Classic Bûche de Noël
 
Makes 8 servings
Ingredients
  • 4 large eggs
  • ¾ cup (150 grams) granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
  • ¾ cup (94 grams) all-purpose flour
  • ⅓ cup (25 grams) Dutch process cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon (5 grams) baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon (1.5 grams) kosher salt
  • ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons sour cream
  • ¼ cup (56 grams) vegetable oil
  • Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting
  • Vanilla Bean Filling (recipe follows)
  • Whipped Ganache Frosting (recipe follows)
  • Meringue Mushrooms (recipe follow)
  • Sugared Rosemary (recipe follows)
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 17½x12½ jelly-roll pan with baking spray with flour. Line pan with parchment paper, and spray pan again.
  2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat eggs and granulated sugar at high speed until thick and pale, 5 to 7 minutes. Beat in vanilla bean paste. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt. Gently fold flour mixture into egg mixture. In a small bowl, whisk together sour cream and oil. Fold sour cream mixture into egg mixture, scraping bottom of bowl to fully incorporate. Spread batter into prepared pan, smoothing top with an offset spatula.
  3. Bake until cake is set and top springs back when touched, 10 to 12 minutes. Immediately run a sharp knife around edges of pan to loosen cake. Turn out cake onto a tea towel lightly dusted with confectioners’ sugar. Remove parchment paper, and dust cake with additional confectioners’ sugar. Roll up cake lengthwise in towel. Let cool completely.
  4. Carefully unroll cake, and spread with Vanilla Bean Filling. Reroll cake without towel, and place seam side down on a large serving platter. Cover and refrigerate until ready to frost cake, up to 4 hours before serving. Trim 3 to 4 inches off one end of cake diagonally. Place cut section at an angle off side of the cake, and attach with Whipped Ganache Frosting. Spread remaining frosting all over cake. Using a fork, make a bark-like pattern all over cake. Decorate with Meringue Mushrooms, Sugared Rosemary, and confectioners’ sugar “snow” as desired. Serve immediately.
Notes
Pro Tip: Be creative with your Bûche de Noël. It can be assembled with one limb on the side or with two limbs (one on the side and top). Simply cut the 3 to 4 inch piece of cake in half to form top. Ganache may be made up to 2 days ahead and refrigerated. Remove from refrigerator, and let stand at room temperature for 45 minutes to 2 hours before beating.
Recipe by Bake from Scratch at https://staging.bakefromscratch.com/classic-buche-de-noel/