Pumpkin Roll

8-10 servings

This pastry can be eaten for breakfast, brunch, or dessert.  Our family eats it for breakfast on Christmas morning. You can put nuts in it or you can leave it plain. You can also do half with and half without nuts!

Roulade

3 eggs

1 cup sugar

2/3 cup canned pumpkin

1 teaspoon lemon juice

¾ cup flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon ginger

½ teaspoon nutmeg

½ teaspoon salt

1 cup finely chopped walnuts (optional)

 Filling

1 cup confectioners’ sugar

6 ounces cream cheese, softened

4 tablespoons butter, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a large bowl of a mixer, beat eggs on high speed for 5 minutes. Gradually beat in sugar. Stir in pumpkin and lemon juice.

Mix together dry ingredients and fold into pumpkin mixture.

Line a greased 10 1/2 x 15 1/2 x 1 inch cookie sheet with wax paper. Grease the paper. Spread the batter in the pan and sprinkle with nuts, if using. Bake for 12-15 minutes.

Turn cake onto towel sprinkled with confectioners’ sugar. Start at the narrow end and roll up the cake and towel together. While the cake cools, prepare the filling.

Whip sugar with cheese, butter and vanilla until smooth.

Unroll cooled cake and spread with filling.

Roll again.

Place seam side down on a serving platter.

Trim the ends.

Serve in slices.