Attempting to Bake/Cook with Lolo #3: Pumpkin Roll (The Ever Requested, Most Famous Dessert)!

People have asked me for many, many years to make my pumpkin roll for their holiday party.
Now, when I say "mine," I don't mean I made the recipe. I mean I found it online, brought it to a function, and people raved about it.
It may have gone to my head.
I thought I'd share with you the recipe in step-by-step instructions!
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Pumpkin Roll
Adapted from AllRecipes.com

• 3/4 c. all-purpose flour
• 1 c. white sugar
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 & 1/2 - 2 tsp. cinnamon*
• 1/2 tsp. ground ginger*
• 1/2 tsp. ground clove*
• 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg*
• 1 c. pumpkin puree
• 3 eggs, room temperature
• 1 tsp. lemon juice

*in place of these spices, you can use 2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice, if you prefer

Step 1: Add flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, ground ginger and salt in a large bowl and set aside.

Step 2: Add pumpkin to the dry mixture.

Step 3: Add eggs to the bowl.

Step 4: Add lemon juice to the mixture.

Step 5: Stir all of the ingredients together until it is smooth.

Step 6: Using a jelly roll pan is key for this recipe. I have never used anything else, so I cannot attest to how it will turn out in a different sized pan. Cut a piece of parchment paper that fits the length of the pan plus a little over the sides. Use non-stock spray to coat the pan and lay the parchment over the pan. I know this sounds weird, but trust me, it helps the paper stay in place for when you're pouring the mix on top of it.

Step 7: Pour the cake mix into the pan and spread it evenly. Drop it onto the counter a couple of tims for good, even measure.

Step 8: Bake for 15 minutes at 375 degrees. DO NOT OVER BAKE the cake!!!

Step 9: While the cake is in its last few minutes of baking, get a clean dish towel (I have one specifically for making rolls) and get it wet. Ring out all of the water until it is just damp. Lay this damp towel out on a clean, unobstructed area.

Step 10: Sprinkle the damp towel with powdered sugar, enough to cover most of the surface of it. This year, I decided to use a fine-mesh strainer and shake it onto the towel because every year prior, it has always been clumped when I free-handed it. It worked amazingly!

Step 11: As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, flip it over onto the damp paper towel. Be aware that powdered sugar is going to get everywhere on every surface of your kitchen, the floor, your person, your clothes, etc. This is the nature of the pumpkin roll! Remove the parchment paper and throw it away.

Step 12: While the cake is still hot, starting at one end veeeery slowly and tightly, wrap the damp towel and roll it up lengthwise with the cake inside. Tuck the excess towel on the bottom of the roll and...

Step 13: ...place the rolled up cake seam side down in the towel on a wire cooling rack. Let it sit until completely cooled, about an hour.

Step 14: Ahead of time or when you're ready to frost, make the frosting for the roll. The ingredients are:

• 1 block (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 c. butter (half of a stick), softened
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

Cream the butter and cream cheese first, then add the powdered sugar, then add the vanilla. Spread the frosting all over the cake from end to end and re-roll it up lengthwise. Store in the fridge in plastic wrap or foil.

There you have it, simple as pie! Well, simple as pumpkin roll. ;)