What's cooking Wednesday

Pumpkin Roll

You guys are in for a REAL treat today! In Australia, we don't really eat pumpkin as a dessert (we make soup with it and sometimes scones but that's about as far as it goes).........so when I first came to the USA, I was quite hesitant to try a dessert that featured PUMPKIN!!! One of the first things I tasted with pumpkin in it was my sister in law's (Paula) PUMPKIN ROLL.

Each year, Paula and her mom join with some ladies from a church and they make HUNDREDS of these things to sell (they get $9 a roll for them!). Once I took one bite, I was a massive fan.....seriously, I have tasted quite a few pumpkin rolls over the last 6 years, but NONE can compare (even the ones at my favorite restaurant are not as good!).

Paula and her mom came to my house on Saturday and we made 12 of them (only one is in my fridge or they would all be eaten!)........I'm thinking of sending one home with each of our student home boys for Christmas. Here is the recipe:

You need:

(for the roll)

3 eggs

2/3 C pumpkin

1C sugar

1tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

3/4 C flour

Beat eggs and add pumpkin. Add the rest of the ingredients and beat until smooth.

Line a jelly roll pan with foil and grease with butter (make sure you get right into the corners).

Bake at 375 for 15 minutes (after about 7, turn your pans and rotate them).

When they're done, flip them onto a paper towel that has been generously coasted with sugar (this is so the cake doesn't stick). Roll it up and put on a cooking rack to cool completely.

Filling:

2TBS butter

8oz cream cheese

3/4 tsp vanilla

1C powdered sugar

Cream butter and cream cheese, add powdered sugar and vanilla and beat until smooth. Unroll the cake, spread the filling and then roll up again.

Cover with plastic wrap and keep in the refrigerator. You can also wrap it in foil as well and then keep in the freezer until you need it (Trust me, you will be making dozens of these things once people taste them).................I'm thinking about making and selling them so I can get a blog face lift!

** Update** I AM getting a blog makeover!!! Blogging Bella is going to do it for me - I am SO super excited!