Festive Fall Pumpkin Roll

My mom makes the BEST pumpkin rolls. My dad always takes at least 4-5 of them to work around the holidays as gifts for his co-workers and the demand for them steadily grow every year. This is the recipe she has been using since I was a kid, but I wanted to put a twist on it to make it even more festive! I got this idea from something I saw on The Great British Baking Show when they decorated jelly rolls.

For the pattern on the outside of the roll, you will need a piping bag or small tipped squeeze bottle. The decoration part is a little involved, so if you don't have the time, you can make this recipe without the design, and I promise it will still be a hit!

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Servings: 12-16

Total Time: 2 hrs 45 min

INGREDIENTS:

Pattern Batter:

• 3 Tbsp butter, at room temperature

• 3 egg whites

• 1/2 cup powdered sugar

• 2/3 cup flour

• Food coloring

Pumpkin Cake:

• 1 1/2 cups sugar

• 4 eggs

• 1 cup pumpkin puree

• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda

• 1 cup + 2 Tbsp flour

• Pinch of salt

• 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Filling:

• 1 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese, softened

• 1 Tbsp vanilla extract

• 2 Tbsp butter, softened

• 1 cup powdered sugar

DIRECTIONS:

1. Prepare a lipped cookie sheet. Cut a piece of parchment paper to fit the cookie sheet and using a pencil, dray whatever design you would like to have on your roll on the parchment paper. Flip the parchment paper over and place on the cookie sheet, design side down. Lightly spray the parchment paper and edges of the cookie sheet with cooking spray and wipe off any excess.

2. In a medium sized bowl, combine the butter, egg whites, sugar, powdered sugar, and flour for the decoration batter until well combined.

3. Separate the batter into 4 small bowls and dye each bowl a different color - red, orange, yellow, and brown (1 drop red, 1 drop blue, 10 drops yellow).

4. Transfer the colored batter into 4 piping bags and either use small circle tips (#2 piping tip) or cut the very tips off the piping bags.

5. Trace the outlines of the design on the parchment paper and freeze for 20 minutes. Remove from the freezer and fill in the pattern with the remaining batter. Freeze again.

6. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, beat the eggs and sugar for the pumpkin cake until well combined. Add the pumpkin. Gradually add in the dry ingredients for the pumpkin cake and mix until combined.

7. Remove the cookie sheet with the design on it from the freezer and carefully spread the pumpkin cake batter over the design, making sure to spread all the way to the edges but not smear the frozen design. Bake for 16 minutes. The cake should feel springy when pressed in the middle.

8. Work quickly on this next part because you'll want to get this part done before the cake cools. Lay out a clean, dry kitchen towel (the size of the cake) on the countertop and sprinkle about a 1/2 cup of powdered sugar over the towel.

9. Flip the cake onto another cookie sheet, peel off the parchment paper, and then carefully flip the cake onto the towel so the design is facing down.

10. Tightly roll the cake from the long end until you create a log with the pumpkin cake. Let cool in that position for at least 1 hour.

11. While it is cooling, make the filling by combining all the filling ingredients until smooth.

12. When the roll has cooled, carefully unroll the cake. It will not lay flat, so don't try to make it do so. Spread the filling mixture inside of the roll. Once you have done that, re-roll the log and separate the cake from the kitchen towel.

13. You did it! Store in the refrigerator until serving!