Pumpkin Swiss Roll with Maple Candied Pecans

This recipe is well worth every minute you spend making it.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

Ingredients

Cake

• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin spice
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 eggs (room temperature)
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger
• 2/3 cup fresh organic pumpkin purée
• Powdered sugar for dusting

Filling

• 1 cup roughly chopped pecans
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons pure Vermont maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon fresh orange zest
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 (8 ounce) package Cabot Cream Cheese, softened
• 6 tablespoons Cabot Unsalted Butter, softened
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Cake

1. Grease and line a 10 x 15 inch standard rimmed jelly roll pan with parchment paper.
2. Mix the flour, cinnamon, pumpkin spice, nutmeg, baking powder, cardamom and salt in a mixing bowl. Sift the ingredients if necessary.
3. Crack the eggs in a separate mixing bowl and add the light brown sugar. Whisk together the eggs and sugar vigorously until foamy and light in color. Beat in the pumpkin purée and grated ginger until thoroughly incorporated. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture. Mix the batter well until no lumps remain.
4. Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pan, ensuring it reaches every corner. Bake the cake for 15 minutes until soft and springy to touch, or an inserted wooden pick comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool at room temperature for 3 minutes in the pan. Gently loosen the edges of the cake by running a knife along the sides. Slide the cake with the parchment paper out of the pan onto a clean surface.
5. Grease another large piece of parchment paper, enough to cover the cake. Place the second greased piece of parchment paper on top of the cake, so it is sandwiched between both sheets. Working from the shorter 10-inch end, gently roll up the cake using your hands as if you’re rolling up a piece of paper. It shouldn’t be too tight, but at least 2 to 3 complete rolls. Allow the rolled cake to cool completely in the fridge with the parchment paper sheets.

Filling

1. Prepare the filling by adding the pecans, brown sugar, maple syrup, ground cinnamon, orange zest, sea salt and water to a small skillet over low-medium heat. Once the sugar melts and bubbles, stir the pecans constantly and reduce the heat to low. Continue to stir until the sugar has become syrupy and reduced and all the pecans are evenly coated. When there is no longer any liquid, and the pecans are glossy, remove the skillet from the heat. Transfer the pecans to a plate lined with parchment paper to cool completely. If they have begun to stick together like taffy, gently break them up with your hands or a knife.
2. Continue to prepare the filling by combining the cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar and pure vanilla extract into a medium-size mixing bowl. Whisk the ingredients together until creamy and smooth. If there are any lumps, allow the filling to sit in the sun or a warm place for 10 minutes and continue to whisk until light and fluffy.

Assembly

1. Assemble the cake by gently unrolling the cake and removing the top piece of parchment paper. Evenly spread the cream cheese filling over the entire cake. Sprinkle the cooled candied pecans evenly over the cream cheese filling. From the shorter end, re-roll the cake with the filling inside, removing it from the bottom layer of parchment.
2. Place the cake seam side down onto a serving plate. Trim both ends with a serrated knife for a clean finish. Generously dust the top with powdered sugar to serve.
3. Store any remaining cake in the refrigerator.

Attribution

Recipe and photo used with permission from: Cabot Creamery Co-operative