Buche de Noel
Kelly and I make this dessert every Christmas Eve. It’s got it all – cake, whipped cream, chocolate, cherries – and it’s fun to make the frosting look like bark.
-Terry
INGREDIENTS
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup sugar
- ⅓ cup water
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup chilled whipping cream
- 2 tablespoon sugar
- 1½ teaspoon powdered instant coffee (optional)
Cocoa Frosting - ⅓ cup cocoa
- ⅓ cup butter, softened
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1½ teaspoon vanilla
- 1 to 2 tablespoon hot water
- Red and green candied cherries or chopped pistachio nuts
INSTRUCTIONS
Heat oven to 375⁰. Line jelly roll pan, 15½ x 10½ x 1 inch, with aluminum foil; grease. Beat eggs in small mixer bowl on high speed until very thick and lemon colored, about 5 minutes. Pour eggs into large mixer bowl; gradually beat in 1 cup sugar. Beat in water and vanilla on low speed. Gradually add flour, baking powder and salt, beating just until batter is smooth. Pour into pans, spreading batter to corners.
Bake until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 12 to 15 minutes. Loosen cake from edges of pan; immediately invert on towel generously sprinkled with powdered sugar. Remove foil; trim stiff edges of cake if necessary. While hot, roll cake and towel from narrow end. Cool on wire rack at least 30 minutes.
Frosting: Mix cocoa and butter. Stir in powdered sugar. Beat in vanilla and water until smooth and of spreading consistency.
Beat whipping cream, 2 tablespoons sugar and the coffee in chilled bowl until stiff. Unroll cake; remove towel. Spread whipped cream mixture over cake. Roll up; frost with Cocoa Frosting. Make strokes with tines of fork to resemble bark. Decorate with holly rope made from cherries or sprinkle with nuts. Store in refrigerator.
10 servings.