Hello!
Many years ago, I was working for a trucking company in Circleville. We decided to have a carry-in dinner. One of my friends brought in a dessert she made. Of course, I was curious. I didn’t know what it was. Was it a cookie, a cake? I wasn’t sure because I hadn’t seen anything like that. She said it was a cake. I had a piece and fell in love with it. The best compliment you can ever give a cook is “may I have your recipe?” Knowing me, she already had one ready. She told me her grandma had made this for her growing up and she learned how to make it herself.
With the recipe in hand I had to give it a try. Of course, the first one didn’t turn out very pretty. The taste was still wonderful. They don’t last long because you only get about six to eight slices from one. So, the next day I had to try my hand at it again. It turned out better looking but still wasn’t the best of shape. The more I made this, and I made it often, the better it looked.
This wonderful dessert I’m talking about is a pumpkin roll. They are moist and the cream cheese really makes it perfect.
The recipe tells you to turn the cake out on a tea towel. I found the best thing to do is to place nonstick parchment paper in the bottom of your pan, lightly grease or spray it with pam, pour in your batter and bake it. When it’s done, and still warm, roll it up. I don’t use a tea towel. When it’s completely cooled, gently unroll it, and spread it with the cream cheese filling, then roll it up again. When I used the tea towel like the recipe called for, it would break. If it ends up breaking on you, all you have to do is do it in layers. It’s still a wonderful moist flavor, it will just be in cut layers.
I make this especially on holidays. But it’s good anytime. I always keep a can of pumpkin on hand just in case I want to make one or two of these. If you are making this for a get-together or a family meal, you might want to make two. It’s Sunday dinner table worthy, and it’s sat on our Sunday dinner table many times, even in the springtime and summer.
Pumpkin Roll
1 cup white sugar
2/3 cup pumpkin puree (canned)
3 large eggs, beaten.
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
¾ cup flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
Cream Cheese Filling
8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar.
2 tablespoons butter, softened.
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease a 10×15 jelly roll pan (or just use some nonstick parchment paper and lightly spray) I secure it in the pan with a few drops of water.
Mix sugar, pumpkin, eggs, cinnamon, baking soda until well blended, then mix in the flour. You can do this with a mixer or just a whisk. Just make sure it’s all mixed well.
Evenly spread in prepared pan. It won’t be a thick layer.
Bake in the preheated oven until the cake springs back when lightly touched, usually 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool for about 5 minutes. Invert the cake onto a cotton towel and roll up jelly-roll style. Or, if you have used parchment paper, just lift the cake out of the pan and roll it up parchment paper and all, this keeps it from sticking together.
Cool completely.
While cake is cooling make the filling. Beat with a mixture until it’s well blended and looks smooth and light.
Unroll the cooled cake and spread the filling on the cake to the edges with a spatula. Roll the cake back up without the paper or the towel in it. Dust the top with a little powdered sugar and cut into slices, I usually do about eight. I put them on a serving plate and cover completely with plastic wrap and refrigerate until I’m ready to serve it.
Enjoy!
