Yule Log Cake

Happy New Year!  I was watching The Great Holiday Baking Show on TV and saw the contestants making a Yule Log.  It reminded me that I've never attempted one but have wanted to try.  So I decided to make one for our family Christmas/New Year celebration.  Jeremy was extremely skeptical of my ability to master the log roll and thought it would be an epic baking failure (ok, I was a bit nervous, too, I admit).  Well, with this super easy recipe I found online, it turned out pretty awesome.

Anne's Yule Log Cake

Ingredients:
6 eggs
1 box Devil's Food Cake mix
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon powdered sugar
1 container whipped vanilla frosting

Chocolate Frosting:
1/2  cup whipping cream
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips (6oz)
1 tablespoon corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon vanilla

Sugared Raspberries Garnish (optional):
mint leaves
raspberries
1 egg white
1-2 drops orange extract
sugar

Directions:
In a large bowl, beat eggs on high speed for 5 minutes or until thick and lemon-colored.  Add cake mix, water, and oil; beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then medium speed for 1 minute, occasionally scraping bowl.  Pour 3&1/2 cups of batter into a 15x10x1" baking pan with the bottom only lined with foil or wax paper.  Divide the remaining batter among 7-8 cupcake tins for another use or to use as a side log/branch.

Bake at 375ºF for 14 minutes until cake springs back when lightly touched and cupcakes test done when toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.   Run a knife around edges of pan to loosen cake.  Turn cake upside down onto a clean kitchen towel dusted with powdered sugar; remove foil.  While still hot, carefully roll up cake and towel together from narrow end.  Cool completely in rolled position on a wire rack, about 1 hour.

Meanwhile, in a microwavable bowl, microwave whipping cream until it just starts to boil, about 60-90 seconds.  Stir in the chocolate chips and corn syrup; let stand 3 minutes.  Beat gently with a wire whisk until smooth.  Stir in vanilla.  Refrigerate about 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes, until spreading consistency.

Carefully unroll cake and remove towel.  Spread vanilla filling evenly over cake; re-roll cake.  Frost cake with chocolate frosting.  Using knife or fork, drag through the frosting to look like log bark.  Let stand 15 minutes and the transfer to a serving platter.  Store loosely covered in the fridge.  Bring to room temperature 30 minutes before serving.

To make the sugared raspberries, whip the egg white until no longer stringy.  Add a couple drops of orange extract and mix well. Using a small brush, brush egg white onto the outside of each raspberry.  Roll the raspberries in sugar.  Let sit overnight to harden the sugar. In a time crunch, preheat the oven, turn it off, and then put the berries on a sheet pan in the oven with the door open.  Decorate the Yule Log Cake with the raspberries and mint leaves.