A Dessert to Love: Chocolate Cake Roll

This cake roll makes a beautiful presentation, especially when filled with pistachio or mint ice cream, and topped with a raspberry sauce.

Ingredients:

1/3 cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (Dutch process dark or regular)
¼ tsp baking soda
2 egg yolks
1/3 cup granulated sugar; set aside an additional ½ cup for beating into egg whites
3 Tbsp buttermilk (or sour milk--1/2 tsp white vinegar, add milk to make 3 Tbsp)
½ tsp almond extract
4 egg whites
1 Tbsp confectioners’ sugar

Filling: 8 oz Cool Whip, or 1 pint frozen yogurt or any ice cream flavor

Topping: Confectioners’ sugar or ½ cup chocolate fudge sauce, or a fruit sauce

Optional: 2 Tbsp chopped toasted almonds or other nuts

Preheat oven to 375 degrees, Spray a 15x10” jelly roll pan with cooking spray. Line pan with wax paper to fit. Spray wax paper well.

In a small bowl, stir together the flour, cocoa and baking soda; set aside. Place egg yolks in large bowl and beat on high speed about 5 minutes, or until thick and lemon colored. Slowly add 1/3 cup granulated sugar, beating constantly. Beat in buttermilk and almond extract. Add flour mixture to egg yolk mixture; beat on low just until combined.

In another large bowl, beat egg whites with clean dry beaters until soft peaks form. Slowly beat in remaining ½ cup sugar. Continue beating until stiff peaks form. Stir one-quarter of egg white mixture into chocolate mixture, gently fold in remaining egg white mixture. Spread batter evenly in prepared pan.

Bake 12-15 minutes or until no imprint remains when cake is lightly touched in the center. Meanwhile, sift confectioners’ sugar onto a clean dish towel. Immediately loosen cake from side of pan and invert onto prepared towel. Remove wax paper and trim the cake’s edges.

Starting with the long side, roll up cake with the towel. Transfer cake, seam side down to a wire rack to cool completely. Unroll cake, spread with topping of choice to within 1/2” of long edges and all the way to the edge on the small side. Re-roll cake, place seam-side down on a freezer safe plate. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze for at least 4 hours or overnight before serving. Just before serving, sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar, or frost with topping and nuts or drizzle with sauce.