Delicious Pumpkin Dessert Ideas

With Halloween around the corner, pumpkins are abundant and available on almost every street corner. Pumpkins aren't just for carving, slicing, or decorating. Freshly baked pumpkin pies, pumpkin rolls, muffins, and chocolate-pumpkin cookies are delicious additions to any fall harvest feast.

As one of the most popular crops in the United States, 1.5 billion pounds of pumpkins are produced each year. Pumpkins are a warm weather crop that is usually planted in early July. The specific conditions necessary for growing pumpkins require that soil temperatures are at least 60 degrees fahreinheit and are planted three inches deep. From: Wikipedia

Pumpkins are very versatile in their uses for cooking. Most parts of the pumpkins are edible including the fleshy shell, the seeds, the leaves, and even the flowers. Although many of us use store bought canned pumpkin, homemade pumpkin puree's are delicious and versatile as well.

When ripe, pumpkins can be boiled, baked, steamed or roasted. Many of us with children scoop out the pumpkin seeds, sprinkle with salt and bake for a unique and delicious snack.

One of my family's favorite pumpkin dessert and crowd pleaser is a pumpkin roll. It's moist and creamy with a tantalizing aroma and beautiful presentation. Here is the recipe:

Libby's Pumpkin Roll

Ingredients:

1/4 cup powdered sugar (to sprinkle on towel)

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 large eggs

1 cup granulated sugar

2/3 cup Libby's 100% canned pumpkin

1 cup chopped walnuts, (optional)

Filling

1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese              1 cup powdered sugar, sifted

6 tablespoons butter or margarine     1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Powdered sugar (optional for decoration)

Directions:

For Cake: Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease 15x10 inch jelly-roll pan and line with wax paper. Grease and flour paper. Sprinkle a thin, cotton towel with powdered sugar.

Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves and salt in a small bowl. Beat eggs and granulated sugar in large mixer bowl until thick. Beat in pumpkin and stir in flour mixture. Spread evenly into prepared pan. Sprinkle with walnuts, (optional).

Bake for 13-15 minutes or until top of cake springs back when touched. Immediately loosen and turn cake onto prepared towel. Carefully peel off wax paper. Roll up cake and towel together, starting with narrow end. Cool on wire rack.

For Filling:

Beat cream cheese, 1 cup powdered sugar, butter and vanilla extract in small mixer bowl until smooth. Carefully unroll cake and spread cream cheese mixture over cake. Reroll cake and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least one hour. Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving, if desired. Slice and serve with dollop of whip cream or fruit on the side.

From: www.allrecipes.com

Enjoy!