Mmmmmmm.....Pumpkin Roll!!!

I'm hesitant to usher in fall.  I't's not that I don't like it, I just know what comes after it.  I love crisp evening air, falling leaves ~ both the color, crunching sound they make when I walk on them and the smell, falling leaves smell wonderful!  I also love pumpkin and cinnamon, and I'm not sure there is a better pairing of the two than in a nice pumpkin roll.  :)

Here's my recipe, I've had this one for a long time now.  I can't remember who gave it to me originally, but as per my usual, I've changed a few things from the original recipe to suit our tastes...or my taste!

Pumpkin Roll

3 eggs
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 cup flour (all purpose works just fine)
1 generous teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon cinnamon + some for dusting
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (or more) chopped walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Beat eggs in mixer for 5 minutes on high speed.  Gradually beat in sugar.  Stir in pumpkin and lemon juice.
Fold dry ingredients into mixture, you can mix all dry ingredients in a separate bowl, or to keep things simpler, I add them individually to the pumpkin mixture, starting with the spices, baking powder and salt, then the flour last.
Spread pumpkin batter on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper in a rectangular shape.  Sprinkle on walnuts if desired.  ( I use more than a cup, unless I'm making it with my kids in mind, then I leave them out, it's just a matter of what you like!)  Bake in preheated oven for about 15 minutes.
  While the pumpkin roll is baking, sprinkle a good amount of powdered sugar on a clean tea towel. ( I have found lining that tea towel with parchment paper in which I have sprinkled the powdered sugar onto it works great, and the towel stays much cleaner, and is much easier to clean up, but that too is a matter of preference.)
Upon removing the cookie sheet from the oven, immediately remove and turn upside down on to the powdered sugar lined tea towel and roll up in cloth and let sit on cooling rack until completely cool.  Unroll and fill with cream cheese filling, re-roll and chill.  Dust with powdered sugar and cinnamon if desired before serving.

Cream Cheese Filling

1 cup powdered sugar
1 8 oz. package cream cheese ~ softened a bit to mix easier
4 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Mix all ingredients in mixer until light and fluffy,


I have found too, that I like to store the finished pumpkin roll in waxed paper or parchment paper then aluminum foil to keep it sealed in the fridge.  I've used plastic wrap for years, but I didn't like how the roll itself would hold moisture and get a rubbery or gummy texture on the outside of the roll.  The waxed paper and parchment paper allows it to breathe, so the roll stays nice and cakey.

Not much more to say about this...it's delicious...enjoy!!