This gluten free Pumpkin Roll Cake, with its spicy soft cake and cream cheese swirl, is actually really easy to make. It can also be made in advance, so it is perfect for entertaining too.
There are two kinds of pumpkin rolls. There is the yeast bread, cinnamon roll type. And then there is the kind that is like a jelly roll. Since I have already shared a recipe for the gluten free Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls, I thought I’d share a recipe for the jelly roll type.
This thin, moist pumpkin cake is flavored with my homemade pumpkin pie spice. You probably have the spices needed to make pumpkin pie spice in your pantry already, so there is no need to buy the expensive little container of pre-blended spice at the grocery store.
What is a jelly roll pan? Do I need one?
Pumpkin Roll cakes, and other roll cakes, are baked in a special pan called a jelly roll pan. A jelly roll pan is 15 1/2 x 10 1/2-inches with a low edge all the way around the outside.
It is important to bake your roll cakes and jelly rolls in the proper size pan so that the cake is the right thickness. If you baked this recipe in a 9×13-inch pan, the cake would be too thick to roll. And if you baked it in a larger cookie sheet, the cake would be too thin.
I invested in an inexpensive jelly roll pan a few years ago. They don’t have to be a huge investment.
Can I bake the gluten free Pumpkin Roll Cake ahead of time?
Yes! Pumpkin Roll Cakes need to baked ahead of time, actually.
You need to bake roll cakes ahead of time because you need to allow the cake to cool completely after rolling it up, but before filling it. Then you need to refrigerate it for at least 4 hours after filling it so that the filling has time to harden, helping the roll to hold its shape. Remove from the fridge about 30 minutes before serving to let the filling soften slightly
This gluten free Pumpkin Roll Cake can easily be baked two days ahead of time. You just need to wrap it tightly with plastic wrap before refrigerating it.
If the gf Pumpkin Roll Cake is tightly wrapped with plastic wrap and foil, you can freeze it for up to 2 months. Just be sure to defrost it in the fridge overnight before serving.
How to prevent cracks in your gluten free Pumpkin Roll Cake:
Although a few cracks may occur when you roll up your Pumpkin Roll Cake, there are ways to minimize them.
- Be sure to roll up the Pumpkin Roll Cake as soon as it has come out of the oven. You don’t want to let the cake cool in the pan, and then try to roll it.
- Be sure to use a thin, lint-free towel, without any texture, when you are rolling up the gluten free Pumpkin Roll Cake. A smooth, lint-free towel is less likely to stick to the cake when you are unrolling it.
- Once your cake has cooled completely (in about an hour), you will unroll it to spread on the cream cheese filling. If the ends want to stay curled a little bit, don’t try to force them flat. Just gently spread the filling on it, and roll it back up.
Looking for more pumpkin desserts? How about:
- Gluten Free Crustless Pumpkin Pie
- Easy Gluten Free Pumpkin Swirl Brownies
- Gluten Free Pumpkin Cheesecake
- Gluten-Free Pumpkin White Chocolate Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies
- Gluten Free Pumpkin Bars
Gluten Free Pumpkin Roll Cake recipe:
Gluten Free Pumpkin Roll Cake
This gluten free Pumpkin Roll Cake, with it's spicy soft cake and cream cheese swirl, is actually really easy to make. It can also be made in advance, so it is perfect for entertaining too.
Adapted from Libby's Pumpkin Roll
Ingredients
Pumpkin Roll Cake:
- 1/4 cup millet flour
- 1/4 cup brown rice flour
- 1/4 cup tapioca starch
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2/3 cup canned pumpkin puree
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- confectioners' (icing) sugar for sprinkling
Filling:
- 8 ounces (250 grams) cream cheese, softened
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup confectioners' (icing) sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a 10x15-inch jelly roll pan with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the millet flour, rice flour, tapioca starch, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda, xanthan gum, and salt.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, sugars, eggs, and vanilla.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, and stir until thoroughly combined. Pour the batter into the prepared baking sheet, and spread out until you have an even layer.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 13-15 minutes, or until the cake bounces back when gently pressed.
- Remove from oven and, using a sifter, immediately sift the additional confectioners' sugar over the cake, until the entire cake is covered. This will help to prevent the cake from sticking when you roll it up.
- Place a lint-free, thin kitchen towel over the cake, making sure that the cake is covered, and one edge lines up with the 10-inch side of the cake. Place a cooling rack on top of the cloth, and carefully flip the baking pan upside down, turning the cake onto the cooling rack.
- Carefully remove the parchment paper from the bottom of the cake and, starting on the 10-inch side, roll the cake into a log. Be sure to roll the cloth along with the cake, that will ensure that you can unroll it later to put the filling in. Allow the cake to cool for about 1 hour.
- Beat together the softened cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add the confectioners' sugar and vanilla. Beat until smooth again.
- Unroll the pumpkin cake, and spread the cream cheese filling over the cake, leaving 1-inch clear at the 10-inch side that will be the outside of the roll.
- Roll up the cake again, this time without the cloth. I like to roll the cake up in the lint-free towel again, just to help hold it's shape. Wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving. The Pumpkin Roll Cake can be made one or two days in advance.
- Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before serving to allow the filling to soften slightly. Slice into 1-inch slices and serve.
Notes
This gluten free Pumpkin Roll Cake can be wrapped in plastic wrap and refrigerated for 2-3 days, or frozen for up to 2 months.
Recommended Products
Disclosure: We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
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Linen and Towel 12 Pack Premium Flour-Sack Towels, 28 Inch x 28 Inch Natural, Ring Spun Cotton, 130 Thread Count Multi-purpose Kitchen Napkin, Highly Absorbent Flour-Sack Dish Towels -
Wilton Icing Spatula, 13-Inch, Angled Cake Spatula -
USA Pan 1605CR Jelly Roll Baking Pan and Bakeable Nonstick Cooling Rack, Metal
Originally posted Nov 2013. Images and text updated Oct 2019.
Tamar Lundeen says
Got together with friends this weekend for lunch (10) I made 2 of these and came home with about 3 inches left. Big hit. This was the second time I have made this gluten free. First time I modified the original recipe myself and was great, using GF flours on hand. I can’t even remember what I used. NIce to have a tried and true on hand. Thank you.
Tamar Lundeen says
Just wanted to add this–some recipes for this don’t make enough filling for my liking so I tripled this for 2 and it was too much. This amount is generous and just right. Also, I ran out of parchment so used wax paper for the second one and it was fine but do prefer the parchment paper.
Glenda says
I made this for Thanksgiving and it came out great. I made a sugar free version subbing xylitol. I also used walnuts which I sprinkled on before baking. Fabulous!!!
Nan Lewis says
Just had to tell you…I’ve made this 3 times in the last month. Turned out spot on each time. My son (not GF) wanted me to make it for a party he was going to. I added a bit of orange zest to the cream cheese. Delish! Thanks so much.
GinaQuinn says
This recipe is awesome! My hubby is allergic to brown rice and I had ordered millet flour but it was not here yet so I replaced them with Sorghum flour instead.(1/2 cup to make up for the two 1/4’s) I made two of these for a picnic we were having and they were gone. People were going back for seconds to be disappointed they were all! It was awesome. I am making another one for the weekend just for us but I do not think it will last long. I got my millet flour and going to do 1/4 of millet and 1/4 sorghum just because I like to mess around with recipes and I want to see what it does though I cannot imagine there is any way it can be better!! Thanks for a fantastic GF recipe.
KMH says
My family couldn’t even tell this was gluten free. It rolled perfectly and kept it’s form. Wonderful recipe!
Joy says
Excellent! I had not tried a GF rolled cake to date after baking for my GF son for 16 years. This was fabulous. I made it for a pumpkin party only to find all but one piece gone so I snatched it up and gave to my 17 year old son for whom I made it. He loved it. I’m sure I’ll be asked to make it again…and again…and again…..
Jeanine says
Haha, that’s awesome, Joy! Glad that you were able to save a piece for your son, would have been a shame if he didn’t get any! 🙂
mili says
I made this over the weekend and it tastes vary good.
Jodie says
I love you!!!! LOL!!! I was hoping to find a gluten free pumpkin roll recipe….yours looks delish!
I will let you know how it turns out!
Amy says
Do you think this would work with an egg replacer, such as flax egg? My daughter is allergic to eggs.
Jeanine says
Hi Amy! Because it has 3 eggs, I’d be leery about using an egg replacer, but I’ve never tried it.
Joyful Jan says
I plan to make this right now!! Thank you for the recipe and great comments. I made one last year and “cut” it with thread—place the thread under the roll and bring both ends to top of roll. Criss-cross the thread and pull tight. It cuts perfectly:)
jane gibbons says
Is thde gf pumpkin roll recipe a little different from last year? I cannot find the recipe I used last year but I have the packages of sorghum flour and tapioca flour. I thought that I used your recipe but old age is setting in.
Judith Robertson says
HI, having a problem printing the gluten free pumpkin roll cake, can you send it to me please.
[email protected]
Thank you,
q x says
Hello, Jeanine,
Your recipe looks so simple, and the photos are wonderful – cannot wait to try out this roll!
One question though, do you perhaps have the quantities in grams?
Thanks!
Ruth says
What can be used in place of millet?
Jeanine Friesen says
Sorghum flour or gluten free oat flour would work great. More brown rice flour may work, but I haven’t tried it that way.
Ellen Behringer says
I’ve made this several times. It never fails to either turn out or please. I use a cup for cup blend (king Arthur flour) instead of the different flours but don’t see the difference (have made it both ways).
Always a delight! The best part is that wow factor.
Lorraine says
Hi Jeanine. This looks wonderful. Could I use my own pumpkin puree? (Pretty sure it was your recipe too!?)
Jeanine Friesen says
Absolutely! Probably even tastes better that way. 🙂