Pumpkin Cake Roll

For quite some time, I've wanted to try to make a cake roll but I imagined them to be too tricky. It's not! It's fun, too, and amazingly tasty. And it looks really impressive so your guests will be wowed by your culinary prowess. This has given me confidence to try other cake roll versions, but fall is the perfect time to make the pumpkin roll.

Start by beating the eggs in a large mixing bowl for about 5 minutes. Then gradually add the sugar



and beat until lemon-colored. Add the lemon juice and the pumpkin



and mix until combined. In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon



and nutmeg.



Fold the flour mixture into the pumpkin mixture.



Grease your jelly roll pan (this is just a 10x15 cookie sheet with rims) then line it with wax paper or parchment paper, and grease the paper (I used non stick cooking spray). I used my Pampered Chef baking stone bar pan, so I didn't grease the pan first.



Pour the batter into the prepared pan



and spread it to cover the pan (it will be thin).



If you're using nuts, sprinkle them over the cake batter now. Bake for 15 minutes. While it bakes, get your tea towel ready - place it on the counter and put a dusting of powdered sugar on it.



When the cake comes out of the oven, immediately invert the cake onto the towel then remove the paper.



The inversion of the cake is the trickiest part. Be decisive! Here's what happens when you're not:



(I then made a second cake and gave myself a pep talk before inverting it!)

Now roll up the cake IN THE TOWEL starting with the short end.



Let it cool in the towel.



While it cools, make the filling by beating the cream cheese, vanilla, butter and powdered sugar



until smooth. When the cake is cool, carefully unroll it,



and place dollops of the filling over it.



Spread the filling to within about 1 inch of the edges.



Now roll it up again, this time without the towel.



My edges weren't perfect, so I trimmed them a bit.



Place on your serving plate. (If you're not serving right away, this cake freezes beautifully. Wrap in cling wrap, then foil, and freeze for up to a month. Place it in the refrigerator the morning you want to serve it, or let it thaw on the counter for 1-2 hours.)

Dust the cake with powdered sugar



and enjoy!



Get more inspiration at the Ultimate Recipe Swap, Foodie Friday, Friday Food , Food on Fridays and Sweet Sunday.


Pumpkin Cake Roll

3 eggs
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup pumpkin
1 tsp. lemon juice
3/4 cup flour
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1 cup chopped walnuts, optional
6 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
2 Tbsp. butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs on high for 5 minutes. Gradually beat in sugar until thick and lemon-colored. Add pumpkin and lemon juice and beat until combined.

In another bowl combine flour, cinnamon, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg; fold into the pumpkin mixture.

Grease a 15x10x1 inch jelly roll pan; line with waxed or parchment paper. Grease and flour the paper. Spread batter into pan; sprinkle with walnuts.

Bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched.
Immediately turn out onto a linen towel dusted with powdered sugar. Peel off paper and roll cake up in the towel, starting with the short end. Cool.

Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, 1 cup confectioners' sugar, butter, and vanilla until fluffy.

Carefully unroll the cake. Spread filling over cake to within 1 inch of edges. Roll up again. Cover and chill until serving. Dust with additional confectioners' sugar, if desired. Serves 10.