Pumpkin rolls are intimidating.
You can do it.
How was that for a pep talk? Haha! Seriously though, they are intimidating. The thought of flipping around a huge cake several times, while it's hot, then rolling it up in a towel?! I avoided these for years because I knew that if it broke or didn't work out then I would give up on them forever.
I think I've got a fool proof system here. At least, I've never had one break or not work out. So, if you're scared, give this one a try - of course, I can't guarantee it will work for you, but it's never let me down!
Chocolate Cream Cheese Pumpkin Roll
Source: JennaBlogs.com
Ingredients:
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 of a 15oz can of pumpkin puree
1 cup chocolate chips (I use semi-sweet)
Powdered sugar (for towel)
For Icing:
1 stick margarine
1 8oz pkg reduced fat cream cheese
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
Directions:
Preheat your oven to 375. Spray a cookie sheet with non stick spray and then line it with parchment paper and spray that with non stick spray as well.
Sift together flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Set aside. **Note: I am not usually a sifter, but for this recipe, I highly recommend sifting.**
Beat eggs and sugar in a mixer until well combined. Add pumpkin and vanilla. Beat until well combined. In two additions, add your dry ingredients.
Pour into your sprayed, lined and sprayed again pan. Top with chocolate chips. **Note: Do NOT mix chocolate into the recipe, but sprinkle them on top. Trust me! If you mix them in, they will stick to the pan and not roll up well**
Bake about 15 minutes, or until just done.
Removal of the cake: Here's the tricky part. You CAN do this!
Take another baking sheet of the same size (preferably the same type of cookie sheet). Set it carefully on top of the cake. Using hot pads, flip the whole thing over. Now you should be looking at the bottom of the pan that has the cake in it.
Remove that pan. You cake will be sitting on the back of the other pan. Remove the parchment paper.
Take a kitchen towel and liberally cover it in powdered sugar. This will prevent your cake from sticking to the towel. BE GENEROUS! =)
Take your cake (while on the back on pan #2) and quickly flip it out onto the towel. Now the bottom of the cake - the part without the chocolate - will be resting on your powdered sugar towel.
Phew! Aren't you glad that parts over? PS - If you have a friend or spouse there with you, here is another way you can do that last step.
Instead of the towel, coat the backside of the cake liberally with powdered sugar. Cover with the towel and using a friends help, flip the whole thing over. That feels a little "safer" but you need a second set of hands. If you forgo the chocolate, you can always just slide the cake out onto the towel like you would an omelet.
Now, roll the cake up in the towel, narrow end to narrow end (NOT long ways). Put it in a tupperware and place it in the fridge while you work on the icing.
In a mixer, beat room temperature margarine and cream cheese together. Add your vanilla and then powdered sugar. After letting the cake cool for about 30 minutes - 1 hour, take it out of the fridge and carefully unroll it.
Coat with icing and then roll the cake back up (not in the towel this time). Roll up tightly in saran wrap and put it back in the fridge for a minimum of one hour (preferably longer).
When ready to serve, top with a dusting of powdered sugar.
Slice with a bread knife (serrated edge)!
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