Recipe: Amazing Banana Nut Roll (cake and filling baked together)

AMAZING BANANA NUT ROLL

"Shaping a jelly roll used to be a multi-step process - rolling, cooling, fillling, and rerolling. Now you can bake the cake and filling together and roll just once."

FOR THE FILLING:
1 (8-ounce) plus 1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup and 1/3 cup granulated sugar, divided use
1 egg
FOR THE CAKE BATTER:
3 tablespoons milk
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
4 egg yolks
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 large banana, mashed (about 1/2 cup)
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts or pecans
4 egg whites
1/2 cup granulated sugar
Sifted powdered sugar (for rolling)
1 recipe Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting (recipe follows)
Chocolate-flavored syrup (optional, for serving)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly grease a 15x10x1-inch baking pan. Line bottom with waxed paper; grease paper. Set aside.

TO MAKE THE FILLING:
In a small mixing bowl combine cream cheese and the 1/2 cup granulated sugar; beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Add whole egg and milk; beat until combined. Spread in the prepared pan; set aside.

TO MAKE THE CAKE BATTER:
In a medium mixing bowl stir together flour, baking powder, and baking soda; set aside.

In a medium mixing bowl beat egg yolks and vanilla on medium speed about 5 minutes or until thick and lemon colored. Gradually add the 1/3 cup granulated sugar, beating until sugar is dissolved. Stir in banana and nuts; set aside.

Thoroughly wash the beaters. In a large mixing bowl beat the egg whites on medium speed until soft peaks form (tips curl). Gradually add the 1/2 cup granulated sugar, beating on high speed until stiff peaks form (tips stand straight). Fold yolk mixture into egg whites.

Sprinkle the flour mixture evenly over egg white mixture; fold in just until blended. Carefully spread the batter evenly over the filling in the pan.

Bake in a 375 degree F oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until the top springs back when lightly touched. Immediately loosen cake from sides of pan and turn out onto a towel sprinkled with powdered sugar. Carefully peel off paper. Starting with a short side, roll up cake, using towel as a guide but not rolling towel into cake. Cool completely on rack.

Spread top of cooled roll with Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting. If desired, drizzle with chocolate-flavored syrup.

VANILLA CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
Makes about 1/2 cup frosting

half of a (3-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup unsifted powdered sugar
1 to 2 tablespoons milk

In a small mixing bowl combine cream cheese and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla; beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in powdered sugar. Beat in enough milk to make a frosting of spreading consistency.

Makes 10 servings
Source: Better Homes and Gardens Complete Book of Baking