Pumpkin Roulade with Ginger Buttercream

Here is a wonderful holiday dessert that your family and friends will be talking about long after your special meal is over. It’s a great alternative to traditional pumpkin pie and can even be made days in advance. A roulade is a dish that is served up as a roll; usually a slice of meat that has some type of cheese filling. This sweet version is made with a thin slice of pumpkin spice cake and filled with a mascarpone and ginger cream.

In order for this roulade to turn out you have to follow the instructions precisely. For example, after baking the cake, you want to roll it when the cake is still warm, if you don’t it will crack. I had problems with the cake sticking to the towel, next time I will let the cake cool for a least an hour before removing. I think it will take me another time or two to get this technique down and believe me I will be making this again. It looks impressive and tastes even better!

This recipe has been adapted from "Barefoot Contessa, Back To Basics" cookbook, by Ina Garten.

Ingredients:

Cake:

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 extra-large eggs, at room temperature

1 cup sugar

3/4 cup canned pumpkin

1/4 cup confectioners' sugar (sifted), plus extra for topping

Filling:

12 ounces Mascarpone cheese

1 1/4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar

2 tablespoons heavy cream

1/4 cup dried crystallized ginger (minced).

To prepare:

Preheat oven to 375F. Grease a 13" x 18" x 1" sheet pan. Line the pan with parchment paper and then grease and flour the paper.

Add and whisk all dry ingredients together in a small bowl, flour, baking powder, baking salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and salt. Set aside.

In a stand or hand mixer, combine eggs and sugar, then blend on medium high speed for 3 minutes, (until thickened and pale yellow in color). Add pumpkin puree and dry ingredients, then blend until just incorporated. Remove bowl and finish mixing batter by hand. Pour into prepared pan. Bake 10 to 12 minutes. The top of the cake should spring back when touched.

**Do this while cake is baking**

Lay a clean, thin cotton dish towel on counter (flat surface) and sift the 1/4 cup of confectioners' sugar evenly on top of the towel. This helps prevent cake from sticking to the towel. Right after removing cake from oven; loosen the edges with a sharp knife and invert in onto the prepped towel.

Carefully peel the parchment paper away. Then roll the warm cake and towel lightly together, starting at the short ends of the cake. Allow to cool completely!

Next, the filling. In your stand or hand held mixer combine mascarpone, confectioners' sugar and cream together for about 1 minute. Add crystallized sugar. Set aside.

Carefully unroll the cake unto a board. Place spoonfuls of the butter cream mixture all over the cake. Smooth evenly with the flat side of a butter knife. Roll carefully, using the towel as a guide. Trim each end to make a straight edge. Dust with confectioners' sugar. Slice and enjoy!