Easy Pumpkin Bread Recipe

This pumpkin bread is really a pumpkin roll! Imagine a super thin sheet of spiced pumpkin cake that you bake and roll up in a towel with a dusting of powdered sugar to cool all the way down. Then you unroll the cake and spread cream cheese frosting on it. After that, you roll it up again and now you’ve got a lovely spiral of pumpkin cake and tangy cream cheese that slices into gorgeous rounds! It looks like you slaved away in the kitchen all day. But you really must have better things to do!

With a short list of ingredients and a simple technique, the Bisquick shortcut allows you to skip the time the time measuring out flour, baking powder, and salt. If you have never tried making a roll cake before, this is the one to start with. It is forgiving, takes under 30 minutes of actual time to make, and just the cream cheese filling is worth it.

Why This Sweet Recipe Works

• Bisquick does the heavy lifting — no separate leavening to measure, and it gives the cake just enough structure to roll without cracking
• Rolling while hot is the key move — the cake is pliable right out of the oven; once it cools rolled, it holds that shape and won’t crack when you fill it
• Powdered sugar on the towel does double duty — keeps the cake from sticking and gives the outside of the finished roll its classic dusted look
• Cream cheese filling is tangy, not cloying — it cuts through the spiced pumpkin rather than competing with it
• Two-thirds cup of pumpkin keeps it moist without making the batter too wet to set

What to Know Before You Start

This is a roll cake, not a loaf. You need a 10×15 jelly roll pan — a standard rimmed baking sheet works if it’s close to that size. If it’s too large, the batter will become too thin, and if it’s too small, the cake will be too thick to roll cleanly.

Make sure you have your towel ready before the cake goes in the oven. You should lay a clean kitchen towel flat (not terrycloth as it sticks), sift a generous cup of powdered sugar over it, and set it aside. As soon as the cake is done, you have to invert and roll it. There won’t be any time for towel searching.

Your cake needs to cool for at least an hour. Place it on a wire rack before you unroll and fill it. If you take a warm cake and add cream cheese filling to it, you will be left with a big mess. So keep this in mind, particularly if you’re transporting it.

For the filling, butter and cream cheese should be softened, so leave them on the counter for at least 30–45 minutes. If you beat the cream cheese cold, you will get lumps no matter how long you beat it.

Ingredients

Pumpkin Cake

• 1 cup sugar
• 3 eggs — beaten with sugar for 5 full minutes; this step builds structure
• 2/3 cup canned pumpkin — plain pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling
• 3/4 cup Bisquick
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Cream Cheese Filling

• 8 oz cream cheese, softened — full fat for best texture
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup powdered sugar (plus 1 cup sifted onto the towel before baking)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

The recipe calls for only 2/3 cup of pumpkin puree, which is less than a standard 15-ounce can, so you’ll have some leftover. Leftover pumpkin puree can be stored in the fridge for 1 week. You can stir it into oatmeal or pancake batter to use it up. You can finely chop some pecans and sprinkle them over the batter as an optional add-in.

How to Make Pumpkin Roll

Step 1: Prep Everything

Set the oven to 375 degrees (F). Wax paper the 10 x 15 inch jelly roll pan and make sure to grease it. Place a clean kitchen towel on the counter and sift 1 cup of powdered sugar on it. Keep it nearby.

Step 2: Beat Eggs and Sugar

Beat the eggs and sugar on medium for five full minutes. The batter should be light in color and thickened slightly. While a hand mixer is doable, by minute three you may really wish you had a stand mixer. The 5 minutes is not negotiable, it is what builds the volume and structure that allows the cake to roll without cracking.

Step 3: Add Pumpkin and Dry Ingredients

Combine the ingredients until blended. Note that the batter will be thinner than you’d expect.   Pour into the prepared pan and spread into the corners. If using, top with pecans now.

Step 4: Bake

Bake for 15 minutes at 375°F. The top should look set, and the sides should start pulling away from the edges of the pan. You should be able to lightly spring it back when pressed in the middle.

Step 5: The Hot Roll

Next, place your cake on top of your towel which has been sprinkled with powdered sugar, and then take the wax paper and peel it off carefully and slowly. Beginning at the narrow side, roll the cake up in the towel like a log. Then, place it seam-side down on a wire rack, and let it cool completely for 1 hour or more.

This step prevents cracking. Since the cake is warm and pliable, rolling it while it is warm teaches it to hold that curve. If you wait until it cools and is flat and then roll it, it will crack. Do it while it is hot.

Step 6: Make the Filling

Mix and soften the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Then blend in one cup of powdered sugar and the vanilla, and beat the mixture until it is creamy. Taste the mixture, it should have a light sweetness and a tang. If you would like it to be sweeter, add more of the powdered sugar, one tablespoon at a time.

Step 7: Fill, Roll, and Chill

Take the cooled cake off the towel. Spread the filling so that it is even, and leave about half an inch from the edges. Roll the cake back up, without using the towel this time, and keep it snug. Set the cake seam-side down on a plate and refrigerate it for at least 2 hours. Before slicing, dust the cake with fresh powdered sugar.

Helpful Tips

Why did my cake crack?

You probably waited too long to roll it. You have two minutes to go from oven to towel to rolled shape. A little crack is not the end of the world — the cream cheese filling will hold everything together and once sliced, the cracks will be almost impossible to see.

The wax paper stuck

Be sure to grease it thoroughly prior to adding the batter. If it does stick, scrape at a very low angle, nearly parallel to the surface of the cake. Lifting up will tear the cake.

Lumpy filling

Cold cream cheese. Continue to beat — if it’s still lumpy after a few minutes, place the bowl over a larger bowl of warm (not hot) water for a minute and beat again.

A sifter makes this easier

With a simple sifter, you can create a dusting of powdered sugar on the towel and a nice clean dusting on the finished roll. Not necessary, but handy if you bake often.

Variations

No Bisquick

Use less than three quarters of a cup of all-purpose flour. Then add 1 teaspoon of baking powder and a pinch of salt. You will get an almost identical result.

More spice

For a stronger flavor, you can add 1/4 teaspoon of ground ginger and a pinch of cloves to the batter.

Maple cream cheese filling

Instead of vanilla, you can use 1 teaspoon of pure maple syrup and cut the powdered sugar by 2 tablespoons. Pumpkin spice and maple are a great combo.

Storage and Make-Ahead

Refrigerator: Wrap securely in plastic wrap and/or store in an airtight container. Keeps up to 5 days. Re-dust with powdered sugar before serving as it absorbs into the cake.

Freezer: 2 months, wrap in foil and plasticWrap, thaw in the fridge overnight. It holds up well.

You can bake the cake and roll it in the towel. Then refrigerate it overnight. You can fill it the next day You can create the entire finished roll 3 days in advance. The taste improves after a day in the fridge, as all the flavors blend.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use fresh pumpkin instead of canned?

Sure, but make sure to drain it well. Fresh pumpkins tend to have more moisture. You can press it in a fine mesh strainer or let it drain in cheesecloth for about 30 minutes before measuring. If you have fresh pumpkin to use up, go with that, otherwise, it’s not worth it as canned pumpkin is more consistent.

My roll cracked when I unrolled it to fill — now what?

Even small cracks are not very noticeable when you slice the log. If a larger crack appears, you can press it closed and chill it seam (or crack) side down.

Can I make this without a jelly roll pan?

An 18×13 half sheet pan will also work, but note that the cake will be thinner. Check on it around 12 minutes. A 9×13 will be too thick to roll without cracking. The 10×15 is the proper size.

Is this the same as pumpkin roll?

Yes, a pumpkin roll, pumpkin bread roll, and pumpkin cake roll are all the same thing: spiced pumpkin sheet cake rolled with cream cheese filling. This is not the same as a pumpkin quick bread (the loaf-style version).

How far ahead can I make this?

One of the best make-ahead desserts – can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days and in the freezer for up to 2 months!

More Pumpkin Recipes

• Grandma’s Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting — same great cream cheese frosting, in easier-to-serve bar form