Yule log

This is my first log cake. Could've been better if I hadn't rushed through some steps. Fold in your maida as slowly as possible into the beaten eggs. I rushed through that step and so my cake was not too spongy, but still the result was good. I got this recipe from "Vanitha" magazine

Ingredients

• Egg - 3
• Maida - 3/4 cup
• Sugar - 1 cup
• Water - 1/3 cup
• Baking powder - 1/2 tsp
• Vanilla essence - 1 tsp
• Salt- a pinch

 Method

• Prepare a rectangle cake pan. 15 x 10 inch pan is apt for this recipe. Put baking paper on the pan.
• Keep your oven ready. Preheat it. 
• Mix maida, salt and baking powder. Sift and keep
• Beat the eggs until really fluffy. Beat it continuously for 5 minutes on high speed. 
• Add powdered sugar in small quantities at a time. Blend with mixer on high speed.
• Then add water and vanilla essence and blend on low speed.
• Add maida, baking powder salt and fold in slowly. 
• Pour the batter into the pan and keep in oven. 
• Bake for 15-20 minutes or as per your oven adjustments.

For the filling I used ganache

• Semi sweet chocolate chips- 1/2 cup
• Thick cream - 1/2 cup

Method

• Melt the chocolate chips in microwave or on double boiler. 
• Heat cream and let it start to boil. Take off the flame and pour over the melted chips. 
• Beat with mixer and keep it fridge to thicken. 

For icing I used whipping cream. 

• Whipping cream - 1 pkt (mine was a small pkt of 44 gms)
• Cocoa powder - 1 tbsp
• Icing sugar - 1 tbsp
• Vanilla essence - 1 tsp

Method

• Keep the vessel in fridge for a few minutes before beating
• Whip it as per given on instruction on packet. You can add cocoa powder while whipping. 
• Beat your whipping cream during this time. You can add a tbsp of icing sugar, vanilla essence and 1 tbsp of cocoa powder and beat.

For assembling

1. Place a baking paper (or a cotton clean towel) bigger than your cake on the table top. 
2. Sprinkle some icing sugar on the paper/towel. 
3. Once cake is baked, over turn it on this paper (or a cotton towel) while it is hot. 
4. Slowly remove the paper from the top of the cake and roll the cake along with paper/towel below (the one which you sprinkled sugar on). Keep it as such until cooled or for atleast 30 minutes. 
5. Once cooled open the cake and spread the ganache and roll it (this time without paper)
6. Keep this roll in fridge again. 
7. Take out the roll, place it on the display plate, cut both edges and then put the whipping cream on top. Give designs with fork and use fondant  for trees and leaf designs 

Checkerboard cake with fondant

It was long time dream to try a fondant covered cake and checker board cake. So this time on my husband's birthday I decided to try both. I baked the cakes (plain and chocolate) in advance. Made the fondant also in advance and kept it in airtight container. On the day I made buttercream and arranged the cake. To get more ideas on designing a checkerboard fondant sheet check here

Ingredients 
for plain cake

1. Eggs -2
2. Maida (all purpose flour)- 1 cup
3. Sugar – ¾ cup
4. Butter – 25 gms
5. Milk – ½ cup
6. Baking powder – 1 tsp

Method

• Sieve together maida and baking powder.
• Beat sugar and eggs over heat until fluffy. (I used a double boiler method. Keep the vessel with egg and sugar over a bowl of hot water. Beat until really fluffy)
• Add vanilla essence. Add ½ of maida and baking powder mix
• Warm milk and add butter into it and mix until butter melts.
• Add this to the batter
• Add the remaining dry ingredients. 

Ingredients 
for chocolate cake

1. Eggs -2
2. Maida- 3/4 cup
3. Cocoa - 1/4 cup
4. Sugar – ¾ cup
5. Butter – 25 gms
6. Milk – ½ cup
7. Instant coffee - 1/2 tsp
8. Baking powder – 1 tsp]

Method

• Sieve together maida, cocoa and baking powder.
• Beat sugar and eggs over heat until fluffy. (I used a double boiler method. Keep the vessel with egg and sugar over a bowl of hot water. Beat until really fluffy)
• Add vanilla essence. Add ½ of maida, cocoa and baking powder mix
• Warm 3/4th of milk and add butter into it and mix until butter melts. Into remaining 1/4th add coffee powder
• Add both to the batter. Mix 
• Add the remaining dry ingredients. 

Butter cream icing

• Softened Butter - 100gms,
• Icing sugar - 200 gms
• Beat well till thick. add a pinch of salt and beat well again

For assembling checkerboard cake. 

• Cut two concentric circles of each cake. 
• Alternate the middle pieces (check pic above). 
• Use buttercream as a glue to fix your pieces. Before fixing the middle piece put buttercream on inner edges. 
• Before covering the cake with fondant cover the cake with buttercream. It acts as glue. 

For the white fondant

• Marshmallow - 150 gm
• Water - 2 tbsp
• Icing sugar - 300 gms + extra

Method

• Butter your microwave bowl. Also butter your wooden spoon and hands.
• Add marshmallow into the bowl.
• Add 2 tbsp water
• Heat marshmallow in the microwave for 30 secs to 1 minute, stirring in between. 
• Once marshmallow has melted well put icing sugar into it stir & mix with a wooden spoon.
• It'll be sticky and you'll feel like mixing with your hands. But instead continue with wooden spoon. Add more sugar. At one point you'll feel it is coming together. Now butter you hands and knead it until it becomes a soft pliable dough. If you need add little more butter to your hands. 

For chocolate fondant

• Marshmallow - 60 gm
• Semi sweet chocolate chips - 1 handful 
• Water - 1/2 tbsp
• Icing sugar - 100 gms + extra

Method

• Butter your microwave bowl. Also butter your wooden spoon and hands.
• Add marshmallow and chocolate chips into the bowl.
• Add 1/2 tbsp water
• Heat the bowl in the microwave for 30 secs to 1 minute, stirring in between. 
• Once marshmallow has melted well put icing sugar into it stir & mix with a wooden spoon.
• It'll be sticky and you'll feel like mixing with your hands. But instead continue with wooden spoon. Add more sugar. At one point you'll feel it is coming together. Now butter you hands and knead it until it becomes a soft pliable dough. If you need add little more butter to your hands. 

Note: Store fondant in zip bags. Use it when you are ready with your cake. If your fondant seems hard, just heat it in microwave for 10 seconds and knead it. Still if your fondant is breaking add 2-3 drops of water