Aunt Romaine's Pumpkin Rolls

Many, many years ago, I decided that I'd be ambitious and make a pumpkin roll.  This was before the days of smart phones...and the internet wasn't all it is now.  I needed a recipe.  What to do?  I called Mom.

Mom remembered that Aunt Romaine and Dorty make pumpkin rolls so good that people buy them!  So I called.  Dorty and Romaine rattled off their recipe without hesitation.  They had made so many, they knew it by heart. 

Aunt Romaine said to use fresh pumpkin.  How do I do that?  Next stop, a call to Gramma.  Cut a long neck pumpkin into 4 pieces, she said.  Remove the seeds.  Place in a baking dish with a little water.  Bake until soft at 250 or 300.  I remember like it was yesterday, she said "bake it til it's soft, but not too long, just till it’s soft when you stick it!"  Scoop the pumpkin out of the shell.

I've made so many pumpkin rolls since that day, I can't count!  It is a Thanksgiving tradition, and my Aunt Rosie buys one every year.  No matter how much I protest, she crams that money into my pocket or purse.  I owe Aunt Romaine and Dorty royalties!


Thanksgiving Eve is often a late night, so I've added some shortcuts throughout the years.  If you plan to make several, measure once!  I measure one set of dry ingredients into a bowl, the rest into individual baggies.  As the rolls are finished baking, I can move on to the next more quickly!  Confession:  this year I used canned pumpkin.  They were good, and I don't think anyone knew the difference.  I knew!





3 Eggs                                                     1 Cup Sugar
2/3 Cup Pumpkin                                       ¾ Cup Flour
1 Tsp Baking Soda                                     1 Tsp Cinnamon
½ Tsp Ginger (Optional)
     or Pinch All Spice (this is my change)
 
Preheat oven to 350*.  Mix all ingredients just until combined.  Spray an edged cookie sheet with cooking spray (I use a Pampered Chef bar pan).  Lay wax paper over cookie sheet, molding to fit.  Spread the batter evenly onto the wax paper.  Bake 15-20 minutes or until just golden brown.  If you make several, the times will shorten as the pan is hotter.  I use two pans, one is going into the oven as another is coming out.

Lift the cake filled waxed paper from the cookie sheet to a flat surface.  Cover with another sheet of waxed paper.  Then cover with a tea towel.  Flip it all over so that the tea towel is on the bottom and the cake is protected on the top and bottom by waxed paper.  Roll it up.  Once cooled, unroll and remove the top waxed paper.  Evenly spread the filling (recipe below).  Re-roll in the same direction.  Wrap in waxed paper.  Keep refrigerated.







Pumpkin Roll Filling 
8 Oz Cream Cheese
1 Cup Confectioners Sugar (10x)
1 Tbsp Butter
1 Container Cool Whip (Thawed)
½ Tsp Vanilla Extract

Place the cream cheese, butter and confectioners sugar into a bowl.  Microwave for 45 seconds.  Stir until all three ingredients are combined.  Add the vanilla and stir.  When ready to frost the Pumpkin Roll, add the cold Cool Whip to the mixture and stir.  Spread the filling evenly over the cake and re-roll.