Caramel Pecan Pumpkin Roll
This one NEVER lasts long at my house! 🍂🍰 My Caramel Pecan Pumpkin Roll has swirly pumpkin cake, fluffy cream cheese filling, caramel dripping down the sides, and crunchy pecans on top.
The pumpkin spice cake bakes in a jelly-roll pan, then you roll it up warm in a powdered-sugar towel so it holds its shape. Once it’s cool, you unroll it, spread on the cream cheese filling, roll it back up and chill it.
Right before serving, drizzle it with caramel sauce and sprinkle on toasted pecans. It serves 10 to 12.
Why You’ll Love It
- Show-stopper swirl. Everybody loves that spiral when you slice it.
- Cream cheese filling. Fluffy, sweet and tangy.
- Caramel and pecans. They take a classic pumpkin roll over the top.
- Make it ahead. It chills in the fridge until you’re ready.
- Thanksgiving ready. A dessert table favorite.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Canned pumpkin purée: Plain pumpkin, not pie filling.
- Flour, baking soda, baking powder and pumpkin pie spice: The spiced cake base.
- Eggs and granulated sugar: Beaten until thick and pale for a soft, rollable cake.
- Cream cheese, powdered sugar, butter and vanilla: The fluffy filling.
- Caramel sauce and toasted pecans: The topping that makes it special.
You’ll find the exact amounts and steps in the printable recipe card below.
How to Make It
Line a jelly-roll pan with parchment and grease it lightly. Whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice and salt together. In another bowl, beat the eggs and sugar until thick and pale, stir in the pumpkin, then fold in the dry mix. Spread the batter in the pan and bake until the cake springs back when you touch it. While it bakes, dust a clean kitchen towel with powdered sugar. Flip the hot cake onto the towel, peel off the parchment, and roll it up with the towel from a short end, then let it cool completely. Beat the cream cheese, powdered sugar, butter and vanilla until fluffy. Unroll the cake, spread on the filling, roll it back up without the towel, wrap it and chill it. Right before serving, drizzle it with caramel and sprinkle on the toasted pecans.
Tips for the Best Caramel Pecan Pumpkin Roll
- Dust the towel well. Use plenty of powdered sugar so the cake doesn’t stick.
- Roll it hot. Invert and roll the cake with the towel right away, while it’s hot.
- Use the right pan. A 15×10-inch jelly-roll pan lined with parchment.
- Cool it completely. Let the rolled cake cool all the way before adding the filling.
- Top it last. Add the caramel and pecans just before serving.
Have you ever made a cake roll, or does rolling it scare you too? Be honest! 🍰
Caramel Pecan Pumpkin Roll
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Heat oven to 375°F. Line a 15×10-inch jelly-roll pan with parchment and grease it lightly.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, and salt.
- In a large bowl, beat the eggs and granulated sugar until thick and pale, about 3 minutes. Stir in the pumpkin purée, then fold in the dry ingredients.
- Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan and bake 13–15 minutes, until the cake springs back when touched.
- While it bakes, lay a clean kitchen towel flat and dust it generously with powdered sugar.
- Immediately invert the hot cake onto the towel, peel off the parchment, and roll the cake up with the towel starting from a short end. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
- Beat the cream cheese, powdered sugar, butter, and vanilla until smooth and fluffy.
- Unroll the cooled cake, spread the filling evenly over it, and re-roll without the towel. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill at least 1 hour.
- Before serving, drizzle with caramel sauce and sprinkle with toasted pecans.
