SALT CITY CHAINMAILLE: Tuesday How To - Now Let Me See Your Pumpkin Rolllll

Forgive my throwback title, I couldnt resist.

Does your family have a traditional holiday dessert? Every year I try to make one of my favorite seasonal baked goods - a pumpkin roll. If you ever use Libby's brand pumpkin puree, there is a photo of one on the can and a note to visit their website for the recipe. I've sent the recipe to people for swaps, too, so I thought that it would maybe help to document the process in case some people dont know what I'm talking about. I'm a visual learner myself, so pictures always help me when I'm trying something new.

To start, here's the recipe:

Pumpkin Roll

Cake:

3/4 C. Flour

1 Tsp Salt

3 Large Eggs

1 C. Sugar

2/3 C. Canned (cooked) Pumpkin/ pumpkin puree

Filling:
8 oz cream cheese

1 C. sifted confectioners sugar

2 TBS butter (softend)

1 Tsp vanilla

Start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees (F).

Then you butter and flour (well) a jelly roll pan. If you're not familiar with what a jelly roll pan is, it's about 12 x 17 and 1 inch deep. Essentially a baking sheet with sides.

Combine your cake ingredients in a bowl (dry first then add the wet), and mix until thick. Then pour your batter into the jelly roll pan and spread it out evenly, like so:

Sometimes if it's bubbly I lightly "tap" the pan on the counter to get them out.

Pop the pan in the oven for about 13-15 minutes, or until its springy (it might not take that long, depending on your oven).

While the cake is baking, prep a clean, dry, flat weave towel by laying it flat and sprinkling it generously with powdered sugar. If you want to buy one, they're usually labelled as "flour sack" towels.

Here's what mine looks like -

Dont lie, I know you think it's hot :)

When you take the cake out of the oven, make sure you dont reach around the potholder and burn your thumb like I did (ouch). Pull it out, loosen the sides, and turn it onto your prepped towel, then dust the top with more sugar. My cake usually ends up sticking to the pan, but just use a long spatula and carefully separate it if the cake needs a little help.

Next is the most difficult part - rolling the cake. You need to do this while it is warm because it is easiest, and as it cools the cake will keep the "memory" of being rolled, and make it easier when you put the filling on it. Starting on the LONG side, carefully roll it up in the towel, like so:

Let it cool about 15 minutes. While you're waiting is a good time to mix up your frosting. Make sure your cream cheese and butter are softened, and that you sift your confectioners sugar as this helps keep the smoothest consistency for the filling. I usually forget about the sifting, but thats just because I dont have anything to do it with. Add the ingredients in a bowl and mix it up.

By now your cake should be cool, so unroll the towel and get to fillin'- I usually fill on the "under" side (that was in the pan), because then the nice top part is what you see when you eat it.