Gluten-Free Pumpkin Roll with Orange Cream Cheese Filling

This gluten-free pumpkin roll is so delicious, no one will suspect that it does not contain wheat flour.

Alternate instructions are included if you prefer to use wheat flour.

This recipe can be made ahead and stored in the freezer.

Cake:

3 large eggs, separated
3/4 cup (180 mL) sugar
*1/2 cup (125 mL) fine ground brown rice flour
*1/4 cup (60 mL) tapioca flour
*1 tsp (5 mL) powdered egg replacer
*1/4 tsp (1 mL) guar gum
[or]
1 tsp (5 mL) baking powder
1 tsp (5 mL) ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp (0.5 mL) nutmeg
Pinch of salt
2/3 cup (160 mL) canned solid pack pumpkin
2 Tbsp (30 mL) freshly squeezed orange juice
1 Tbsp (15 mL) powdered sugar

Filling:

1/3 cup (80 mL) cream cheese, at room temperature
1/3 cup (80 mL) powdered sugar
1 tsp (5 mL) freshly squeezed orange juice
1 tsp (5 mL) zest from organic navel orange
1 tsp (5 mL) vanilla extract
1 cup (250 mL) whipping cream

Preheat oven to 375 F (190 C). Grease a 13 x 9 in (33 x 23 cm) rimmed cookie sheet or jelly roll pan. Cover with parchment paper and allow a little to overhang the ends. Grease parchment paper.

Beat egg whites until stiff.

In a large separate bowl, mix dry ingredients well.

In a third bowl, beat egg yolks until thick.

With a wire whisk, gently fold pumpkin and orange juice into egg yolks. Add to dry mixture and mix just until combined.

Take a quarter of the beaten egg whites and fold into pumpkin mixture. Using the whisk, add remaining egg whites, folding them in carefully.

Pour batter into prepared pan, spreading evenly. Bake until toothpick inserted into centre of cake comes out clean, about 15 minutes.

While the roll is baking, prepare a clean, thin kitchen towel by sifting icing sugar over the surface. When cake is ready, allow to cool on a rack for 5 minutes. Then quickly flip the cake over onto the towel, using the parchment paper to lift it out of the pan. Gently remove the parchment paper. Roll up cake in the towel, starting with the short side of the cake. Allow to cool completely.

While cake is cooling, prepare the filling:

Beat the softened cream cheese with the powdered sugar, on high, until light and fluffy. Add the orange juice, zest, and vanilla; mix until well combined.

In a separate bowl, whip the cream. Fold the cream cheese into the whipped cream.

When cake is completely cool, gently unroll it. Do not worry if there are cracks; they will get filled in with the cream. Spread inner layer of cake with filling and re-roll cake. Place on serving platter and spread remaining cream over the top of the cake.

You may serve immediately as this cake is very moist, but it will set better if allowed to chill for several hours before cutting. To decorate, drizzle some maple syrup over the top of the cake, sprinkle with pumpkin seeds, or arrange thin orange slices on top.

To make ahead:

I have had success freezing the cake (after it has cooled) in the deep freezer for up to two weeks. Unroll the cake and remove the towel. Re-roll using plastic wrap between the roll layers. Put roll into a large, sealable freezer bag. To thaw, remove from freezer and let stand at room temperature for several hours; then proceed with the filling instructions.

Source: alive #305, March 2008