Gluten-Free Pumpkin Roll

Before my life as a celiac, I was never a big dessert person. Give me pickles, olives, jerky, meat, cheese any day over dessert. I’d rather eat my way through the salt section than the sweet section.

But, once gluten was no longer part of my diet and as I surveyed the, at that time, barren landscape of gluten-free flours and mixes available to me, suddenly sweets and desserts were something I really desired. Craved. Needed. Take away a person’s choice on whether to eat something or not and it’s been my experience that no choice = craving things that were distasteful or not desired before.

I don’t do well with corn so mixes containing corn were out. Peas and beans? No way. Those make me terribly sick. For some reason going so long undiagnosed has left me with an inability to digest heavy fibers. All beans and peas are out and so are the mixes and/or products made with these flours and grains. I’m not partial to buckwheat or some of the other more “flavorful” gluten-free flours. And at that time (this was 6+ years go) the items made with rice flour were gritty, dense, gross.

And so, my new found craving for sweets went unsatisfied.

Fast forward to my discovering Tom Sawyer Gluten-Free Flour. Suddenly the impossible was possible! I could make cookies, cakes, pies, bars to my heart’s content. And I could once again enjoy sponge cake. Heavenly!

The Pumpkin Roll is my favorite sponge cake recipe. I adore pumpkin foods and this time of the year is my favorite. Spices, pumpkin, cream cheese… so very delicious.

This recipe is fool-proof and very very simple. If you’ve never attempted a roll before, no worries. You really cannot mess this one up!

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Roll
requires large or 1/2 sheet cookie sheet

4 large eggs
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup canned pumpkin (not the spiced/sugared version)
3/4 cup gluten-free flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cloves
1/4 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp salt

Filling
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 cups powdered sugar, softened
1/4 cup butter
1 tsp vanilla or almond extract

Mix all ingredients (except filling) until smooth and well-mixed. Make sure no lumps are left.

Grease baking sheet and then line with waxed or parchment paper. Grease and flour paper.

Pour the batter onto the greased/floured paper and spread until smooth and even. Bake at 375F for 12-14 minutes or until top springs back when touched.

While cake is baking, lay a thin kitchen towel on countertop and sprinkle liberally with powdered sugar. Remove cake from oven and turn upside down on top of towel so cake is now lying on the powdered sugar. Peel paper off and starting at one end, roll cake up, with the towel. (roll from narrow end, not the long side)

To make filling: combine all ingredients and beat until smooth.

Let rest until completely cooled. Unroll and spread filling evenly over cake and then re-roll, minus towel this time. Wrap in foil and let sit in frig for an hour or two for best results.

Enjoy!

You can make this dairy free by filling with your favorite non-dairy topping or filling.