Coffee, Caramel & Cream

Did you know that this past Saturday was a holiday?


Whole wheat pumpkin waffles with an apple caramel topping! It was sensational. Such a treat for this tired mommy. I felt like I was at a bed and breakfast and asked if I could sleepover, even if it meant cuddling up on their couch with their labrador, Zoe, whom I fell in love with and baby talked to the entire time I was there.

We made a trip to the grocery store for our ingredients, got sidetracked at Fresh Market because they were offering samples of pumpkin treats (we may have been the creepy girls stalking the sample table trying to wait nonchalantly for new samples to be sliced up). Then Jenna suggested we go next door and grab a bottle of wine. (Does she know the way to my heart or what?!)

BTW we decided that a Riesling was the best complement to pumpkin roll. Your thoughts?

                                       

Back at her house we got our supplies in place.



Now I have been making pumpkin rolls for about 7 years. For some reason this time I wanted to try adding wax paper to the bottom of the pan to help with flipping them off onto the towel.  Let me save you some time and aggravation - it did NOT work. It was terrible, stuck to them, and made the rolls burn on the bottom. We had to trash the whole first batch. It broke our little pumpkin loving hearts to do so, but they weren't salvageable. Lesson learned: If it's not broke, don't fix it!!! So please ignore the wax paper you see in some of the pictures.

Roll Ingredients:

• 3 eggs
• 1 cup of sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2/3 cup pumpkin
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 3/4 cup flour 

Filling Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp. softened butter
• 1 block of softened cream cheese
• 3/4 tsp. vanilla
• 1 cup powered sugar

Directions:

Put on some festive holiday music. Jenna asked me if I wanted Sinatra Christmas, Bing Crosby, or Soft Rock Christmas. "Jenna", I sighed, "You had me at Sinatra."

Preheat oven to 375 degrees (if your oven is usually pretty strong (like Jenna's) you may need to lower the temperature to 360 degrees.

Butter your jelly roll pan (or cookie sheet with edges).

Mix together the roll ingredients.
                           
                                

Pour into the pan and spread evenly. It's going to seem thin, but don't worry it rises and spreads out.

                                               

Bake for 12-15 minutes. We were able to make 4 at one time!

                                           

With a spatula loosen the edges and do the best you can to be sure the bottom is detached from the pan.

                                   
Make a clean (lint free) dish towel wet and squeeze out the extra water. Lay it on the table.

With care, flip the pan so that the cake falls onto the towel.

                                   

Roll up the cake into the towel.

                                     
Let cool about 20-25 minutes.

                          

Mix up the filling ingredients.

                                   

Unwrap the towel and spread filling evenly over the cake.

                                

As tightly as you can, roll the cake (without the towel this time) up.

                          

Place (seam down) into a sheet of tin foil and tightly wrap it.

                                       

Cool in refrigerator for at least 8 hours before eating. (It has to bond together)

This recipe makes ONE roll. It is so easy to make multiple rolls at the same time like we did. Just keep one in your refrigerator and the rest in the freezer until you need them. Perfect for the times you have holiday guests or need to bring something to a party!

Make sure your dog doesn't swipe any of your cream cheese blocks like Zoe did!


Look at that face!!! How could you even be mad?
                            
If by chance you have any left over filling, feel free to make creative snacks like Jenna did.