Pumpkin Roll

The fall is the perfect time to take advantage of the easy availability of pumpkins - they are both nutritious and tasty. I am experimenting with recipes using pumpkin pureé and grated pumpkin. Each year I try to cook up about 5 pumpkins (I use the regular large ones) and freeze some pureé to use over the next several months. Based on what I have done so far, I would estimate that I will probably do around 10 this year.

3 eggs
2/3 C honey
1 C pumpkin pureé
1 t lemon juice
1-1/2 C soft white wheat flour (or 1/2 hard wheat and 1/2 oat)
1 T baking powder
2 t cinnamon
1 t nutmeg
1 t ginger
1/2 t salt
1/4 C Sucanat® w/ honey (to sprinkle on towel before rolling), buzz briefly in VitaMix for fine crystals (making powdered Sucanat)

Filling

1/2 C honey
4 T butter
6 oz cream cheese, softened
1 t vanilla

Preheat oven to 375°F. Gently scramble eggs; gradually add the honey. Add pumpkin and lemon juice. Mix all dry ingredients together in a separate bowl. Turn mixer to the slowest setting. Add the dry ingredients slowly. Spread evenly on a stone sprayed with non-stick spray. Bake for 15 minutes. Do not overcook! Turn out on a towel sprinkled with the powdered Sucanat. Roll the towel up from short end. Cool.

Cream together the filling ingredients. Caution: don't overdo it! Chill the filling while the rolled cake is setting.

Unroll cake and spread with filling. Roll again without the towel. Cover in plastic and chill.

When completely chilled, serve by cutting in pinwheel slices.

Makes about 10 slices.

If you pureé your own pumpkin and cook it by steaming instead of baking the pumpkin, you may need to add a little bit more flour. If you are using frozen pumpkin pureé you also may need to add a bit more flour.

Note: Above reflects modified recipe - 10/22/2008