Yule Love It! Make Decadent Mint Chocolate Log Cake

The mint filling sets this Yule Log apart from traditional Yule Log cakes. It provides a gorgeous pop of color and tastes great too!!

Ingredients
Cupcakes
3 large eggs
1 cup granulated sugar, divided
1/3 cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt

Mint Filling
1 stick salted butter, slightly softened
3 Tablespoons heavy cream
1 teaspoon peppermint extract
1 3/4 cups powdered sugar
Few drops green food coloring
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips

Chocolate Frosting
1 stick salted butter, slightly softened
3 Tablespoons heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups powdered sugar
3 Tablespoons cocoa powder

Related: 18 fresh-baked holiday desserts they won't regift

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375. Line a 15.5 x 10.5 inch jelly roll pan with foil. Spray thoroughly with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

3. In the bowl of your mixer, beat egg whites on high speed until soft peaks form. While the mixer runs, slowly add 1/2 cup sugar and continue beating until stiff peaks form. Set aside.

4. In another bowl, beat egg yolks and vanilla on medium high for two minutes. Add remaining 1/2 cup sugar and beat 2 minutes more until thick. With the mixer running, add flour/cocoa mixture and 1/3 cup water to the egg mixture alternately, starting and ending with the flour/cocoa mixture. Once mixture is smooth, gently fold the batter into the beaten egg whites until the mixture is combined and not streaky. Spread in prepared pan and bake for 10 minutes, until top springs back when lightly touched.

5. While cake is baking, sprinkle a clean, dry towel with powdered sugar. Immediately upon removing cake from oven, invert onto towel and peel foil away. Slowly roll up cake, starting at the narrow end, rolling the towel up with it. Place on a wire rack to cool completely.

6. While cake is cooling, prepare mint filling. In the bowl of your mixer, beat butter, heavy cream, and peppermint extract on medium speed until smooth. With the mixer on low, slowly add powdered sugar until just combined. Add green food coloring and increase mixer speed to high, beating for one minute. Fold in mini chocolate chips. Carefully unroll cooled cake. Spread with mint filling and carefully roll back up. Cover and refrigerate several hours until firm.

7. Prepare chocolate frosting. In the bowl of your mixer, beat butter, cream, and vanilla extract on medium speed until smooth. With the mixer on low, slowly add powdered sugar and cocoa powder until just combined. Increase mixer speed to high and beat for one minute. Slice the end off the cake (about an inch slice) and, using frosting, stick that to the side of the "log". Roughly frost the cake with the rest of the frosting and use a fork to draw squiggles to make it resemble bark. If desired, garnish with candies or powdered sugar.

-By Kristan Roland

For 25 sweet treats to make with candy canes, visit Spoonful!

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