Pumpkin Roll with Cream Cheese Filling

If anyone wants to know my favourite kind of dessert, look no further than this. I love cheesy, dense treats with fruit, nuts, pumpkin, carrot, etc. (carrot cake and cheesecake also fall in this category). My daughter bought a pumpkin roll at a local farm store and I immediately searched the internet for a recipe. I reduced the sugar in this version and did not add maple icing on the top. It is still perfect and is fast and easy to make.

Preheat oven to 375F
Grease a 15"x10" jelly roll pan, line with wax paper and then grease and flour the wax paper.
Sprinkle a clean tea towel with 1/4 cup icing sugar (powdered sugar).

In a small bowl combine:
3/4 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice

In a medium bowl beat until thick (I used hand beaters):
3 large eggs
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup pumpkin puree

Add dry ingredients to egg and sugar mixture and combine well. Pour batter evenly on prepared pan and bake for 13-15 minutes until sponge is set. Do not overbake.

Remove from oven. Turn cake upside down on prepared towel and remove wax paper. Roll the cake and towel up into a firm roll starting with the short side of the cake. Put on a rack and let it cool. (It cools fairly quickly)

In the meantime, prepare the filling with:
8 oz (250 g) of regular cream cheese (light cream cheese tends to be too runny)
1 cup icing sugar (powdered sugar)

Beat until smooth. You can add 1 cup of chopped pecans, walnuts, or pralines if you want. When cake is cool, unroll it and spread filling evenly over the entire surface. Re-roll the cake without the towel, wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour. Slice and serve.

You can sprinkle it with icing sugar before serving or add glaze/icing with chopped nuts on the top for a richer dessert.

This recipe freezes well.