Pumpkin Roll Cake with Maple Cream Cheese Filling and Maple Candied Walnuts

Sunday afternoon we were setting up my Mom's new oasis room. We sent her upstairs with the kids for their nap time and my sister and her husband decorated her new room for her. I had just fell flat on my back on Friday on the ice so I wasn't much help during the heavy lifting part so I started peeking around the pantry to see what I could create for dessert. I found a can of pumpkin and walnuts and in the fridge there was cool whip and some cream cheese. I decided a pumpkin roll cake would be a nice sweet end to a special day. It was a hit. Here is how I made it...

Pumpkin Roll Cake 

3 eggs

1 cup sugar

2/3 cup pumpkin

3/4 cup flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp allspice

1/8 tsp cloves

1/8 tsp ginger

1/2 tsp salt

1. Preheat oven to 375F. Spray jelly roll pan, line with parchment and spray again. 

2. In a medium sized bowl combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and spices. Set aside

3. In a large bowl whisk the eggs and sugar for about 1 minute. Add pumpkin and whisk until combined. 

4. Fold in the dry mixture and pour into prepared pan. Spread out evenly. Bake for 12 minutes.

5. While it is baking lay out a clean kitchen towel and sprinkle with icing sugar. When the cake comes out of the oven run a knife along the edges and turn out onto the towel. Roll the cake in the towel and place on a cooling rack until cool. 

Maple Cream Cheese Filling

1 package cream cheese

1/2 cup Maple Syrup

1 cup Icing sugar

 In a large bowl with electric mixer whip the cream cheese. Add the Icing sugar and Maple syrup and whip until smooth. Place in fridge until ready to assemble cake. 

Maple Candied Walnuts

2 cups walnuts

1/4 cup Maple Syrup

1/2 tsp allspice

In a nonstick skillet toast the walnuts for a couple minutes. Add the maple syrup and allspice. Stir until every nut is coated. Cook over medium high heat until syrup is reduced (approx 5 minutes). Pour onto a piece of parchment and set aside until ready to assemble cake. 

Cake Assembly

Unroll the cake . Spread the cream cheese filling evenly on the whole cake. Gently roll the cake and place on serving tray seam side down. Spread with whipped cream. We used cool whip because it was in the fridge but would be even better with whipped cream. Would be even better with some cinnamon or nutmeg in the whipped cream as well. Top with the candied walnuts. Cut and serve!

I'd tell you how to store it but you are not likely going to have any left anyways!