YULE LOG

I must have been around 12 (it was the year 1992),when we received a yule log for christmas from one of my father's friend. He had bought it from the bakery , obviously!!!!. fancy cakes were always store bought unlike now.

                    It was the first time I had seen such a fancy cake.We called it driftwood cake (coined by my mother). Every single day after eating after school snacks , my brothers  and I  would slice a small piece of the driftwood cake and eat it slowly , enjoying every crumb of it. The taste and smell still lingers  . It was the tastiest cake I had ever eaten. I tried  to recreate the yule trying to get the taste and smell of the yule log that I had eaten , but honestly I could not. Fed up of trying a number of recipes , I just took my black forest cake recipe and converted to a , "black forest yule log".I was content with that for a while . I still kept trying out different variations , to get that childhood taste and arrived at this . 

The plain yule log and black forest yule logs are our favorites and I make this during Christmas. The difference between them is that in black forest yule log ,  whipped cream is used , the cake is soaked in syrup and jam , and the dessert has to be refrigerated. The plain yule log uses plain chocolate frosting and a sponge cake recipe with oil and needs no refrigeration. 

INGREDIENTS:

For the cake

4-egg sponge cake  with oil( This is a variation of my 3-egg sponge cake)

1. 4 eggs
2. 3/4 cup sugar
3. 4 Tbsp water
4. 3/4 tsp plus 1/8 tsp salt(next time 1 tsp)
5. 1 cup flour
6. 1 tsp vanilla essence or (3/4 tsp vanilla essence plus 1/4 tsp pineapple essence)
7. 1/4 cup oil

Frosting - Double the recipe for the yule log

1. 1/3 cup butter
2. 1/3 cup cocoa powder
3. 1/3 cup granulated sugar, powdered(measure 1/3 cup first and then powder it)
4. 3 Tbsp. heavy whipping cream (2 Tbsp. warm water can be used but there will be a difference in the consistency, see notes for more details)
5. salt as per taste(1/8 tsp )
6. 1 Tbsp wine/ brandy/rum/chocolate liqueur( This brings a nice chocolate flavor in the frosting)

METHOD

Prepare the frosting : Double the above recipe 

• This can be made ahead. 
• Soften the butter in the microwave.  For a 1100W M/W oven , heat it at power 3 for 2 minutes. Most of the butter will be soft, a little will be melted but that is ok. 
• To this add the powdered sugar, cocoa, salt, wine and then without turning on the cake mixer , swirl the beaters till the dry ingredients are slightly mixed in and wet.
• Then beat, starting at low speed. Gradually increase the speed and also add the cream/water in intervals till the frosting is fluffy . When everything is mixed in and you get a frosting like consistency , beat the buttercream on high speed till it becomes a shade lighter. About 1 minute on high speed.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  For the cake: 
• I have used a 9 by 13 inch baking pan for baking the cake. 
• Line the pan with parchment paper . 
• Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl to combine; set aside.                                                          
  
• Separate the egg whites and the yolks . Into the yolks , pour vanilla essence and keep aside.
• Pre-heat oven to 225 degree F for 15 minutes. 
• Take the separated egg whites into a bowl, big enough , because it is in that bowl that the rest of the ingredients will be combined. Also the bowl should be clean and dry without a any hint of liquid or fat.






• Beat the egg whites using a cake mixer on high speed  until frothy and the volume has increased  ,about a minute. It won't be stiff at this moment.

• Now on maximum speed beat the egg whites and while beating ,gradually add the sugar , maybe 2 Tbsp. at a time until all the sugar is whipped up.The egg whites should be whipped till stiff peaks are formed.  The egg whites should be stiff such that when you try to swirl the beaters(without turn them on , you will feel the friction ) 

• Put in the egg yolks and essence all at once and  starting at low speed ,beat, increasing the speed to high until the yolks are just incorporated about 5 seconds.
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Then add in the oil and starting at low speed beat, increasing the speed to high until the oil is just incorporated, about 5 seconds. 
  
  
  
• Then add the flour and swirl the flour into the batter using the beaters without turning them on so that the the top of the batter is not powdery anymore. Then beat starting at low speed and increasing to high until the flour is just incorporated. 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Then add the water and again starting at low speed , beat , increasing the speed till the water is just incorporated.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• The batter is ready , now wipe down the batter using a spatula and pour the batter into the prepared tray.
• Level the batter in the tray using the spatula so that the batter is spread evenly.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Bake the cake in a 225 degree F  pre-heated oven for 30 minutes and then increase the temperature to 300 degree F and bake for another 15 minutes. 
  
  
  
• Allow the cake to cool . I do not invert it the cake. I just let it cool in the baking tray.Then loosen the sides of the cake with a knife and then lift the cake with the parchment paper. So with all the sides and the bottom of the cake loose , the cake is ready is to roll. 
• Put dollops of cream on the cake. Spread it out with a spatula evenly. 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Now its time to roll the cake. While preparing to roll , the pan should not be loose as in should not move , so put something firm in front of the pan or do it in front a kitchen wall. You should have good control over the cake pan. 
• Now lift the cake from one end and using both your hands , roll the cake tightly until the you reach the end. The cake might crack a little but that's ok.
• As you roll the cake , loosen the parchment paper and leave it out. The parchment paper should be included in the roll.😃
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

• Now we have the roll . Spread the frosting on the roll to cover the roll. Then using a fork make driftwood designs on the log or just smooth it out with a spatula. Either way works fine. 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Give the cake some settling time of 2 hours before serving. Slice and enjoy.
  
  
  

NOTES

• Rolling the cake takes practice. Be patient and gentle while you roll. 
• It's a small amount of whipping cream that's needed, so if cream is not available use warm water. If using water instead of cream, then increase the butter by 1 Tbsp. That extra Tbsp. of butter is required for an extra lift because water is used instead of cream.
• Pineapple essence is difficult to get in the US. If you have, definitely use it, it gives the cake a very good flavor. 
• The cake needs to be thicker so that it does not crack when rolled, next time double the recipe.