If you are looking for a cozy fall dessert with the flavors of cinnamon and pumpkin, this Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Sheet Cake with Mascarpone Glaze is the recipe you need.
Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Sheet Cake is perfect to serve at Thanksgiving or any fall gathering. A cake mix batter that is swirled with a buttery cinnamon sugar filling, baked and topped with a mascarpone glaze and chopped pecans.
My family wants every dessert to be made with pumpkin in the fall. Pumpkin pie is probably number one, but some other favorites are
PUMPKIN STREUSEL CREAM CHEESE BARS ,
PUMPKIN BUTTERSCOTCH MASCARPONE COOKIE TART
and PUMPKIN PIE PARFAITS.
Why Everyone Loves This Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Sheet Cake
- It is easy to make, using a cake mix as the base.
- This recipe serves a crowd.
- The cake is so moist and full of cinnamon flavor.
How To Make Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Sheet Cake
INGREDIENTS:
(Full list of ingredients and instructions in printable recipe card.)
Yellow Cake Mix
Eggs
Vegetable oil
Milk
Instant vanilla pudding mix
Sour cream
Pumpkin Puree (Do not use Pumpkin Pie Filling)
FILLING:
Butter
Brown sugar
All purpose flour
Cinnamon
GLAZE:
Mascarpone cheese (an Italian cream cheese)
Confectioner sugar
Milk
Pecans
INSTRUCTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 15×10 inch baking pan (jelly roll pan) with no stick cooking spray, or line with parchment paper.
Beat together the cake mix, eggs, oil, milk, pudding, sour cream, and pumpkin with an electric mixer. Pour batter into the baking pan and smooth with an offset spatula or the back of a spoon.
Stir together the butter, brown sugar, flour and cinnamon until combined. Drop small dollops evenly over the top of the pumpkin batter. Using the tip of a butter knife, lightly swirl the cinnamon filling into the batter.
Bake cake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove the pan from the oven to a cooling rack. The cake will have cracks in it from the filling. This is normal.
In a small mixing bowl, stir together the mascarpone cheese, confectioner sugar and milk. I start with 3 Tablespoons of milk and add more (1 teaspoon at a time) to get the desired consistency. You want to be able to drizzle it.
Drizzle the icing over the cake while it is still warm. Sprinkle the chopped pecans over the icing.
Helpful Tips:
- Make sure to use PUMPKIN PUREE (100% PUMPKIN) not pumpkin pie filling. This will give you the right consistency and flavor.
- When you are adding the cinnamon filling, swirl it gently. Do not go to the bottom of the pan and don’t swirl it into the batter completely.
- Cream cheese can be used instead of the mascarpone cheese if you do not have it available. Mascarpone cheese will give it more of the flavor we get on cinnamon rolls that we buy at a bakery.
- Allow the cake to cool at least an hour after the glaze is added before cutting. The cake is so moist that it will cut into neater pieces after cooled.
- Cover the cake and store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. It can be served at room temperature or cold from the refrigerator.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Can this cake be made ahead of time?
YES. I always make it the day before I will be serving it. Cover and store cake in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
What can I do if I don’t have mascarpone cheese?
You can substitute equal amount of cream cheese for the mascarpone. If you do not have that, you can even just make a glaze of 1 cup confectioner sugar, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla and 2-3 Tablespoons of milk.
Can I use a spice cake mix instead of a yellow cake mix?
Yes, It will add a spicier flavor to the cake. You could also use a white cake mix if you don’t have a yellow one.
This cake is a true fall favorite that can be served at brunch, taken to a potluck, any fall gathering, and at Thanksgiving dinner.
This post was shared on Sweet Little Bluebird Weekend Potluck.
PUMPKIN CINNAMON ROLL SHEET CAKE
Ingredients
- 1 (15.25 oz) box yellow cake mix
- 4 large eggs
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup milk (prefer whole)
- 1 (3.4 oz) box vanilla instant pudding
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 (15 oz) can pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
- 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- GLAZE
- 2 Tablespoon mascarpone cheese, softened (or cream cheese)
- 1 1/2 cups confectioner sugar
- 3-5 Tablespoons milk or heavy cream
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly spray a 15x10 inch baking pan, or jelly roll pan, with no stick baking spray, or line with parchment paper.
- Place the cake mix, eggs, oil, milk, pudding, sour cream and pumpkin into a large mixing bowl. Using an electric mixer, on medium speed, beat for 2 minutes, until all ingredients are well combined. Pour the batter into the baking pan and spread evenly with an offset spatula or the back of a spoon.
- Place the softened butter into a medium size mixing bowl. Using a fork, combine the butter, brown sugar, flour and cinnamon just until combined. Drop this mixture evenly over the cake batter. I crumble it with my fingers to get smaller amounts. Lightly swirl it through the batter with a butter knife. I use a small cheese spreader. Do not swirl it deeply, just enough to cover the filling mixture.
- Bake for about 30-35 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow to cool about 10 minutes.
- In medium bowl, stir the mascarpone cheese and confectioner sugar together until smooth. Add milk, START with 3 Tablespoons of the milk and add more as needed to get a consistency to drizzle. (not too runny). Drizzle glaze evenly over top of the cake, Sprinkle nuts over the top.
Notes
Helpful Tips:
- Make sure to use PUMPKIN PUREE (100% PUMPKIN) not pumpkin pie filling. This will give you the right consistency and flavor.
- When you are adding the cinnamon filling, swirl it gently. Do not go to the bottom of the pan and don’t swirl it into the batter completely.
- Cream cheese can be used instead of the mascarpone cheese if you do not have it available. Mascarpone cheese will give it more of the flavor we get on cinnamon rolls that we buy at a bakery.
