Rolling right along

It's pumpkin roll season and I get lots of requests for this autumn dessert.  (Mostly from my father-in-law)  My recipe is very basic really - a simple pumpkin cake with a swirl of cream cheese frosting.  It's not hard to make but it does take some practice to get it rolled, unrolled and rerolled.  Don't get frustrated if it doesn't come out perfectly keep trying - practice makes perfect.

Pumpkin Roll
¾ cup flour                                                 Filling
½ teaspoon baking powder                    8 ounces cream cheese
½ teaspoon baking soda                          1 cup powdered sugar
½ teaspoon cinnamon                             6 Tablespoons butter
½ teaspoon cloves                                     1 teaspoon vanilla
¼ teaspoon salt
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup pumpkin

Line a jelly roll pan (15x10") with parchment paper.  Spray the paper and the pan with nonstick cooking spray.  Lay a kitchen towel on a table and sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Beat eggs and sugar until thick.

 
Beat in pumpkin.

Combine dry ingredients.

Stir flour mixture into pumpkin mixture.

 
Spread evenly into pan.

 
Bake 13-15 minutes at 375.

 
Immediately turn cake out onto prepared towel.  Peel off parchment paper and roll up cake and towel starting with a narrow side.

 
Cool cake completely.
Beat filling ingredients.

Unroll cake and remove towel.   Spread cream cheese frosting over cake.  (I turned my pumpkin roll into 2 separate mini rolls.)

 

Reroll cake into a tight spiral.

Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

 

If you are going to eat the pumpkin roll within 3 days store it in the refrigerator, otherwise wrap it in foil and freeze it.  

My pumpkin roll is in the freezer - ready to be pulled out on Thanksgiving Day.  I will take it out of the freezer and slice it's while still frozen which makes for cleaner and neater slices.

Today I was able to check another item off of my Thanksgiving menu.  It really takes the stress out of Thanksgiving dinner when I have some of the food prepared ahead of time. 

I am always on the lookout for make ahead ideas for Thanksgiving.  Send me a comment with your best time saving Thanksgiving idea. 

Bon Appetit!