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Christmas Vanilla Cake Roll

Christmas vanilla roll cake is a festive dessert featuring spirals of creamy buttercream, dotted with red and green sprinkles, and topped with a white chocolate drizzle.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Chill Time 8 hours
Total Time 8 hours 37 minutes
Course Desserts
Cuisine American
Servings 24

Ingredients
  

Cake

  • ¾ cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 4 large eggs room temperature, separated
  • 1 teaspoon white vinegar
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar divided into ½ cup and ¼ cup
  • ¼ cup whole milk
  • 1 tablespoon whole milk
  • 1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon almond extract
  • 1½ tablespoons red and green holiday sprinkles
  • ½ cup powdered sugar for dusting

Buttercream Filling

  • ½ cup salted sweet cream butter softened
  • ¼ cup vegetable shortening
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 2-3 tablespoons heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon clear vanilla flavor
  • ½ teaspoon almond extract
  • 1½ tablespoons red and green holiday sprinkles

White Chocolate Glaze

  • 1½ cups white chocolate chips preferably good quality chips like Ghirardelli
  • 3 tablespoons heavy cream
  • sprinkles red, green, and white holiday nonpareil sprinkles or red, green, and white decorating sprinkles for optional garnishes

Instructions
 

Cake

  • Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line the bottom of a 10x15x1 baking sheet with parchment paper. Lightly spray the baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray. Set it aside.
  • In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set it aside.
  • Using a stand mixer or a medium-sized mixing bowl and a handheld mixer on high speed, beat the egg whites and white vinegar to medium peaks.
  • Continue mixing on high and slowly add the ¼ cup of granulated sugar. Continue beating the egg white mixture to the stiff peak stage. This could take between 5 to 7 minutes. Set egg yolk mixture aside.
  • Using a stand mixer or a large mixing bowl and a handheld mixer on medium-high speed, beat the egg yolks until they reach a slightly pale yellow color, about 2 minutes.
  • Add the ½ cup granulated sugar, milk, vanilla, and almond extract. Continue mixing for another 1½ to 2 minutes until well incorporated.
  • Add half of the flour mixture, and mix just until combined. Add the remaining flour, and mix until completely incorporated.
  • Fold in the egg white mixture a quarter at a time.
  • Evenly sprinkle the red and green sprinkles onto the prepared baking sheet.
  • Pour the cake batter on top of the sprinkles. Gently tap the baking sheet to release any bubbles.
  • Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until just golden.
  • While the cake is baking, lay out a thin tea towel and dust it with ¼ cup of powdered sugar. You will also need a large cutting board for the dusted cake transfer.
  • When the cake has finished baking, run the tip of a sharp knife along the edge of the baking sheet.
  • Carefully flip the dusted tea towel on top of the baked cake, dusted side against the cake. You will need to leave a small “tail” of the tea towel on the short edge of the cake for rolling the cake up.
  • Place a large cutting board on top of the tea towel. Remember, the baking sheet will still be very hot, so be sure to protect your hands.
  • Quickly flip the baking sheet over, so it is now lying on top of the tea towel and cutting board.
  • Carefully peel off the parchment paper.
  • Lightly dust the top of the cake with powdered sugar.
  • Flip the small tail of the tea towel over the short edge of the cake. Carefully begin rolling one end toward the other. Once rolled, transfer to a cooling rack to finish cooling completely.

Buttercream Filling

  • In a medium-sized mixing bowl and using a handheld mixer on medium-high speed, beat together the butter and shortening for 1 to 1½ minutes.
  • Add the vanilla and almond extract. Continue mixing on medium-high until well incorporated.
  • Lower the mixer speed to low. Add the powdered sugar ½ cup at a time, alternating with the heavy cream. Once all ingredients are added, increase the mixer speed to high and mix until completely combined and smooth.

Assembly

  • Once the cake is completely cooled, slowly unroll the cake.
  • Using either a silicone spatula or an offset spatula, spread the filling. Be careful to avoid the edges of the cake.
  • Evenly sprinkle the red and green sprinkles over the buttercream.
  • Once filled, slowly and with even pressure, begin rolling the cake back up.
  • Tightly wrap the rolled cake in plastic wrap to ensure the cake holds its shape. Chill in the refrigerator for 6 hours to overnight.

Topping

  • Just before you are ready to serve the cake, using a microwave-safe bowl, combine the white baking chips and heavy cream.
  • Heat in the microwave for 45 seconds, stir, and heat in 20-second intervals until the mixture is completely melted and smooth.
  • Remove the cake roll from the plastic wrap and place it on top of a cooling rack with parchment paper underneath.
  • Drizzle the melted chocolate mixture over the cake roll. Sprinkle the holiday sprinkles over the top of the chocolate.
  • Transfer the cake roll to a serving plate. Slice ½-inch slices of the cake and serve.

Notes

Oven temperatures vary and may need to be recalibrated periodically to ensure they are accurate. Make sure to check your cake at the lower end of the recommended baking time.
Do not add fabric softener to the tea towels when washing. The fabric softener will transfer to the cake and will throw off the taste of the cake. Also, do not use a terry cloth tea towel for wrapping the cake roll in. The lint from the terry cloth will transfer to the cake.
Be very patient when you roll and unroll the cake. It is delicate and well worth the effort.