Pumpkin Cake Roll

 

For the cake roll:

1 cup chopped walnuts, toasted, set aside

3 large eggs, separated, room temperature

1 cup sugar, divided

2/3 cup canned pumpkin

3/4 cup flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

1/8 tsp. salt

Filling:

8 ounces cream cheese, softened (Do not use whipped cream cheese for this recipe.)

2 tblsp. butter, softened

1 cup confectioner's sugar

3/4 tsp. vanilla extract

Line a 15 x 10 x 1 inch baking pan with waxed paper; grease the paper and set aside. In a large bowl beat egg yolks on high speed until thick and lemon-colored. Gradually add 1/2 cup sugar and pumpkin, beating on high until sugar is almost dissolved.

In a small bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining sugar, beating until stiff peaks form. Fold into egg yolk mixture. Combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; gently fold into pumpkin mixture. Spread into prepared pan. Top with toasted walnuts.

Bake at 375 degrees until cake springs back when lightly touched, 12-15 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes. Turn cake onto parchment paper. Gently peel off waxed paper. Roll up cake in the paper jelly-roll style, starting with a short side. Cool completely on a wire rack.

In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter, confectioner's sugar, spices, and vanilla until smooth. Unroll cake; spread filling evenly to within 1/2 inch of edges. Roll up again without the paper. 

Sprinkle with confectioner's sugar when serving if desired, serve with whipped cream.

This can be frozen up to 3 months.