases easily.
- Whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, salt, ground cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice. Mix until the spices are evenly distributed with no visible clumps.
- Beat the eggs and granulated sugar for 2 minutes until thick, then beat in the pumpkin puree. The mixture should look paler and more airy.
- Fold in the dry ingredients and spread the batter evenly in the pan. The batter layer should be uniform to bake evenly.
- Bake for 13 to 15 minutes, until the top springs back when touched. The sponge should feel set and bounce lightly under a fingertip.
Roll while warm, then cool
- Dust a clean kitchen towel with powdered sugar, flip the warm cake onto it, and peel off the parchment. Aim for a thin, even dust so the cake won’t stick.
- Roll the cake up in the towel from the short end and cool completely, about 1 hour. The roll should hold its shape without cracking.
Make filling and assemble
- Beat the cream cheese, unsalted butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth. Stop when the filling is glossy and free of lumps.
- Gently unroll the cake, spread the filling evenly, and roll it back up without the towel. Keep the roll tight so it slices into clean swirls.
- Wrap and chill for at least 1 hour, then slice and dust with powdered sugar. The slices should look defined and hold their spirals.
Notes
Pro tip: don’t skip the warm roll in the towel—this teaches the sponge to bend and greatly reduces cracking. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days; freeze sliced portions wrapped well for up to 2 months (thaw in the fridge overnight). Dietary swap: use a 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour blend to keep the sponge tender (bake time may vary by a minute or two).