Pumpkin Roll

My second Thanksgiving dessert was a much smoother process than the apple galette, and it was a nice alternative to pumpkin pie. I had never made a roll, so had no idea how easy it would be to put together.

Things go quickly once the roll comes out of the oven, so I don't have any photos of getting the cake out of the pan and rolling it up in the towel, but the original post on The Italian Dish has some if you want to check them out.

I often learn as much from the reader comments on a recipe as I do from the original cook's post, and so always make a point to skim through them. I am so glad I did - one of the gals who commented on this recipe gave a tip for a less messy way to get the finished cake onto the tea towel. I've incorporated her comments in my instructions below.

Ingredients:

Pumpkin Roll

• 1/4 cup powdered sugar (to sprinkle on baked roll)
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2/3 cup pumpkin puree

Cream Cheese Filling

• 1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
• 6 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Powdered sugar (optional for decoration)

Method:

 

Pumpkin Roll

1. Preheat the oven to 375° F.
2. Grease 15 x 10-inch jelly-roll pan; line with parchment or wax paper. Grease and flour paper.
3. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt in small bowl. Beat eggs and granulated sugar in large mixer bowl until thick. Beat in pumpkin. Stir in flour mixture. Spread evenly into prepared pan.
4. Bake for 13 to 15 minutes or until top of cake springs back when touched. (If using a dark-colored pan, begin checking for doneness at 11 minutes.)
5. Immediately run knife around sides of pan to loosen cake and dust cake liberally with powdered sugar. Cover cake with clean tea towel. Place another cookie sheet (upside down)over towel. Holding everything together, flip over.  Lift off the jelly-roll pan; because of the parchment paper, the cake should just fall right out. Carefully peel off paper. Roll up cake and towel together, starting with narrow end. Cool on wire rack.

 

Cream Cheese Filling

1. Beat cream cheese, 1 cup powdered sugar, butter and vanilla extract in small mixer bowl until smooth.

 

Assembly

1. Carefully unroll cake. Spread cream cheese mixture over cake. Re-roll cake.
2. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least one hour.
3. Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving, if desired.

Unroll cake...

...spread cream cheese filling...

 

...re-roll, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate until ready to serve.