Chocolate Pumpkin Cake Roll
This Chocolate Pumpkin Cake Roll recipe is a must try this fall season! It combines a layer of rich, chocolate cake, pumpkin cream cheese filling, and a layer of whipped topping. Then it's all rolled into one delicious treat that's chilled and then topped with a warm, decadent chocolate ganache! SO good!
Servings: 10 servings
Equipment
- Jelly Roll Pan (10-inch x 15-inch x 1-inch)
Ingredients
Chocolate Cake
- 2/3 cup All-Purpose Flour
- 1/4 cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
- 1 tsp Baking Powder
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1/2 cup Granulated Sugar
- 4 Large Eggs room temperature
- 2 tbsp Unsalted Butter melted
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
Pumpkin Cream Cheese Filling
- 8 oz Full-Fat Cream Cheese room temperature
- 4 tbsp Unsalted Butter room temperature
- 1/8 cup Canned Pureed Pumpkin
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 1/2 tsp Ground Cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp Ground Nutmeg
- 1 1/2 - 2 cups Powdered Sugar sifted
Chocolate Ganache Topping (optional)
- 4 oz Semi-Sweet Chocolate bar or chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup Heavy Whipping Cream cold
- 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 1 tsp Light Corn Syrup
Instructions
Chocolate Cake
- Adjust the oven rack to the middle position and preheat your oven to 350ºF. Line a 15" x 10" x 1" jelly roll pan with parchment paper, then generously spray the top and sides of the paper with a flour-based baking spray. The parchment paper should be big enough to come up the sides of the pan. I creased the paper so it helped it stand upright.
- In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.2/3 cup All-Purpose Flour, 1/4 cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder, 1 tsp Baking Powder, 1/2 tsp Salt
- Using your hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the granulated sugar, eggs, melted unsalted butter, and vanilla extract together on medium-high speed until well combined.1/2 cup Granulated Sugar, 4 Large Eggs, 2 tbsp Unsalted Butter, 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- Switch the mixer speed to low and gradually add in the whisked dry mixture, mixing until the cake batter is just combined. Do not overmix.
- Pour the chocolate cake roll batter onto the prepared jelly roll pan. Using a small offset spatula, smooth and level out the batter. Give the jelly roll pan a few light taps to remove any air bubbles, then place in the oven and bake for 15-18 minutes at 350ºF, or until the top of the cake springs back when touched. If you'd like, you can use the back of a spoon to do this because the cake will be hot.
- Remove the chocolate cake from the oven and immediately loosen the parchment paper sides away from the cake. You can do this carefully with just your hands, but you can use a small knife if it helps.
- Slide the chocolate cake (with the parchment paper still attached) from the jelly roll pan onto a clean, dry surface and roll it up while it is still hot. You can use a clean kitchen towel to help get the roll started. Just remember not to roll up the towel with the cake.
- Place the rolled up chocolate cake on a wire cooling rack (the end of the chocolate cake roll should be on the bottom). Allow the cake to cool completely in this shape.
Pumpkin Cream Cheese Filling
- Using your hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the cream cheese and unsalted butter on medium-high speed until smooth and well combined.8 oz Full-Fat Cream Cheese, 4 tbsp Unsalted Butter
- Add in the pumpkin puree, vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, and ground nutmeg, mixing until combined.1/8 cup Canned Pureed Pumpkin, 1 tsp Vanilla Extract, 1/2 tsp Ground Cinnamon, 1/4 tsp Ground Nutmeg
- Switch the mixer speed to low and add in the powdered sugar until it all comes together.1 1/2 - 2 cups Powdered Sugar
- Stop the mixer, then scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl. Turn the mixer speed to medium-high to beat for another minute.
- Cover the top tightly with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to chill while you wait for the cake to cool.
Chocolate Ganache Topping (optional)
- Place the semi-sweet chocolate into a medium-size mixing bowl. Set aside.4 oz Semi-Sweet Chocolate
- Using a microwave-safe bowl or glass measuring cup, heat the heavy whipping cream for 1 minute at full power. Pour it over the chocolate, then let it sit covered (with aluminum foil) for 1-2 minutes.1/2 cup Heavy Whipping Cream
- Remove the cover, add in the vanilla extract and light corn syrup, then stir until completely melted and smooth. The ganache should be the consistency of thin glue and should be easy to pour over the top of the chilled chocolate pumpkin cake roll. If you still find the ganache too thick, you can whisk in a small amount of heated heavy cream to the mixture.1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract, 1 tsp Light Corn Syrup
Assembling the Chocolate Pumpkin Roll
- Carefully unroll the chocolate cake onto a clean, dry surface or a baking sheet.
- Using a small offset spatula, spoon the chilled pumpkin cream cheese frosting to the center of the cake and spread all over, leaving about a 1/2" border of cake.
- Again using the offset spatula, you can add a thin layer of store-bought whipped topping to the top leaving a 1/2 border.
- Slowly roll the cake roll up, removing the parchment paper as you go.
- Tightly wrap the chocolate pumpkin cake roll in plastic wrap and aluminum foil, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours to let the filling set. The cake roll can also be stored in the refrigerator for 3-5 days or in the freezer for 1-2 months.
- When ready to serve, remove from the refrigerator or freezer (let it sit at room temperature for 30-45 minutes beforehand), then top with warm chocolate ganache or a dusting of powdered sugar.
Notes
Line your 15" x 10" x 1" jelly roll pan with a pre-cut sheet of parchment paper, then spray it heavily with a flour-based baking spray. This is an important step when baking the chocolate cake.
Roll up your chocolate cake immediately after it's done baking, then allow it to cool in this shape on a wire rack. Doing so will make it much easier to roll up again later after you've added the pumpkin cream cheese filling, whipped topping, and chocolate ganache!
Once the cake is done, pull back the parchment paper along the sides, then slide it out onto a clean, dry surface or a clean kitchen towel to roll it up. The kitchen towel is helpful when getting the roll started, but just make sure not to roll the towel up with the cake!
There are other recipes that have you use the kitchen towel and powdered sugar method to roll up the chocolate cake, but we won't be doing that with this recipe. I've tested this chocolate pumpkin cake roll more than 5 times, and using the parchment paper and flour-based baking spray was perfect!
Because you'll only need 1/8 cup of pumpkin puree when making the pumpkin cream cheese filling, you can store the leftovers in a tightly sealed plastic or glass storage container and place it in the fridge for up to a week.
The pumpkin cream cheese filling should be just a little on the thick side, but still spreadable. If your filling is on the thin side, add a little bit of powdered sugar until it thickens.
When adding the pumpkin cream cheese filling and (optional) whipped topping, leave about a 1/2" border of cake. As you roll it up, it will push out a little.
For a nicer presentation and a cleaner look, you can cut off the ends of the cake roll before serving.
Nutrition
Calories: 515kcal | Carbohydrates: 69g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 121mg | Sodium: 263mg | Potassium: 183mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 58g | Vitamin A: 1267IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 79mg | Iron: 2mg