Flourless Chocolate Pumpkin Roll Cake

Pumpkin season is here again and everyone is excited! If you’re looking for a gluten-free dessert that’s everything you love about autumn in a bite, this recipe is for you.

This pumpkin cheesecake roll is kind of like a classic pumpkin cake roll – except the pumpkin is on the inside and the chocolate is on the outside. A simple flourless chocolate cake roll recipe is filled with fluffy pumpkin cheesecake mousse, then coated in chocolate ganache. It’s one of the best gluten-free chocolate desserts I’ve ever had!

A Chocolate Pumpkin Cake Roll Perfect for Fall

Here’s why you’ll love this extra-special dessert…

• Indulgent combination. The pumpkin cheesecake filling is creamy and dreamy, the flourless cake is chocolaty goodness. And the ganache is the perfect rich, well, for lack of a better term, icing on the cake.
• Easily gluten free. If you are new to gluten free baking or don’t want to fuss with gluten free flours, this flourless chocolate cake roll is a great place to start,
• Sure to impress. The striking color combination of the deep choclate brown and bright pumpkin orange gives all the fall vibes and that gorgeous spiral always turns heads.

What You’ll Need

Chocolate Cake Ingredients

• Sggs – these will be separated. It is best to separate your eggs while they are cold, but the whites will whip better if you let them come to room temperature.
• Granulated sugar
• Salt
• Cnsweetened cocoa powder – I usually just use regular Hershey’s Cocoa Powder.
• cold coffee – you can use leftover from what you brewed for breakfast. Coffee just enhances the choclate flavor, it doesn’t make the cake taste like coffee. But if you really don’t like it, you can substitue water or milk.
• Vanilla extract

Pumpkin Filling Ingredients

• Heavy whipping cream – keep this in the refrigerator so it is very cold when you are ready to use it.
• Powdered sugar
• Vanilla extract
• Cream cheese – at room temperature.
• Canned pumpkin  – pure pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling.
• Pumpkin pie spice – homemade or a storebought spice blend.
• Mini chocolate chips – these are optional, but give a nice bit of texture, and, of course, more chocolate.

Ganache Ingredients

• Heavy whipping cream
• Semi-sweet chocolate chips
• Nutella – this is optional and your choice which version of ganache you’d like to make.

How to Make a Pumpkin Chocolate Roll Cake

Keep scrolling for the full recipe, but here is an overview of the main steps and the optimal order so you can see how to make this cake easily.

Make the Chocolate Cake

The first thing we are going to do is make the chocolate cake. This way it will have time to cool while you make the pumpkin mousse and chocolate ganache. Ready? Here’s how to do it:

• Prep your tools. Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare your sheet pan by spraying with cooking spray, lining with parchment paper, spraying again, and dusting with cocoa powder.
• Beat egg yolks. Using an electric mixer, beat the egg yolks and granulated sugar on high speed until thick and pale yellow. Don’t rush this step.

• Blend in batter ingredients. Add cocoa powder, salt, coffee, and vanilla, and beat in.
• Beat egg whites. In a very clean bowl with clean beaters. With clean beaters and a large clean bowl beat the egg whites to form stiff peaks.

• Fold into batter. Gently fold about a quarter of the egg whites into the egg yolk mixture. In three additions, fold in the remaining egg whites.

• Bake. Spread the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 20 minutes. It will slowly spring back when lightly touched.
• Prepare for rolling up the cake. While the cake is baking, sprinkle ¼ cup cocoa powder over a clean kitchen towel.
• Depan the cake. After removing the cake from the oven, cool for a few minutes,and run a knife around the edges of the cake. Invert the cake onto the prepared kitchen towel and remove the parchment paper that is now on top of the cake.
• Allow to cool. Carefully roll the cake in the kitchen towel and allow to cool completely. While the cake is baking and cooling, prepare the pumpkin cheesecake mousse and chocolate ganache or Nutella ganache.

Make the Filling

• Whip the cream. Using a stand mixer or hand mixer with a whisk attachment, whisk the whipped cream on high speed until it gets frothy and starts to thicken. Add powdered sugar and vanilla and beat until soft peaks form.
• Make pumpkin mixture. In another bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth, then add the pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice, mixing until combined.

• Combine it all. Gently fold in the whipped cream and then the chocolate chips, if using.

Make the Ganache

• Plain chocolate gananache. Place chocolate chips and heavy cream in a microwave safe bowl or measuring cup and microwave for 30-60 seconds. Stir until smooth. Chill in the fridge until thick and spreadable.
• Nutella ganache. Place the Nutella and chocolate chips in a heatproof bowl. In a small saucepan on the stove or in the microwave, heat the heavy cream just to a simmer. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate chips and Nutella, and stir until smooth. Let cool to room temperature.

Assemble the Cake Roll

• Fill the cake. Carefully unroll the cake in the towel. Gently spread the pumpkin cheesecake mousse over the top of the cake, spreading to about a half inch from the sides.
• Roll and frost. Roll up the cake from short end to short end. Place seam side down. Carefully frost the cake with the ganache. Refrigerate for at least 1-2 hours before slicing. Slice off the unfrosted ends, if desired.

Tips for Success

• Prepare the pan to avoid sticking. Parchment paper in the sheet pan and dusting with cocoa powder is essential to getting the cake out in one piece so you can roll it easily.
• Whip yolks and whites properly. Be sure to beat your egg yolks and sugar long enough to become thick and pale yellow. Do not rush this step. To ensure you can whip the egg whites to stiff peaks, use a clean bowl and beaters. Any traces of grease or fat will deflate the egg white, so I often wipe my bowl and beaters with a paper towel dipped in a bit of white vinegar. These steps are essential to get the proper rise and texture of your cake.
• Don’t deflate the mixture. You’ll want to gently fold the egg whites into the yolk mixture a little at a time to avoid deflating the egg whites. A large spatula is helpful for this. Add one-third of the whipped whites to the yolk mixture. Cut the side of the spatula down through the middle of the mixture in the bowl, then gently fold it onto itself until you still see a few white streaks. Repeat with two more additions.
• Avoid overbaking. The cake is done when it springs back after being touched lightly. You want to make sure it is still spongy.
• Get the right temperatures. Be sure the heavy cream is very cold so that it will whip to soft peaks without overbeating. The cream cheese needs to be at room temperature so that it will blend nice and smooth with the pumpkin.
• Prep ahead. You can make the mousse a day ahead and keep it in the fridge if you need time to let your cake cool completely. You can also make the ganache a day ahead and keep it in the fridge if you need time to let your cake cool completely, but you might need to warm it a bit to make it spreadable.
• Choose your flavor. It’s your choice whether you make Nutella ganache or classic chocolate ganache. Both recipes are included in the recipe card below. The nutty flavor in the Nutella ganache adds just a little something that gives a little kick to the chocolaty goodness and complements the pumpkin and pumpkin spice.

How Do I Keep Gluten Free Pumpkin Roll from Cracking?

• Make sure you prep your pan well. The first key step is to be sure to follow the instructions for lining the pan with parchment, spraying it with cooking spray, and dusting with cocoa powder. This will ensure you can remove it from the pan easily and in one piece. Then do not overbake the cake. You want it to still be spongy and flexible.
• Dust a kitchen towel with cocoa powder. In many cake roll recipes, it will call for you to dust a towel with powdered sugar. In this recipe, you will use cocoa powder since it is a chocolate cake and powdered sugar will leave a white coating on the cake. I like to use a small sifter to dust an even layer over the towel. It looks like a lot, but it will ensure the cake doesn’t stick to the towel.
• Be patient and let it cool. After you take the cake out of the oven, let it cool for just a few minutes, then invert it on the towel, remove the cake pan, and peel off the parchment paper. Starting at the short side, roll up the cake and allow it to cool completely. 
• Take it slow. When you are ready to fill it, carefully unroll it and remove the towel, spread the filling over the cake, then roll it back up the same way.