Yule Log Cake
Ingredients:
Chocolate cake:
4 eggs, separated and room temperature
½ cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
½ cup cake flour
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon espresso powder
¼ teaspoon salt
Chocolate ganache frosting:
8 ounces bittersweet or dark chocolate, chopped
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
¾ cup heavy cream
Whipped cream filling:
1 cup heavy cream
¼ cup powdered sugar, more or less, to taste
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
Instructions:
Chocolate cake:
Preheat oven to 350°F and line a 10×15 baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
In the large bowl of a stand mixer, whip egg whites until soft peaks form. Set aside.4 eggs
In a separate large bowl, whisk together egg yolks and sugar until well combined and a pale yellow color. Add vanilla and whisk to combine. Set aside.4 eggs |½ cup granulated sugar |1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
In a medium bowl, whisk together cake flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, espresso powder, and salt.½ cup cake flour |¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder |1 teaspoon baking powder |½ teaspoon espresso powder |¼ teaspoon salt
Add the dry mixture to the bowl of egg yolk mixture and stir to combine – it will be very thick!
Add half of the egg whites to the mixture and stir vigorously to combine completely.
Gently fold in the other half of the egg whites. Take your time and, again, be gentle – you don’t want to eliminate all the air you whipped into them.
Pour batter onto the prepared pan, gently using a spatula to evenly distribute the batter.
Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the cake is spongey and bounces back when touched. Be careful not to overbake.
Tip: I like to use my flour sifter so that it’s a relatively even layer and I don’t miss any spots!While it’s baking, lay out a flour sack or kitchen towel on the counter and sprinkle it with a layer of powdered sugar.
Let the cake cool for a minute on the baking sheet, then carefully turn it out onto the towel and remove the parchment paper from the bottom.
Starting from one of the short ends, roll the cake up (rolling the towel with it as you go). Lay the wrapped cake seam side down and let cool completely.
Chocolate ganache frosting:
While the cake is baking, make the ganache. In a small heatproof bowl, combine chocolate, butter, vanilla and salt.8 ounces bittersweet or dark chocolate |1 tablespoon unsalted butter |1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract |Pinch of salt
In a small saucepan, heat the heavy cream over low heat until you see the edges start to bubble. Remove from heat and pour over the bowl of chocolate mixture. Let sit for 5 minutes, then stir until completely combined and smooth. Set aside to cool (or place in the fridge until you’re ready to use it – you’ll just need to give it a stir once you take it out before you can frost the cake).¾ cup heavy cream
Whipped cream filling:
In the large bowl of a stand mixer, whip heavy cream until soft peaks form.1 cup heavy cream
Add powdered sugar (to taste) and vanilla and whip until stiff peaks form. Set aside.¼ cup powdered sugar |1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
Assemble the cake roll:
Once the cake is completely cooled, carefully unroll it. Using a spatula, add an even layer of the whipped cream filling to the top of the cake, leaving about ½″ of space on the edges.
Gently re-roll the cake and then move it, seam side down, to a serving platter.
Use a spatula to coat the outside of the roll with the chocolate ganache frosting, on all sides.
Time to make it look like a log! Here are a few suggestions:- Use a fork to drag lines down the ends and across the top, lengthwise.- Use a toothpick or skewer to draw lines lengthwise across the top, and in spirals on the ends.- Use a small spatula to give it some wavy texture.
Let set, then garnish! My personal favorite is to top it with fresh cranberries and rosemary sprigs, then a coating of powdered sugar. Slice, serve and enjoy!
