favorite yule log

Instructions

Cake:
Have ready: clean lint-free dish towel and cookie sheet larger than jelly
roll pan. Preheat oven to 400; prepare 10″x15″x1″ jelly roll pan by greasing
it, lining bottom and sides with wax paper, and greasing wax paper.
Bring eggs to room temperature and separate. Mix flour, baking powder, and
salt; set aside. Beat yolks until thick and pale. Gradually add 6T sugar,
beating well after each addition. Mixture should fall in thick ribbon when
beaters are lifted. Add vanilla and beat again. With clean dry beaters, beat
egg whites until foamy.
Gradually add remaining sugar, beating constantly, until whites stand in
firm, glossy, moist peaks. Fold 1/3 whites into yolk mixture to lighten it,
then fold remaining whites in too. Gradually fold dry ingredients into egg
mixture; fold in gently but thoroughly. Spread batter evenly in prepared pan
making sure to get it into the corners.
Put pan into oven immediately. Bake 10-12 minutes, just until cake is golden
on top and tester comes out clean. Do not over bake. Remove from oven;
working quickly, cover jelly roll pan FIRST with clean towel, then with
inverted cookie sheet. Turn over pan, towel, and sheet to turn out cake.
Remove jelly roll pan; peel off wax paper. Slide towel and cake onto counter
cake is wrong side up. Cut off any crisp edges, fold one end of towel over
short end of cake, and roll cake in towel. Place rolled cake seam side down
on wire rack or cookie sheet to cool completely.
BUTTERCREAM FILLING:
Combine sugar, egg yolk, salt, vanilla, and cream; beat for 8 minutes at
medium speed. Without washing beaters, cream butter until light. Add yolk
mixture a little at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually add
powdered sugar, beating well after each addition. Set basic buttercream
aside. If necessary, thin with a little more cream to bring to very
spreadable consistency.
MOCHA SILK FROSTING:
Powder instant coffee by placing in plastic bag and crushing with rolling
pin. Mix together sugar, cocoa, and coffee. Add remaining ingredients and
beat for 1 minute at medium speed. If necessary, add a little more cream to
make frosting easy to spread.
Unroll cooled cake, leaving it on towel; don’t worry about the cake looking
deflated, it will perk up soon. Spread 1/2 c frosting evenly over cake, all
the way to the edges. Spread 2 c filling over thin layer of frosting,
pushing generous amount into curved end. Roll up again, without towel but
using it to help roll. Place cake, seam side down, on cake plate or tray.
Remove any excess filling from ends and seam edge.
Refrigerate for 1 hour to firm filling. Trim and discard (or eat!) a thin
slice from one end of chilled cake; cut and reserve wedge from other end.
Spread a small amount of filling on top center of cake and press reserved
wedge on it to make the “knothole.”
Frost entire cake with remaining frosting, building frosting up around sides
of “knothole. “Do NOT cover knot hold top! Work frosting as far under roll
as possible. Use the back of spoons or spatulas through frosting to simulate
rough texture of bark. Keep cake refrigerated until serving; it is much
easier to slice when cold and firm.
Before serving, surround cake with holly and cranberries.