Pumpkin Log

4 eggs
1 cup pure pumpkin
1 1/3 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup selfrising flour
1/3 cup finely chopped pecans, optional
24 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1 stick (8 Tablespoons) butter, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 cups powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 375°.

Line a 12 x 17” baking pan (like a jelly roll pan) with parchment paper, then spray the paper with a nonstick spray. Set aside.

Mix together the eggs, pumpkin, sugar, cinnamon, and selfrising flour. Spread evenly on the parchment paper lined baking pan. Sprinkle the top of the cake with pecan pieces, if you are using them. Bake 15 to 20 minutes, just until the cake is done and springs back when lightly touched. Remove from the oven.

Immediately sprinkle the top of the cake with powdered sugar, making sure it’s completely covered. Cover the cake with a clean tea towel. Flip the cake upside down onto the towel. Remove the pan and the parchment paper. Starting at a short end, gently roll up the cake (with the tea towel) in a jelly roll fashion. Allow the cake to cool on your counter for 30 minutes, then place in the refrigerator for one hours.

For the filling, using an electric mixer, beat together the room temperature cream cheese, room temperature butter, vanilla, and 3 cups powdered sugar. The filling should be of spreading consistency. If it is thinner than a typical frosting, add another 1/4 cup of powdered sugar at a time until it is a spreading consistency. Unroll the cake, spread with the cream cheese filling, and reroll the cake with cream cheese filling inside (of course you will not reroll the tea towel this time. Leave it out). Place the log back in the refrigerator for the filling to firm up. When ready to serve, remove a thin slice off each end for a prettier presentation. Dust with more powdered sugar.