French Yule Log Cake

This recipe is very good and not all that hard to make.

My sister found this recipe online and had been begging me for weeks to make it.  I had made a few changes to it (for instance, i did not put almonds in the cake and i doubled the recipe).

I also did not make the whipped cream filling because I did not have any heavy whipping cream on me at the time.  Instead, I put buttercream icing between the layers.

This cake has a really good and light texture.  It was very fluffy when it came out of the oven, but for some reason started to shrink some as it cooled.  Even though this cake turned out really thick, it was still fluffy with a marvelous texture.

This cake was rather small but pretty tall. In fact, it was so tall (since i doubled the recipe) that it fell over once i had iced it!

This cake was easy to assemble and looked gorgeous!

Decorate it any way you want and it will be the perfect cake for any occasion.

Ingredients (original recipe):

4 eggs, divided
3/4 cup sugar, divided
3/4 cup ground blanched almonds
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
Whipped Cream Filling (recipe follows)
Creamy Cocoa Log Frosting (recipe follows)

Whipped Cream Filling:

1 1/2 cups cold whipping cream
1/3 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Combine whipping cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla in a large bowl. Beat until cream is stiff.

Creamy Cocoa Log Frosting:

3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, softened.
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/3 cup milk

Combine powdered sugar and cocoa.  Beat butter, 1/2 cup cocoa mixture, corn syrup, and vanilla in medium bowl until smooth.  Add remaining cocoa mixture alternately with milk, beating until smooth and of spreading consistency.


Directions:

Heat oven to 350ºF.  Line 15x10 1/2 inch jelly roll pan (i used a rectangular cake pan) with foil and generously grease.
Beat egg yolks in medium bowl 3 minutes on medium speed of mixer.  Gradually add 1/2 cup sugar, beating another 2 minutes until thick and lemon-colored.  Combine almonds, flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt; add alternately with water to egg yolk mixture, beating on low speed until blended.  Stir in vanilla extract and almond extract.
Beat egg whites in large bowl until foamy (I used a fork).  Gradually add 1/4 cup sugar, beating until stiff peaks form. Carefully fold chocolate mixture into beaten egg whites.  Spread batter evenly into prepared pan.
Bake 16 to 18 minutes or until top springs back when lightly touched.  Cool in pan on wire rack 10 minutes; remove from pan onto wire rack.  Carefully remove foil.  Coll completely.
Cut into four equal rectangles about 3 inches across.  Chill layers while preparing filling.
Spread 1/3 of the filling across the first layer of cake, then put the next layer on top of that and so on. (do not put filling on the top layer).  Frost generously with Creamy Cocoa Log Frosting and garnish any way you wish.
ENJOY!