Ingredients

How to make it

  • Cake:
  • Heat oven to 375°F / 190°C. Line 15x10x1-inch pan with foil or parchment paper; grease lightly with shortening or cooking spray.
  • Prepare a kitchen towel (cotton or linen, not terry): spread it on a flat surface and dust it generously with powdered sugar.
  • Stir together the flour, baking powder and salt; set aside.
  • Beat eggs with electric mixer on high speed about 5 minutes or until very thick and lemon colored.
  • Gradually beat in 1 cup granulated sugar and beat 2 minutes more or until not grainy.
  • Beat in 1/3 cup water and the vanilla on low speed. Gradually add flour, baking powder and salt, beating just until batter is smooth. Pour into pan, spreading batter to corners.
  • Bake 15 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
  • Immediately loosen cake from edges of pan; invert onto towel generously sprinkled with powdered sugar.
  • Carefully remove foil/parchment paper. Trim off stiff edges of cake if necessary.
  • While hot, carefully roll cake and towel up, starting from narrow end. Cool on cooling rack at least 30 minutes.
  • Coffee cream filling:
  • In a small saucepan, place flour and instant coffee; gradually stir in milk until no lumps remain. (Or use a microwaveable bowl.)
  • Cook, over low heat, stirring constantly, until well thickened. (In microwave, cook at 30-second intervals, stirring between each one with a small wire whisk, until smooth and thickened.)
  • Remove from heat and cool, stirring occasionally.
  • Cream butter and shortening well; gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy.
  • Add salt, vanilla and the cooled flour mixture; beat until smooth.
  • Store in fridge until using.
  • Sour-cream chocolate icing:
  • Don't make the icing until just before you want to use it, because it will harden quite quickly; ideal for the "bark" striations of the "log".
  • Melt the chocolate and pour it into a mixing bowl.
  • Add the sour cream all at once and beat furiously until thickened.
  • Beat in just enough butter to make it smooth and spreadable, and use right away.
  • Assembly:
  • Unroll cooled sponge cake and fill with coffee filling, spreading to edges.
  • Re-roll the cake and either chill it at this point until ready to frost, or frost it right away:
  • Using a small spatula, spread icing generously over entire cake, using the edge of the spatula to imitate tree bark.
  • Since the icing recipe makes more than needed for this cake, use some of the extra to form lumps, boles, or twigs on the log. I stuck a bay leaf into it as well, because I had no holly!
  • You can leave as is or decorate further by using thin slivers of chocolate ("lichen") and a light dusting of powdered sugar ("snow").
  • Chill until serving; slice into 12 equal slices and enjoy the raves for both appearance and flavor!

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  • chuckieb 11 years ago
    I learned how to make one of these in High School Home Ec a lonnggggg time ago. Still have the recipe but it is so faded you can't read the measurements properly anymore. This one shall replace it. Looks beautiful. Lovely post!
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