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Poinsettia Cake Roll

Poinsettia Cake Roll
"This heavenly cake roll is filled with rich chocolate cream, coated with a tempting ganache and adorned with gorgeous edible-clay poinsettias" says Margie Haen of Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin. (The edible poinsettias can be made up to 2 weeks in advance.)
10 ServingsPrep: 2 hours + standing Bake: 15 min. + chilling

Ingredients

  • EDIBLE POINSETTIAS:
  • 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons light corn syrup
  • 1 cup (5 ounces) red candy coating disks, melted
  • 1 cup (5 ounces) dark green candy coating disks, melted
  • 2 tablespoons vanilla or white chips
  • Yellow paste food coloring
  • CAKE:
  • 4 eggs, separated
  • 3/4 cup cake flour
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup sugar, divided
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • FILLING:
  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 4 cups confectioners' sugar, divided
  • 1/2 cup baking cocoa
  • 7 to 8 tablespoons milk, divided
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • GANACHE:
  • 1-1/4 cups semisweet chocolate chips
  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream

Directions

  • For poinsettia dough, divide corn syrup between two bowls. Stir red
© Taste of Home 2013

2 of 3

Poinsettia Cake Roll (continued)

Directions (continued)

  • candy coating into one bowl and green into the other just until
  • blended. Spread each mixture onto a sheet of waxed paper to 1/2-in.
  • thickness (about 4-in. square). Let stand, uncovered, at room
  • temperature for 2-3 hours or until dry to the touch. Remove each
  • mixture from waxed paper and gather into a ball. Wrap tightly in
  • plastic wrap; let stand overnight.
  • Make leaf and petal patterns and trace onto waxed paper and cut out,
  • or use leaf-shaped cookie cutters. Knead a portion of green dough
  • until pliable but not soft. Roll between waxed paper to 1/8-in.
  • thickness. Cut out four large and four small leaves; with a
  • toothpick, score veins. Arrange in two circles on waxed paper with
  • center points touching.
  • Knead and roll out a portion of red dough as above. For each
  • poinsettia, cut out five to seven large flower petals. Shape petals
  • as shown in photo; place in between green leaves, matching centers.
  • Cut out 10 to 14 smaller flower petals from red dough (use
  • additional dough if needed). Shape as shown; arrange between large
  • red petals.
  • For flower stamens, form tiny balls of green dough. Place several in
  • center of each flower, covering all petal centers. Melt white chips;
  • stir in yellow food coloring. Transfer to a resealable heavy-duty
  • plastic bag; cut a small hole in corner of bag. Pipe onto green
  • centers. Store poinsettias in an airtight container at room
  • temperature.
  • For cake, let egg whites stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, sift flour, baking powder and salt; set aside. In a large
  • bowl, beat egg yolks until slightly thickened. Gradually add 1/4 cup
  • sugar, beating until thick and lemon-colored. Beat in vanilla. Add
  • sifted ingredients; mix well.
  • In another bowl, beat 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 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan with waxed paper
  • and grease the paper. Spread batter evenly into pan. Bake at
  • 375° for 12-15 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly
  • touched. Cool for 5 minutes. Turn 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 a short side. Cool
  • completely on a wire rack.
  • For filling, in a large bowl, cream butter until fluffy. Beat in 2
  • cups confectioners' sugar, cocoa, 3 tablespoons milk and vanilla.
  • Add remaining confectioners' sugar and enough milk to achieve
  • desired consistency. Unroll cake; spread filling evenly to within
© Taste of Home 2013

3 of 3

Poinsettia Cake Roll (continued)

Directions (continued)

  • 1/2 in. 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.
  • If piping is desired, transfer ganache that dripped from cake into a
  • bowl; chill for 45 minutes. Whisk until thickened, about 1 minute.
  • Place cake on a serving platter. Place thickened ganache in a pastry
  • bag with a #21 star tip; pipe around bottom of cake. Position
  • poinsettias on top of cake; gently press into ganache. Store in the
  • refrigerator. Yield: 10 servings.
© Taste of Home 2013