It’s fall! Libby’s Pumpkin Roll

Oh, fall!  I love you so much.  From your crisp breezes to your tart apples to your delicious baked goods, your cozy sweaters and swirling leaves and roasts and casseroles and pumpkins of all shapes and sizes-I don’t even know how to start celebrating.  Of course pumpkin rolls are one of my favorite this-means-it’s-really-fall treat.  It is such an easy way to entertain or make someone feel special.  This is the kind of holiday baking that you can churn out one after another, wrap up, freeze, and give as gifts or pull out and thaw at room temperature for a spontaneous gathering. 

It’s pretty funny, over the years I have collected numerous “secret” family pumpkin roll recipes from friends and co-workers.  After a little analysis, they are all pretty much good ol’ Libby’s recipe reworked in some way.  And this is a great recipe and much, much easier than it looks.  If you’ve ever been afraid to make a cake roll, try this one this year.  Your friends and family will believe you are the most amazing baker ever (only you’ll know how easy it was!).

Libby’s Pumpkin Roll

• 1/4 cup powdered sugar (to sprinkle on towel)
• 3/4 cup flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 2/3 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)
• 8 oz cream cheese, room temp
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 6 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• powdered sugar

1. Preheat oven to 375° F.
2. Grease 15 x 10 inch jellyroll pan then line with wax paper. Grease and flour the paper. Dampen a thin, cotton kitchen towel and sprinkle all over with powdered sugar. 
3. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves and salt.
4. In a large mixer bowl, beat eggs and granulated sugar until thick. Beat in pumpkin.
5. Stir in flour mixture. Spread batter evenly into prepared pan. Sprinkle with nuts. 
6. Bake for 13 to 15 minutes or until the top of the cake springs back when touched.
7. Run a butter knife around cake edges and immediately loosen and turn cake onto prepared towel. Carefully peel off paper. Roll up cake and towel together, starting with narrow end. Cool on a wire rack for one hour.
8. Meanwhile, make the filling: beat cream cheese, 1 cup powdered sugar, butter and vanilla extract until smooth.
9. Carefully unroll cake. Spread cream cheese mixture over cake. Re-roll cake. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least one hour or freeze.
10. To serve, unwrap and sprinkle with powdered sugar.  If frozen, unwrap and sprinkle with powdered sugar and let sit at room temperature.