Soft, fluffy, and packed with warm pumpkin spice flavor, this sourdough pumpkin roll is a delicious twist on a classic pumpkin dessert. Even if you're new to cake rolls, this cake roll recipe is surprisingly easy and comes out perfectly every time!
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If you enjoy sourdough discard pumpkin recipes, you'll definitely want to check out our Sourdough Discard Pumpkin Bread. It's rich, moist, and packed with the same cozy flavors that make pumpkin desserts so irresistible.
What makes this pumpkin roll cake recipe so special is the combination of tangy sourdough and rich, spiced pumpkin. The Sourdough Pumpkin Roll comes out moist and tender, while the cream cheese filling adds a smooth, luscious sweetness that balances perfectly with the lightly spiced cake.
I have to admit, I'm new to cake rolls, but this one was incredibly beginner-friendly. It came together easily and turned out perfectly the first time!
I'm more used to baking cakes like Chocolate Pistachio Bundt Cake, Southern Banana Pudding Cake, and Easy Pumpkin Cupcakes, and this Sourdough Pumpkin Roll was just as approachable and satisfying.
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💛 Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Perfectly Moist and Fluffy. The combination of sourdough starter and pumpkin purée keeps the Sourdough Pumpkin Roll incredibly soft while adding subtle depth of flavor.
- Easy Cream Cheese Filling. No complicated piping required, the smooth filling spreads easily and enhances every bite.
- Beginner-Friendly Cake Roll. Even if you've never rolled a cake before, this recipe's clear instructions make it nearly foolproof.
🛒 Ingredients
- Pumpkin Purée - adds natural moisture and earthy flavor.
- Sourdough Starter - gives tang and a tender texture; discard or active works.
- Sugar - balances pumpkin's natural sweetness.
- Eggs - provide structure and richness.
- Spices - cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice bring warm, seasonal flavor.
- Cream Cheese Filling - adds creamy sweetness and contrasts the lightly spiced cake.
See the recipe card below for full ingredients and instructions.
🔀 Substitutions & Variations
- Sugar: You can swap part for maple syrup for natural sweetness and moisture. I wouldn't swap out more than half though, as that will affect the end results.
- Pumpkin Purée: Homemade or canned is fine; just ensure it's well-drained to avoid a soggy cake.
- Chocolate Swirl: Add a few tablespoons of cocoa powder to part of the batter before spreading for a marbled effect.
- Nutty Delight: Sprinkle toasted pecans or walnuts on the filling before rolling.
- Spiced Up: Add a pinch of nutmeg or ginger for extra warm spice notes.
💰 Budget-Friendly Tips
Use sourdough discard. This recipe is perfect for using up discard instead of tossing it. Active starter and discard can be used interchangeably here since the batter rest feeds the starter either way, making it effectively active.
Buy store brand cream cheese. Store brands work just as well as name brands and are often 30 to 40 percent cheaper. Neufchâtel cheese is another budget friendly option that spreads easily and usually costs less.
Stretch the servings. One sourdough pumpkin roll yields about 10 slices. Serve it with coffee or tea and use it as a dessert centerpiece instead of making multiple treats.
Shop seasonal sales. Canned pumpkin is cheapest in the fall and keeps for years, making it a smart pantry stock up.
Make your own spice mix. Mixing cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves yourself is cheaper and more versatile than buying pumpkin pie spice, and it avoids extra spice jars cluttering the pantry.
🥄 Instructions for Sourdough Pumpkin Roll
Step 1: Mix flour, sourdough starter, pumpkin purée, and sugar. (Image 1). If desired, cover and let ferment 6-12 hours at room temperature for a stronger sourdough flavor. Or continue as directed. (Image 2).
Step 2: Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 10x15-inch jelly roll pan with parchment, leaving overhang. Lightly grease.
Step 3: In a bowl, whisk together salt, baking soda, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice. Set aside. (Image 3).
Step 4: Add the eggs and vanilla to another bowl. (Image 4).
Step 5: Beat eggs and vanilla until foamy. (Image 5). Add the spice mixture from the last step into the eggs and mix to combine. (Image 6). Add to pumpkin mixture (Image 7) and fold to combine. Don't overmix.
Step 6: Spread evenly into your prepared baking sheet. (Image 9).
Step 7: Bake 13-15 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. (Image 10).
Step 8: Lift cake (with parchment) onto a heat-safe surface. (Image 11). Roll immediately along the short side into a tight log. Cool seam-side down. (Image 12).
Step 9: Beat cream cheese, butter, vanilla, and powdered sugar until smooth. (Images 13 & 14).
Step 10: Unroll cooled cake; spread filling evenly, leaving 1-inch border. (Image 15).
Step 11: Roll up again without parchment; wrap tightly in plastic. Chill at least 1 hour. (Image 16).
Step 12: Dust with powdered sugar before slicing. You can use dental floss to cut the cake (like you do cinnamon rolls) to get an even and pretty cut. (Images 17 & 18).
Serve chilled and enjoy!
👩🏻🍳 Expert Tips
- Roll the cake while hot to prevent cracking. I recommend rolling it over a towel and using the towel to help act as a barrier between your hands and the hot cake.
- Use a light hand when folding batter to keep it airy. Your eggs should be well whipped and foamy, and as they're folded in, they'll give the cake more air. If you don't whip your eggs enough, the cake may turn out dense and chewy.
- Cool rolled cake seam-side down to maintain shape. This helps to keep it from unrolling and allows for a nicer presentation.
- For best flavor, chill before slicing. It helps the filling set perfectly. I recommend at least an hour.
❄️ Storage, Freezing & Make Ahead
Storage: Keep your Sourdough Pumpkin Roll wrapped tightly in plastic wrap in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Freezing: Wrap slices (or the whole roll) in plastic wrap, then foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before serving.
Make Ahead: The roll can be baked, filled, and chilled up to 24 hours before serving. Dust with powdered sugar just before slicing so it stays pretty. The "dust" will dissolve and disappear thanks to the moisture in the cake, so apply it at the last second.
🥗 Side Dishes or Pairing Ideas
Pairing your pumpkin cake roll with a strong flavor like coffee can help to cut the sweetness of the dish, but serving it with some hot chocolate is perfect for colder weather.
Try drizzling some homemade salted caramel sauce over your slices when serving for added flavor.
- 10 Minute Salted Caramel SauceRecipe $2.02 / Serving $0.25
- Maple Syrup Iced CoffeeRecipe $0.43
- Homemade Pumpkin Spice Coffee CreamerRecipe $2.59 / Serving $0.08
- Butterfinger Hot ChocolateRecipe $4.89 / Serving $2.45
❓ Sourdough Pumpkin Roll FAQs
Yes! Same-day baking is fine; fermentation only adds extra flavor. I would recommend using active starter if you're skipping the fermentation step though.
Some common mistakes include overbaking (leading to cracks), rolling the cake after it's fully cooled the first time, or spreading too much filling, which can make rolling messy. Also, not draining the pumpkin purée can make the cake soggy.
The key is to roll it immediately after baking while it's hot in the parchment. This allows the cake to bend without breaking. Be gentle when unrolling after cooling to add the filling, and don't overfill.
Yes. Once filled, it's best to wrap tightly in plastic wrap and chill for at least an hour. This helps the cream cheese filling set and makes slicing clean pieces easier.
Sticky pumpkin rolls are usually caused by too much moisture in the batter, often from undrained pumpkin purée, overmixing, or too much liquid. Make sure your pumpkin is well-drained and handle the batter gently.
🍽️ More Recipes You'll Love
- No Bake Pumpkin CheesecakeRecipe $5.52 / Serving $0.46
- Easy Pumpkin CupcakesRecipe $7.68 / Serving $0.32
- Pumpkin Spice SnickerdoodlesRecipe $2.43 / Serving $0.24
- Pumpkin Banana BreadRecipe $3.69 / Serving $0.37
🐝 If you tried this Sourdough Pumpkin Roll, please leave a ⭐️ star rating and share your buzz in the 💬 comments below. I'd truly appreciate it!
📖 Recipe
Sourdough Pumpkin Roll
Equipment
- Baking Sheet (10x15-inch)
Ingredients
Pumpkin Cake
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour - ($0.16)
- ½ cup pumpkin purée - ($0.33)
- ½ cup sourdough starter, discard or active - ($0.05)
- ½ cup granulated sugar - ($0.17)
- 3 large eggs - ($0.68)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract - ($0.01)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda - ($0.01)
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice - ($0.08)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon - ($0.08)
- ¼ teaspoon salt - ($0.01)
Cream Cheese Filling
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened - ($1.68)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened - ($0.23)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract - ($0.01)
- 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted - ($0.28)
Instructions
Optional Fermentation Step
- Ferment batter. In a large bowl, stir together the flour, sourdough starter, pumpkin purée, and granulated sugar. Cover and let sit at room temperature for 6 to 12 hours for a stronger sourdough flavor. Skip this step if baking right away.
Bake the Pumpkin Cake
- Preheat and prep. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 10x15-inch jelly roll pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang on the sides, and lightly grease the parchment.
- Mix dry spices. In a small bowl, whisk together the baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.
- Beat eggs. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs and vanilla until foamy. Add the spice mixture and whisk to combine.
- Combine batter. Add the egg mixture to the pumpkin mixture and gently fold until just combined, being careful not to overmix.
- Spread and bake. Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan. Bake for 13 to 15 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Roll to cool. Immediately lift the cake (with parchment) onto a heat-safe surface. Starting from the short side, roll the cake tightly with the parchment inside. Place seam-side down and let cool completely.
Make the Filling
- Mix filling. In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter, vanilla, and powdered sugar until smooth and creamy.
Assemble the Cake Roll
- Fill and roll. Gently unroll the cooled cake. Spread the filling evenly over the surface, leaving a 1-inch border around the edges. Roll the cake back up without the parchment.
- Chill. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
- Serve. Dust with powdered sugar before serving. For clean slices, use unflavored dental floss or a sharp knife.
Notes
- Fermentation is optional. Letting the batter sit 6-12 hours deepens the flavor and makes the roll a little more tangy, but you can skip it if you're short on time.
- Roll while hot. Rolling the cake immediately after baking (with the parchment inside) helps prevent cracks. Don't wait for it to cool first.
- Use drained pumpkin. If your purée is watery, blot with paper towels before adding. Too much moisture can make the roll gummy.
- Filling tips. Make sure your cream cheese and butter are softened so the filling mixes smooth and spreads evenly.
- Cutting clean slices. Unflavored dental floss makes beautiful, even cuts without smearing the filling.
- Storage. Wrap tightly and store in the fridge for up to 4 days, or freeze (wrapped in plastic + foil) for up to 3 months.
Nutritional Information
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Nichole says
Do you use active sourdough starter or sourdough discard?
Nicole Durham says
Either one works!
Nicole Durham says
This cake roll doesnt last long around here, it's so delicious!