This Pumpkin Dream Cake turns a Dutch Apron® Bakery Pumpkin Cake Roll into a beautiful layered dessert filled with fluffy cream cheese frosting and finished with crushed graham crackers. It’s creamy, perfectly spiced, and surprisingly easy to put together, making it a great dessert for fall gatherings, Thanksgiving, or anytime you’re craving pumpkin.
There’s something about pumpkin desserts that instantly makes it feel like fall. As soon as the weather starts cooling down, I’m ready for all the warm spices and cozy desserts I can get. This Pumpkin Dream Cake might be one of my new favorite ways to enjoy them.
I wanted to create a layered cake that looked impressive on the table but didn’t require baking several cake layers from scratch. Starting with a Dutch Apron® Bakery Pumpkin Cake Roll made that part easy. I simply unrolled the cake roll, flattened it, and turned it into layers. From there, all I needed was a light cream cheese frosting and crushed graham crackers to finish it off.
What I love most is how simple this cake is compared to how pretty it looks when you slice into it. The pumpkin cake, creamy filling, and little bit of crunch from the graham crackers work so well together. Just make sure you give it a couple of hours in the refrigerator before serving. Trust me, it’s worth the wait!
More Pumpkin Dessert Recipes
Turkey Cheese Ball
Cream cheese and honey are blended with pieces of a Pumpkin Cake Roll then rolled in crunchy candied pecans and dried cranberries for the perfect mix of creamy and crunchy. Shaped and decorated to look like a turkey, it’s an adorable centerpiece that’s sure to add a little humor to your holiday spread.
Caramel Pumpkin Cake Roll
Take the warm, spiced flavor of Dutch Apron® Bakery Pumpkin Cake Roll to the next level with a rich caramel addition. It’s an easy fall dessert that’s perfect for family dinners, holiday gatherings, or anytime you’re craving something sweet and cozy.
Pumpkin Cake Roll Trifle
Layers of Dutch Apron® Bakery Pumpkin Cake Roll, fluffy cream, and warm fall flavors make this an easy dessert for feeding a crowd. Serve it in a glass trifle bowl to show off all those beautiful layers.
What You’ll Need
- Electric mixer
- Large mixing bowls
- Rubber spatula
- Sharp knife
- Serving plate
- Food processor or resealable plastic bag and rolling pin
Storage Information
Pumpkin Dream Cake should be stored covered in the refrigerator because of the whipped cream and cream cheese frosting. For the best flavor and texture, enjoy it within 3 to 4 days and keep it refrigerated until you’re ready to serve. If you’re planning ahead for a party or holiday gathering, you can make the cake 1 to 2 days in advance and store it covered in the refrigerator until it’s time for dessert.
Tips for Making a Pumpkin Dream Cake
- Soften the cream cheese first. Room-temperature cream cheese will whip more smoothly and help prevent lumps in your frosting.
- Keep your heavy cream cold. Cold heavy cream whips more easily and will give your frosting better structure.
- Don’t rush the chill time. Refrigerating the finished cake for at least 2 hours helps the layers set and makes the cake much easier to slice.
- Graham Crackers: For fine, even crumbs, pulse the graham crackers in a food processor. If you don’t have one, place them in a resealable plastic bag and crush them with a rolling pin.
How to Make a Pumpkin Dream Cake
Pumpkin Dream Cake
Course: DessertCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy12
servings350
kcal5
This Pumpkin Dream Cake turns a Dutch Apron® Bakery Pumpkin Cake Roll into a beautiful layered dessert filled with fluffy cream cheese frosting and finished with crushed graham crackers. It’s creamy, perfectly spiced, and surprisingly easy to put together, making it a great dessert for fall gatherings, Thanksgiving, or anytime you’re craving pumpkin.
Ingredients
1 Dutch Apron® Bakery Pumpkin Cake Roll
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 cups cold heavy whipping cream
1 cup powdered sugar
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
Directions
- Prepare the Pumpkin Cake Roll
- Allow the Dutch Apron® Bakery Pumpkin Cake Roll to thaw according to the package directions.
- Carefully unroll the cake roll and flatten the cake.
- Cut the flattened cake roll into 2 equal pieces to create your cake layers.
- Make the Cream Cheese Frosting
- Place the softened cream cheese in a large mixing bowl.
- Using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese until smooth and fluffy.
- In a separate large mixing bowl, add the cold heavy whipping cream and powdered sugar.
- Beat with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. The whipped cream should hold its shape when the beaters are lifted.
- Gently fold the whipped cream into the softened cream cheese using a rubber spatula.
- Continue folding just until the mixture is smooth and evenly combined. Avoid overmixing so the frosting stays light and fluffy.
- Assemble the Pumpkin Dream Cake
- Place one piece of the Pumpkin Cake Roll on your serving plate.
- Spread approximately half of the cream cheese frosting evenly over the cake layer.
- Carefully place the second cake layer on top.
- Spread the remaining frosting over the top and sides of the cake.
- Sprinkle the crushed graham crackers generously over the top of the cake. If desired, gently press additional crumbs around the sides.
- Chill & Serve
- Refrigerate the assembled cake for at least 2 hours before serving. This allows the frosting and cake layers to set.
- Remove the cake from the refrigerator when you’re ready to serve.
- Using a sharp knife, cut the cake into 12 servings.
- Serve chilled for the best flavor and texture. Enjoy!
Pumpkin Dream Cake Recipe Video
Notes
- Storage Instructions: Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
- Special Tools: Electric mixer, large mixing bowls, rubber spatula, sharp knife, serving plate, and food processor or resealable plastic bag and rolling pin.
- Don’t rush the chill time: Refrigerating the finished cake for at least 2 hours helps the layers set and makes the cake much easier to slice.
- Nutrition information is an estimate and will vary depending on the exact Dutch Apron® Bakery Pumpkin Cake Roll nutrition, brands of ingredients used, and serving size.
About the Author:
Jess Molina is the genius behind many of the Dutch Apron® Bakery recipe blog posts. She joined the team back in 2022 as a social media manager, and, since then, she has become the brand’s resident photographer and baker. When she’s not perfecting pictures for Dutch Apron® Bakery’s social media feeds, she can be found spending time in nature with her two dogs, going on bike rides with her family, and trying new bread recipes.
