Pumpkin Roll Cake

This was my first attempt at a roll cake and I have to say it was much easier than I thought it would be. In fact, the whole thing was surprisingly simple and the cake was delicious. The cake is assembled, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and chilled in the refrigerator until it is cut in slices at serving time. By then it is firm and compact and cuts cleanly. Swirls of pumpkin and spice and creamy cream cheese? Yes please.

Thanks to Molly from Stiletto's And Diapers for tipping me off to the recipe. Molly is 30-something weeks pregnant with her second child and knows a little something about a good eat when she comes across it. She encourages everyone to go ahead a cut your guests (and yourself) a couple slices because you are definitely going to want it. And how.

Jelly roll pans vary greatly in size. This recipe will accommodate a 15 x 10.5 or slightly smaller sized pan. If using a large jelly roll pan, double the recipe and watch baking time. You might have to bake a few minutes longer. My cake cracked a tiny bit on the first roll once it was filled. If this happens to you, don't fret. I couldn't tell when I cut slices.

Pumpkin Roll Cake

Serves 6-8

3/4 cups flour

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

1 cup pumpkin

3 eggs

1 teaspoon lemon juice

For the filling:

1 8oz package cream cheese

1/2 cup butter, room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix all the cake ingredients and pour into a greased jelly roll pan or cookie sheet with sides. Spread the batter into all the corners (it will be thin). Bake for 15 minutes. While baking, get hand towel, piece of linen or other cloth and dampen it, then sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of powdered sugar. When the cake is finished baking, you are going to let it cool a couple minutes, then flip it onto that towel. Roll up the cake and the towel from the short end and allow to cool for 30 minutes. This will help it keep that rolled shape once you fill it).

While its cooling, beat the cream cheese and butter together, then add in vanilla and powdered sugar. Unroll the cake and towel and spread the filling evenly across the cake. Roll back up, this time without the towel and wrap tightly in saran wrap before refrigerating. Serve chilled, cut into 1/4" slices with more powdered sugar sprinkled on top, if desired.

I coated the outside of my cake with powdered sugar because the outside gets rather moist. Don't worry because it all works together in the end.