Priceless

Like it was yesterday, I remember it. My Mom would take the thin, flat cake out of the oven and flop it onto a “teatowel” that she had generously sprinkled with powdered sugar. Then she’d roll up the whole thing, towel and all. After the log-shaped bundle cooled, she’d carefully unroll it, gently smear a creamy filling on the cake, and then roll it up again but without the towel. We all loved her pumpkin roll, each slice revealing a beautiful pinwheel design (unlike this one of mine, which could have used another roll or two). How blessed I am to have her handwritten recipe! The old paper’s soft and stained and priceless. ♥

MOM’S PUMPKIN ROLL (I added some of my own notes.)

Cake:
3 eggs
2/3 c. pumpkin (I use canned.)
1 c. sugar
3/4 c. flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
Chopped walnuts (I love the little “x” Mom wrote next to the nuts to indicate she didn’t add them.)

Mix dry ingredients, add eggs.
Beat in pumpkin.
Grease a cookie sheet & line with wax paper.
Spread pumpkin mixture over paper & shake until even.
Sprinkle with chopped nuts & bake at 350° for 15 min.
Place tea towel on counter & sprinkle liberally with powdered sugar.
Flop cookie sheet on sugared area. (Remove wax paper.) Roll tightly in towel.
Cool completely (2-1/2 hours). (Mom wrote another “x” here, perhaps indicating that 2-1/2 hours is not quite accurate.)

Filling:
2 tsp. soft oleo (I learned that oleo is margarine.)
8 oz. cream cheese (I set this out to soften before using.)
1 tsp. vanilla
1 c. powdered sugar

Mix & whip until creamy. Spread on cool cake. Reroll. Refrigerate.
Freezes well. (I wrap the pumpkin roll tightly in foil before freezing.)

[Denise (lyndemc)]

Sweet memories, sweet treat, presented ever so nicely in this picture. Isn't it precious to see her handwriting still, guiding you as you bake for you family. I just made sugar cookies from a recipe card written out for me by my mother-in-law who is now gone; I appreciate seeing her handwriting all the more.

[Monica]

Yummy!

[Milanie]

I have a few of those, too, that I rely on - what a lovely story you made with your picture. (I'd sure like a bite!)

[GaryW]

It looks delicious.

[Sylvia du Toit]

Thanks for sharing.

[Helen Jane]

You brought back memories of my mother doing something similar ... swiss roll. And i made exactly the same error in the rolling, perhaps trying to be too generous with the filling. Love how you have arranged this with your mums recipe next to the finished cake and the dustings of icing sugar.