Ali Bakes: Pumpkin Cake Roll

Food bloggers can be liars.  I'm not trying to be mean, but that statement is either true OR I pretty much suck at following directions...

Pumpkin cake rolls (...or really any cake rolls...) are NOT easy.  I'm perfectly fine with saying that.  However, I was told by a certain food blog that it WOULD be easy.  Luckily I was prepared (I've seen novices fail pretty badly on Food Network competition shows!).  There were definite moments of struggle.  And I'm here saying in my very own blog that you likely WILL struggle if you're making the below recipe for the first time.

But that's ok.  Failing a little (...or a lot!) is all part of cooking/baking, and you just have to laugh it off.  Or cuss a little, followed by some serious batter-bowl-licking.  Cooking and baking food for yourself and/or for others is worth it.  Perfection is unnecessary.  Presentation is simply extra credit.  Edible memories is the real goal.

And you know what?  I think I certainly achieved that yesterday.  The below Pumpkin Cake Roll recipe took me ALL MORNING to accomplish.  It sat in the fridge all day, but I can satisfyingly say that in the middle of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire last night, Brian and I paused the movie to scamper to the kitchen for some Pumpkin Cake Roll.  It's one of his favorite desserts, and though I may have promised it to him last fall, it's finally a reality.

Now...let's just hope that we can eat it slowly enough to save some for Kristina when she visits this weekend!

Pumpkin Cake Roll

*Adapted from Cookinglsl.com

Ingredients:

¾ cup flour
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
½ tsp pumpkin pie spice (equal amounts of ground nutmeg, ginger, all-spice, and cloves)
½ tsp cinnamon
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
⅔ cup pumpkin puree
1 pkg (8 oz) softened cream cheese
1 cup powdered sugar
6 Tbs softened butter
2 tsp vanilla
powdered sugar

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375F. Grease a 9x13 jelly roll pan.  Generously sprinkle a thin cotton kitchen towel with powdered sugar, making sure to sprinkle "generously," otherwise the cake will stick to the towel during a later step.

  

In a small mixing bowl combine the flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice.

In another bowl, use a mixer to beat the eggs and sugar until thick.  Beat in the pumpkin. Carefully stir in the flour mixture, making sure not to over-beat.

Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan.  Bake for 13-15 minutes, until the top of the

cake springs back when touched (especially in the center!).  Immediately loosen the cake using a spatula, if needed, and turn it onto the prepared towel.  Starting with the narrow end, roll up the cake and towel together.  Let it cool on a wire rack.

Next, beat the cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla in a small mixing bowl until smooth (remember to start slow so that powdered sugar doesn't end up everywhere!).  Once cooled, carefully unroll the cake, remove the towel, and spread the cream cheese filling all over the cake surface.  Roll the cake again and wrap in plastic wrap.  Refrigerate for at least one hour.  Slice, serve, and devour!