Carrot Cake Roll

Cake Roll Ingredients

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
4 large eggs, at room temperature
Egg White from one additional egg, room temperature
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4  tsp ground nutmeg
1 2/3 cups finely shredded carrots
Powdered sugar, for dusting

Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients

6 oz cream cheese, not softened
6 Tbsp butter, softened
2 1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Green, yellow and red liquid food colors
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts (optional)

Directions

Cake
Heat oven to 350.  Coat bottom and sides of a small cookie sheet (15 1/2 x 10 1/2 x 1 inch) with nonstick spray.  Line bottom with wax paper, spray paper.

Beat eggs, egg white, granulated sugar, vanilla and spices in a large bowl with mixer on high speed 8 to 10 min until think and tripled in volume.  Fold in Carrots.

In a separate small bowl stir flower, baking powder, and salt until combined.  Holding strainer over the large bowl containing the egg mixture, shake or sift flower mixture over egg mixture.  With a rubber spatula, fold into eggs until just blended.  Spread into prepared pan

Bake 15 minutes, or until a wooded pick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Cool in pan on a wire rack 5 min, or until pan is just cool enough to handle.

Using a clean kitchen towel, spread towel on counter top and dust powdered sugar evenly over it, cover area the size of the cake.  Invert cake on towel, remove pan; carefully peel off paper.  Dust cake with powdered sugar.  Starting at a narrow end, roll up cake and towel.  Place on wire rack; cool completely.

Frosting
Beat Cream cheese and butter in large bowl with mixer on medium speed until blended and smooth.  On low speed beat in powdered sugar and vanilla until blended; increase speed to medium and beat one minute.  Remove 3 Tbsp to a cup; cover and refrigerate remaining frosting until firm.

For carrot decoration use the 3 Tbsp of reserved frosting.  Split into 2 bowls, add a drop of green to one and a drop of red plus a drop of yellow to the other.  Scrape each color into Ziploc bags.  Seal and refrigerate until ready to use.

To assemble
Carefully unroll log.  Spread evenly with 1 1/3 cups frosting.  Roll up from same end as before, using a towel as an aid.  Carefully transfer cake to platter, coat with remaining frosting. and sprinkle with nuts.  Refrigerate 20 min before piping carrots onto nuts.  Snip off corner of each Ziploc bag of colored frosting and pipe carrots and carrot tops randomly on cake.  Refrigerate until serving.  Planning tip: can be made up to 2 days ahead.  Refrigerate loosely covered.

*Notes:  I did not use the nuts because I was making it for someone who has allergies to them.  I used up all the frosting inside my roll before I realized I was supposed to reserve some for the top and had to make additional frosting for the top, which makes my roll thicker in picture.  Also, I made this one day in advance,  allowing the flavors and texture to have time to combine