When I started Cherbourg Bakery, my hope was to make food that people love and keep coming back to again and again. My starting lineup was a lemon bar, a brownie, and a chocolate chip cookie. I knew none of these items would win contests for inventiveness or exotic flavor profiles. They were familiar favorites, found at cookouts and in lunch boxes everywhere. But when I made the switch to eating and baking gluten-free, I found the familiar was suddenly hard to find and I knew others missed the old standby treats, as well. Food is best when shared and bonded over. Making treats that can be enjoyed by all has been my focus these past nine (+) years and I’m so grateful to the lovely humans that agree or at least acquiesce.

In the vein of familiar favorites, I’ve decided to tackle the ever-loved, ever-loving pumpkin roll. In my research, I was thrilled to find that every recipe was more or less a riff on the recipe from the back of the Libby’s can. When a recipe works and it’s worked in innumerable kitchens, even this gluten-free and nut-free one, I am on board. Once we finished shooting, I placed the pumpkin roll in our display and half of it had sold before Elisa even had time to put away her camera. You can create this same effect in your kitchen or on your Thanksgiving table. And it’s up to you whether or not your friends and family know it’s gluten-free and nut-free. It’s just darn good and that’s something everyone can get on board with (you can even make it dairy-free if you sub out the filling for a non-dairy frosting).

I hope you make this wonderful gluten-free pumpkin roll and if you do, please tell me all about it. Heck, bring me a slice if there are any left. Stay-tuned, our Thanksgiving menu will soon be out, and as always there are classics and twists. Good food affords so many opportunities to connect. I treasure every step of the process, with the people I work with and the people we bake for, so lucky to call this work.

Be Sweet &

see you soon,

Geri

Pumpkin Roll

Ingredients

For the Cake:

• 1/4 C. powdered sugar (for towel)

• 3/4 C. Cherbourg flour

• 1/2 tsp. baking powder

• 1/2 tsp. baking soda

• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

• 1/4 tsp. cloves

• 1/4 tsp. ginger

• 1/4 tsp. salt

• 3 large eggs

• 1 C. sugar

• 2/3 C. pure pumpkin puree

For the Filling:

• 8 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature

• 3 oz. butter, at room temperature

• 1 C. powdered sugar

• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

• additional powdered sugar for sifting

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375° F. Butter a 15 x 10 in. jelly roll pan and line with parchment paper*. Butter paper. Spread a clean kitchen towel on table and sprinkle with 1/4 C. powdered sugar.

2. Combine all dry ingredients in a medium-sized bowl. In a large bowl, add granulated sugar. Add eggs one at a time, whisking after each addition. Beat in pumpkin. Fold dry mixture into wet and pour into prepared pan. Smooth evenly.

3. Bake for 13-15 minutes. Immediately after removing from oven, carefully invert cake onto the kitchen towel and remove parchment paper. Sprinkle cake with powdered sugar and roll it, starting with the narrow end. Allow to cool completely on wire rack.

4. Beat cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla together until smooth. Carefully unroll cake. Spread filling evenly over cake and gently (but quickly) re-roll it. Wrap pumpkin roll in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour (I recommend overnight).

5. Unwrap pumpkin roll. sprinkle powdered sugar on top, and slice. Enjoy!

*I used a 15 x 10 in. glass dish, which worked fine but a jelly roll pan is preferable here.