Pumpkin Roll Cake

We decided to forego the big Thanksgiving dinner this year.  We don't have any family in town and because we're moving in a couple weeks, I didn't want the hassle or mess.  My girls are 3 and 1 and so they don't know the difference.  We spent our weekend mostly packing and on Monday night we had a pizza movie night with the girls.  But to acknowledge the holiday, I prepared two pumpkin treats.  I was excited for this one in particular because it was a technique I had never tried.  It turned out rather well and it felt super satisfying.  It was tasty to boot.  Also, I got to use my jelly roll pan for its intended purpose for the first time...ever. 

My recipe source was THIS.
In the comments of that recipe, I found a link to a lady who took step by step pictures.  It was really helpful.  Find those HERE.

Ingredients:

For the cake:
1/4 cup powdered sugar (to sprinkle on towel)
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice (I use THIS blend)
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup pure pumpkin puree

For the filling:
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
2(ish) cups powdered sugar (taste as you go)
6 tablespoons butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract


Directions: 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a 15 x 10-inch jelly-roll pan with parchment paper or tinfoil and grease and flour the lining.

Sprinkle a clean tea towel with powdered sugar. Set pan and towel aside.

In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice and salt. In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat eggs, vanilla and sugar until thick. Add in pumpkin and mix to combine. Stir in flour mixture. Spread batter evenly into prepared pan.
Bake for 15 minutes or until top of cake springs back when touched. Immediately loosen and turn cake onto prepared towel. Carefully peel off paper (this took a little finesse when I did it...I don't know if that's typical or if it's because I accidentally forgot about the cake and it baked a few extra minutes).

Roll up cake and towel together, starting with narrow end. Cool on wire rack.
In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese, powdered sugar, butter and vanilla extract until smooth. Carefully unroll cake; remove towel. Spread cream cheese mixture over cake. Reroll cake. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least one hour.  It will still ooze a bit at this stage but is set up enough you can manage.  The next day it will cut beautifully though.  Sprinkle with icing sugar if there are flaws you want to hide.