When fall comes around, is there anything better than pumpkin desserts? This Libby’s pumpkin roll recipe is full of sweet pumpkin and cinnamon flavors with an optional hint of orange. The soft, fluffy pumpkin cake combined with the rich cream cheese filling make for an impressive yet comforting dessert.

Fall is all about pumpkins, whether you’re growing them, picking them, or eating them! This seasonal orange gourd isn’t just tasty; it’s also packed with health benefits.

Libby’s makes the most popular canned pumpkin and has a classic American pumpkin roll recipe to go along with it. I’ve created a special recipe here with a few fun additions to the traditional one. It might look like a complicated treat to make, but with a few tips, you can easily make the perfect pumpkin roll to show off to friends and family.

Why You’ll Love This Pumpkin Roll Recipe

• The cake texture is fluffy and moist with a rich, creamy filling and crunchy almond topping. It has an amazing flavor with sweet hints of pumpkin, cinnamon spice, sweet, buttery cream cheese filling, and just a hint of orange. 
• This pumpkin roll is a fun and festive treat for fall or winter.
• Unlike the classic pumpkin roll recipe, this one has optional added orange flavors with orange juice and orange zest that bring a unique dimension of flavor. 
• This is a great recipe to make with kids or friends as part of an exciting autumn activity.

Ingredients and Substitutions

Cake

Pumpkin Puree: This is the base of the recipe as it adds the pumpkin flavor and adds moisture to the pumpkin roll cake. 

All-Purpose Flour: Using regular all-purpose white flour is your best bet. It supports the cake and makes it pliable enough to roll it. 

White Sugar: White sugar adds sweetness to the cake. If you prefer to lower the sugar content, you could try a one-to-one sugar substitute like erythritol, although it may slightly change the texture. 

Eggs: The eggs are a really important part of this recipe as it helps to bind the cake ingredients together and make the cake fluffy yet flexible enough to form into a roll. I would not recommend using any vegan egg substitutes as they would not hold up structurally. 

Cinnamon: This adds a delicious fall-spiced flavor to the cake. I only added cinnamon here because it complements the orange zest well. However, if you want a more traditional pumpkin spice flavor to the pumpkin roll, you can omit the orange juice, orange zest, and orange flavoring, then add one teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice in addition to the cinnamon. 

Orange Juice and Zest: This adds a nice hint of sweet citrus flavor to the cake. However, it is optional based on personal preference. So you can skip it if you’d rather not include it.

Toasted Almonds: Slivered almonds on top of the finished pumpkin roll add a really nice crunch to the recipe. This is also optional and can be skipped.

Filling

Cream Cheese: Cream cheese is the base of the filling and is creamy yet sturdy enough to hold as the filling. I wouldn’t recommend substituting this for yogurt or anything thinner. However, a non-dairy cream cheese with similar texture and flavor would likely work in its place. 

Butter: This adds richness to the filling and can be substituted with a non-dairy butter substitute. 

Powdered Sugar: Also called confectioner’s sugar, this is needed to sweeten the cream filling. Regular sugar won’t work as it is too grainy and will change the cream’s texture. However, for a lower-sugar alternative, you can replace it with a powdered sugar substitute.

Heavy Cream: This adds richness, flavor, and pliability to the filling. Heavy cream, heavy whipping cream, or a non-dairy alternative heavy cream will work. 

Orange Extract: This adds a light orange flavor to the filling and is optional. You can choose not to include it if you wish. Vanilla extract is a good substitute. 

Storage and Freezing

The best way to store the finished cake is in the fridge. It will last about five days in the refrigerator wrapped in plastic wrap.

You can freeze the pumpkin roll for about 1-2 months. Make sure that the roll is wrapped in plastic wrap or aluminum foil, then placed in a sealed freezer bag. Thaw the cake overnight in the refrigerator before serving.

How to Make

Preheat the oven to 375°F. In a medium bowl, combine flour with the baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.

In a separate large bowl, beat eggs with sugar until combined.

Add the orange zest, orange juice, and pumpkin puree and mix.

Then, slowly add the flour mixture while mixing.

Line a rectangular 9×13 cake pan with parchment paper and grease with oil.

Pour the cake batter into the pan and level the top surface with a spatula.

Bake at 375°F for about 12-17 minutes, or until the cake is firm and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Slightly dampen a cotton kitchen towel or tea towel and lay it on the counter. Remove the cake from the pan with the parchment attached. Lay the cake top side down on the prepared towel, with the exposed part of the cake lying on the kitchen towel and the parchment facing up. Then, carefully peel off the parchment paper from the cake.

Roll the cake into a roll in the kitchen towel (see video). Then twist the ends of the towel to keep the cake secured to cool in the towel rolled up. Prepare the filling while the cake cools on a wire rack.

Add the cream cheese, softened butter, powdered sugar, and heavy cream to a bowl.

Beat cream cheese filling ingredients with an electric mixer. Add the optional orange extract and mix.

Unroll the cake roll, then use a rubber spatula to spread a layer of the cream cheese mixture over the cake.

Reroll cake with the frosting inside. Wrap it securely in plastic wrap. Then, refrigerate for 1-3 hours to set.

After it has set, you can sprinkle the cake with toasted almonds or other nuts, and powdered sugar.

Cut into slices (it should make about 10-12 slices) and serve!

Frequently Asked Questions About Libby’s Pumpkin Roll Recipe

More Pumpkin Recipes:

• Pumpkin Whoopie Pies
• Frosted Pumpkin Bread
• Pumpkin Hummus