Pumpkin Roll

This dessert is one of our family's favorite seasonal recipes.  We make it for Thanksgiving and Christmas, and a few times in between, as well.  It's based off the traditional Libby's Pumpkin Roll recipe on allrecipes.com.


Ingredients for cake:
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 large eggs
3/4 cup brown sugar
2/3 cup Libby's brand 100% pure pumpkin
approx. 1/4 cup powered sugar, to cover tea towel
1 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)

Ingredients for filling:
1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
6 Tbsp butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Grease 15x10-inch jelly-roll pan then line pan with parchment paper.  Grease and flour parchment paper.
2. Set out tea towel on counter and cover with generous sprinkling of powdered sugar. (This is a very important step...if the towel isn't covered in powdered sugar, the towel will stick to the cake and tear it apart.)
3. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt in bowl - set aside.  In another large bowl, beat eggs and sugar until thick.  Beat in pumpkin.  Stir in flour mixture then spread evenly into prepared jelly-roll pan.  If desired, sprinkle with walnuts (note: the nuts make it the roll look prettier, but they do make the cake more-likely to crack a bit when you roll it up).
4. Bake for 13 minutes, or until the top of cake springs back when touched.  Immediately loosen and turn cake out of pan onto prepared tea towel.  Carefully peel off parchment paper.
5. Let cake cool down a bit (approx. 3-5 minutes) then place sheet of wax paper over entire surface of cake. Carefully roll up towel, cake, and wax paper together - starting at the narrow end of the cake.  Cool on wire rack until no heat is felt from the roll.  I usually give it a few hours.
6. While cake roll is cooling, beat cream cheese, powdered sugar, butter, and vanilla extract in small mixer bowl until smooth.  You can place this filling mixture in the refrigerator until the cake roll is completely cooled.
7. Carefully unroll cooled cake and remove layer of wax paper from surface.  Spread filling mixture over cake and re-roll cake (separating it from the towel this time).  Wrap roll in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least an hour before slicing and serving...best if you let it sit in the fridge overnight.  You can sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving, if desired.

Because it does take some focused effort to craft these rolls, make a few in advance.  They freeze great for future events - the perfect thing to take to a pot-luck, tea, brunch, family dinner, etc.  I promise, this recipe is a big hit with everyone, kids and adults alike! -Kristen