I really did try

I did a bit o' baking this weekend. I made a pumpkin cake, but didn't care for it. My husband and boys liked it, but I thought it could be better. I also bought a package of mint/chocolate swirled chips and tried the recipe for mint brownies on the back of the package. It could use some improvement.


I also made a Pumpkin roll. It looks a little sloppy, but I have an excuse. I didn't wait long enough for it to cool. It tastes the same, it's just not going to leave the house in this condition.

CAKE:
1/4 cup powdered sugar (to sprinkle on towel)
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
3 large eggs
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup Pumpkin Puree
1 cup walnuts chopped, (optional)

FILLING:
8-oz. (1 pkg.) cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
6 tablespoons butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup powdered sugar (optional)

FOR CAKE:
heat oven to 375̊F. Grease 15 x 10-inch jelly-roll pan; line with wax paper. Grease and flour the paper. Sprinkle a thin, cotton kitchen towel generously with powdered sugar.
Whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in small bowl. Beat eggs and sugar in large mixer bowl until thick. Beat in the pumpkin. Stir in flour mix. Spread evenly into prepared pan. Sprinkle with nuts, if using.
Bake for 13 to 15 minutes at 375F or until top of cake springs back when touched. Immediately loosen and turn cake onto prepared towel. Carefully peel off paper. Roll up cake and towel together, starting with narrow end. Cool on wire rack.

FOR FILLING: Beat cream cheese, powdered sugar, butter and vanilla extract in small mixer bowl until smooth. Carefully unroll cake and remove towel. Spread cream cheese mixture over cake. Reroll cake. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least one hour. Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving.

My 2 year old helped me make some shortbread, he mixed and poured the powdered sugar on top.

1 cup butter, soften
1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup powdered sugar
2 cups all- purpose flour


preheat oven to 325F
Cream the butter, then add the sugars and cream well.
Slowly add the flour, stiring until smooth
Using your hands, press the dough into a 9 inch pie pan or short bread mold
Bake for 40 minutes, until golden in color. cool in the pan. Loosen the edges by running a kife around the inside of pan, turn out onto serving platter. cut into wedges.