Cake Blooms with Festive Flavor

By ezunich

Ingredients

• Cake
• 4 eggs, separated
• 3/4 cup cake flour
• 3/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup sugar, divided
• 1 tsp vanilla
• Filling
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 4 cups confectioners' sugar, divided
• 1/2 cup baking cocoa
• 7-8 tbs milk, divided
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
• Ganache
• 1 1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• Poinsettias for decorating

Preparation

Step 1

Cake

Let egg whites stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, sift flour, baking powder and salt; set aside. In a large mixing bowl, beat egg yolks until slightly thickened. Gradually addd 1/4 cup sugar, beating until thick and lemon-colored. Beat in vanilla. Add sifted ingredients; mix well.

In another mixing bowl, beat the egg whites on medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining sugar, beating until stiff peaks form. Fold a fourth of egg whites into batter; fold in remaining whites.

Line a greased jelly roll pan with waxed paper and grease the paper. Spread batter evenly into pan.

Bake at 375°for 12-15 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes. Turn the cake onto a kitchen towel dusted with confectioners' sugar. Gently peel off waxed paper. Roll up cake in the towel jelly-roll style, starting with short side. Cool completely on a wire rack.

Filling

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter until fluffy. Beat in 2 cups confectioners' sugar, cocoa, 3 tbs milk and vanilla. Add the remaining confectioners's sugar and enough milk to achieve desired consistency. Unroll cake; spread filling evenly to within 1/2 inch of edges. Roll up again. Place on a wire rack over a baking sheet; cover and set aside.

Place chocolate chips in a small bowl. In a heavy saucepan, bring cream to a boil over low heat. Pour over chips; whisk gently until smooth. Chill for 35-45 minutes or until ganache begins to thicken, stirring occasionally.

Pour half of the ganache over cake, allowing excess to drip off. Chill cake and remaining ganache, uncovered for 30 minutes or until remaining ganache has cooled and a thermometer reads about 62°. Pour ganache slowly in a thin stream over cake; chill until set.