The holidays are upon us once again, and one thing all winter holidays seem to have in common is food, glorious food. The temptation to overindulge is strong this time of year, but as we celebrate, it’s wise to heed to words of the ancient Greek poet, Hesiod, and remember, “Moderation is best in all things,” (even during this festive time of year).
This week’s recipe contains a cup of pureed pumpkin or other winter squash, and so, is arguably healthful. Winter squash is rich in antioxidants and antiinflammatory compounds including high levels of α and β carotene and vitamin C, offers lots of fiber, and is being studied for its role in cancer prevention. It was sent to CCSA as part of a series of emails from our resident chef, Dr. Linda Doody. She has been sharing her extensive collection of favorite recipes with friends, family, and the CCSA team as a means of maintaining connections during the COVID-19 pandemic.
You can catch our other winter squash recipes here, here, and here.
“Life is short. Eat dessert first.”
Jacques Torres
Pumpkin Roll With Cream Cheese Filling
From the Farmers Market, Richard Sax with Sandra Gluck (1986)
Ingredients
- Pumpkin Cake
- 4 eggs, room temperature
- ¾ cup sugar, plus more as needed
- 1 Tbsp honey
- ¾ cup flour (all-purpose flour is fine)
- 1¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsweetened pumpkin purée, fresh or canned (if you use fresh pumpkin, try kabocha or sugar pie. To cook a pumpkin for purée, cut in half, scoop out the seeds and any stringy flesh, and either bake in the oven [cut side down] or steam in a large pot until the flesh is soft and coming away from the skin. Purée the flesh in a blender or food processor. Canned pumpkin can actually be made from 1 or more types of winter squash, such as butternut, Hubbard, Boston Marrow, or Golden Delicious. These squash varieties can be less stringy, sweeter, and richer in color than pumpkin. Libby’s brand does use a strain of Dickinson pumpkin that the company developed; it has especially creamy flesh but is more closely related to butternut squash than pumpkin)
- 4 Tbsp (½ stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
- Cream Cheese Filling
- 9 ounces cream cheese, softened slightly (try to find a cream cheese without stabilizers, such as the Gina Marie brand)
- 6 Tbsp unsalted butter (¾ stick), softened slightly
- 1 cup sifted confectioners (powdered) sugar, plus more for garnish
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Pumpkin Cake
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 10½×15½-inch jellyroll pan. Line the bottom of the pan with a sheet of wax or parchment paper; butter the paper. Flour the pan, shaking out excess. Set aside.
- In an electric mixer at medium-high speed, beat eggs, sugar, and honey until very pale, fluffy, and tripled in volume, about 8 minutes. Meanwhile, sift flour with cinnamon, baking soda, and salt onto a sheet of wax paper; set aside.
- When the egg mixture is ready, lower the speed and beat in pumpkin purée. Remove the mixture from the electric mixer. Gently fold in the flour mixture, adding in 2 or 3 additions. Work fairly quickly and do not overmix once the flour is added. Fold a little of the cake batter into the melted butter; then gently fold the butter mixture into the batter without overmixing. Transfer the batter to the prepared cake pan, smoothing gently with a spatula.
- Bake until the sides shrink slightly from the edges of the pan and the surface of the cake is set and slightly springy when pressed gently, about 15 minutes. Transfer the cake to a wire rack and cool about 3 minutes. Sprinkle the surface of the cake with a fine layer of granulated sugar. Lay a large sheet of wax or parchment paper on the surface of the cake. Top with the back of a large baking sheet; invert the cake quickly but carefully onto the baking sheet. Lift off the baking pan and carefully peel away the paper and discard. Starting with a long side, gently roll the cake around the clean wax or parchment paper while still warm, using the paper to help you roll. Cool completely.
- Cream Cheese Filling
- In an electric mixer, beat together cream cheese and butter until light; add confectioners’ sugar gradually, beating until smooth. Beat in vanilla and set aside.
- Pumpkin Roll with Cream Cheese Filling
- Very carefully unroll the cake. With a spatula, spread the exposed surface of the cake with the cream cheese filling, leaving a slight border all around. Reserve a few spoonsful of the filling. Gently roll the cake into a compact cylinder, using the wax paper to help you roll (but this time, do not roll the paper into the cake). Transfer the cake to a serving platter, seam side down. Spread the ends of the cake with reserved filling; chill the pumpkin roll.
- With a serrated knife, neatly trim off the ends of the cake roll, cutting on a slight diagonal. Sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar. Cut in 1-inch thick slices and serve.