Maple Cream Pumpkin Roll

This recipe is from my friend at SweetAnna’s. I decided last minute to make this for Thanksgiving. Like that morning last minute. But thankfully this super easy recipe turned out great!

I really wanted something maple-y, so I put maple extract instead of vanilla in the filling. Unfortunately I was so stuffed on Thanksgiving that it didn’t even taste good. I decided not to even bother posting it until I tried it again the next day for lunch… It tastes much better when you don’t feel like you are going to explode!  But it is rich and will totally fill you up until supper when you have it for lunch… ;o)
Here’s the recipe. The only thing I changed was the maple extract in the filling.
Ingredients:
for the cake:
1/4 cup powdered sugar (for dusting the towel)
3/4 cup flour
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2/3 cup pumpkin purée
for the filling:
1 (8oz) package cream cheese, room temperature
6 tablespoons butter, softened
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (or maple extract)
2 teaspoons cinnamon
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375ºF.  Line a 10x15" jelly-roll pan with parchment paper and then spray with baking spray.  Sprinkle a clean tea towel with powdered sugar.  Set pan & towel aside.

In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice & salt.
In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs, vanilla & sugar until thick & creamy.  Add in the pumpkin and mix to combine.
Stir in the flour mixture and spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan.
Bake for 13-15 minutes, or until the top of the cake springs back when touched.  Immediately (with oven mitts...  it is hot!) loosen the edges of the cake and turn it out onto the sugared towel. 

Peel off the parchment paper.

Roll up the cake & towel together fairly tightly, starting with a narrow end.

Cool completely on a wire rack.

In another medium bowl, beat the cream cheese, powdered sugar, butter & vanilla until smooth.
Carefully unroll the cooled cake (removing the towel) and spread the cream cheese filling evenly over the cake, coming to about 1/4" away from the edges. 

See, you don’t even see the cracks under the filling… ;o)

Reroll the cake, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least one hour.

This cake can be stored in the fridge up to 5 days, or wrapped well in plastic and foil - in the freezer for several weeks!