This Chocolate Pumpkin Swiss Roll Cake is a deliciously lighter version of the classic Swiss Cake Roll! It is easy to make and combines a lighter-than-air chocolate sponge cake with a creamy extra fluffy pumpkin cheesecake filling. It's one irresistible fall or Thanksgiving showstopper dessert.
I wanted to make a dessert that would span the seasons from fall to Halloween to Thanksgiving. This Pumpkin Swiss Roll Cake with its beautiful color swirls and fall-inspired sprinkles turned out so incredibly delicious that it is now one of my most popular fall desserts!
Table of contents
What is a Swiss Roll Cake?
The swiss roll cake, aka roll cake, jelly roll, cream roll, or Swiss log cake, is believed to have originated somewhere in Central Europe, most likely Austria.
It's comprised of a thin sheet of sponge cake spread with a filling of jam, whipped cream, chocolate, or in this case pumpkin, and rolled into a log. When sliced, it creates a beautiful spiral of color that always brings out the oohs and ahhs.
Why You'll Love this Pumpkin Swiss Roll
- It's easy to make compared to the standard swiss role cake
- It does not need a jelly roll pan (you can use your half sheet pan)
- There is no beating eggs over the stovetop as in the usual swiss roll
- The cake is deliciously light and easy to roll
- The fall flavors are perfect for the holiday season
I used pieces of my time-tested recipes to make it practically foolproof. I started with my Chocolate Sushi Roll recipe for the basic sponge cake and used my pumpkin cream cheese from my No Bake Pumpkin Chocolate Cheesecake for the filling. Boom, done!
And if you didn't think pumpkin and chocolate went together, wait until you get a bite of this pumpkin roll cake! The pumpkin filling is rich and creamy while, the decadent but chocolate cake is light but oh so chocolaty. You'll want to dig right in and let the cake just melt in your mouth.
Best Pan to Use for a Roll Cake
A swiss roll cake will almost always call for a jelly roll pan. A jelly roll pan is typically 10.5" x 15.5" which is slightly smaller than a rimmed baking sheet or half-sheet pan measuring 12" x 18". The good news, this recipe calls for the more common half sheet pan.
Frequently Asked Questions About Swiss Roll Cakes
Yes, in the majority of sponge cake recipes used for swiss rolls, the recipe will call for the amount of batter that will fill the smaller jelly roll pan. If that same amount of batter is used with a half sheet pan the resulting cake will be thinner and more prone to cracking.
However, this recipe is specifically written for the more common half sheet pan or rimmed cookie sheet that most people have in their kitchens. No jelly roll pan needed! Yay!
There are several reasons why a roll cake can crack. One, the cake was overbaked. It should spring back when lightly touched. If the cake is dry, it will definitely crack.
The second is not rolling it in a towel or parchment paper as soon as the cake comes out of the oven. When warm, the cake should roll easily. This will aid in creating a little "muscle" memory so rerolling will be easier.
The cake will keep about 3-4 days in the refrigerator, tightly covered. It also freezes well for up to 3 months. If freezing, cut into individual slices, wrap tightly, and freeze. To serve, allow it to come to room temperature for about 15-20 minutes.
Just about anything can be sued as a filling. Try whipped cream, plain or flavored with an extract, apple pie filling, lemon filling, your favorite jam, or if you're a chocolate addict, more chocolate.
Chocolate Cake Roll Ingredients
- All-Purpose Flour: works the best. I found cake flour to be a little too light so I stuck with the pantry staple as being easier and more readily on hand.
- Unsweetened Cocoa Powder: gives the cake a rich chocolate flavor
- Baking Powder and Baking Soda: are both used as leavening. The reasoning behind adding both is that the baking soda neutralizes the acid in the recipe but might not be enough to create the lift to the cake as well. Baking powder is added to give it that extra lift where more baking soda would make the cake taste gross.
- Eggs: provide the structure and moisture to the sponge cake with the egg whites providing the leavening. Separate the eggs and leave on the counter to warm to room temperature.
- Sugar: is used to sweeten the cake roll. Stick to granulated sugar as brown sugar may cause more cracking once the cake is baked
- Salt: enhances the flavors in the batter
- Vanilla Extract: Adds and balances flavor.
Pumpkin Cream Cheese Filling Ingredients
- Cream Cheese – brings richness to the mix that is similar to a cheesecake
- Pumpkin Puree – make sure to use pure pumpkin and not pumpkin pie filling
- Powdered Sugar – is used in lieu of granulated sugar to create a smoother consistency and still deliver on sweetness
- Warm Spices – bring the fall flavor to the pumpkin mixture
- Vanilla Extract – enhances all the flavors as well as creating a nice balance
- Cool Whip – lightens the cheesecake-like mixture as well as adding extra moisture
How to Make a Chocolate Pumpkin Swiss Roll Cake
Pumpkin Cream Cheese Filling
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat cream cheese until smooth and creamy.
- Add pumpkin and sugar to whipped cream cheese.
- Sprinkle in spices.
- Add vanilla extract.
- Beat until well mixed.
- Fold in whipped topping until just combined. Place in a covered container in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or overnight.
Chocolate Swiss Roll Cake
- In a medium bowl, mix together flour, cocoa, baking powder & soda, and salt. Set aside.
- Separate the eggs. In a large bowl, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Add ½ cup sugar slowly.
- Continue beating until stiff peaks form. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat egg yolks with vanilla for 5 minutes.
- Add remaining ⅓ cup sugar after the first 3 minutes.
- Add dry ingredients alternately with water and continue to beat until the mixture is smooth.
- Fold egg whites into the chocolate batter.
- Blend well.
- Pour into the prepared pan.
- Spread evenly.
- Bake 12-13 minutes or until the center of the cake springs back when lightly touched or you can check to see if the cake is pulling away slightly from sides of the pan.
How to Roll A Cake
- Sprinkle a linen towel with 2 tablespoons of powdered sugar. Place towel over the cake.
- Place a cookie sheet over the top of the towel and carefully flip the cake over. Remove silicone mat or parchment paper from the bottom of the cake.
- Spray a clean piece of parchment paper with nonstick spray and place over the cake, sprayed side down. Roll cake with towel and paper immediately starting from the narrow end. Place on a wire rack to cool completely.
How to Assemble a Roll Cake
- Unwrap chocolate sponge cake carefully. Remove parchment paper from the top but leave on the linen towel. Start to spread pumpkin cheesecake over cake.
- Spread cheesecake mixture evenly over cake.
- Roll back up using the linen towel to help you lift the cake without breaking it and to keep the roll even.
- Place carefully on a long white serving plate.
How to Finish Pumpkin Roll Cake
To finish, mix caramel syrup with whipped topping. Spread over cake.
There may be quite a few steps to this Swiss roll cake recipe but they're not hard steps and the end result is something that is simply awesome.
It's a light as air dessert, full of rich chocolate and creamy pumpkin flavor, that makes the perfect centerpiece for the fall season or your Thanksgiving celebration. Enjoy!
More Chocolate Recipes To Indulge In
Kahlua Hot Chocolate is the perfect adult beverage for a cold winter day.
Ultimate Chocolate Cupcakes from Life Made Simple have an intense chocolate flavor in every bite.
Chocolate Banana Bread brings the best flavors of banana bread together with the richness of chocolate. Plus there are chocolate chips in every bite!
Find lots of easy dessert recipes here on 2CM!
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Chocolate Pumpkin Swiss Roll Cake
Ingredients
Pumpkin Cream Cheese Filling
- 8 oz cream cheese room temperature
- ½ can pumpkin puree
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 pinch salt
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup Whipped topping such as Cool Whip
Chocolate Cake Roll
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup dark chocolate cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 4 eggs separated
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup water
- 2 Tablespoons powdered sugar or cocoa powder
Caramel Whipped Cream Topping
- 8 oz Cool Whip you can substitute real whipped cream here to make the topping even fluffier
- 2-3 Tablespoons caramel sauce
Instructions
Pumpkin Cream Cheese Filling
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat cream cheese until smooth and creamy.
- Add pumpkin, sugar, spices and extract and beat until well mixed.
- Fold in whipped topping until just combined.
- Place in a covered container in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
Chocolate Sponge Cake
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a large rimmed cookie sheet (half sheet pan) with nonstick spray. Line bottom with a silicone mat or parchment paper and spray with nonstick spray as well.
- In a medium bowl, mix together flour, cocoa, baking powder & soda and salt. Set aside.
- Separate the eggs. In a large bowl, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Add ½ cup sugar slowly and continue beating until stiff peaks form. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat egg yolks with vanilla for 5 minutes, adding remaining ⅓ cup sugar after the first 3 minutes.
- Add dry ingredients alternately with water and continue to beat until mixture is smooth.
- Fold egg whites into chocolate batter and blend well.
- Pour into prepared pan and spread evenly.
- Bake 12-13 minutes or until center of cake springs back when lightly touched or you can check to see if the cake is pulling away slightly from sides of pan.
- While cake is baking, spread a linen towel with 2 tablespoons of powdered sugar. When cake is done, remove from oven, place towel over the cake then place another cookie sheet on top. Flip over carefully. Remove silicone mat or parchment paper.
- Spray a clean piece of parchment paper with nonstick spray and place over cake, sprayed side down. Roll cake with towel and paper immediately starting from the narrow end. Place on wire rack to cool completely.
Cake Assembly
- Unwrap chocolate sponge cake carefully. Remove parchment paper from top but leave on linen towel.
- Spread pumpkin cheesecake mixture evenly over cake.
- Roll back up using the linen towel to help you lift the cake without breaking it and to keep the roll even.
- Place carefully on a long white serving plate.
- To Make Topping simply mix Cool Whip or whipped cream with caramel sauce and spread over cake.
- Decorate with your favorite sprinkles.
Notes
Nutrition
This post has been updated and was first published on October 19, 2019.
Farrah says
These are so cute! Perfect for Thanksgiving (or any of the upcoming holidays)! :]!