1tbspwater, use when batter is too stiff to work with
Cake Batter
5tbspbuttermelted, cooled
6eggsseparated, at room temperature
1cupgranulated sugar
1cupall purpose flour
pinchsalt
2tspVanilla extract
Cream Cheese Filling
1 1/2block cream cheese1 block is about 226 grams, room temperature
1/4cuproom temperature unsalted butter
1 1/4cuppowdered sugaruse more if you prefer sweeter filling
2-3tbspcream or heavy cream
2tspVanilla extract
1/2cupcrushed peppermint candies
3 -4dropsConcentrated Peppermint Flavoring
Instructions
Pattern Batter
Cream butter (3tbsp) with powdered sugar (1/2cup). Beat until creamy. Gradually beat in egg whites (3 egg whites). Mix until well blended together. Then add vanilla extract (1/4tsp) and on low speed add flour (2/3cup). If batter appears too stiff beat in 1 tbsp of water.
Color batter with leaf green food coloring. I used Americolor brand. Place tree pattern onot a flat surface. Layer a piece of parchment over it. With green pattern batter pipe trees onto the parchment paper. Freeze for 20-30 minutes.
Cake Batter
In a clean bowl beat egg whites (6 egg whites) with a pinch of salt until soft peaks are formed. Then gradually beat in about 1/2 of the granulated sugar (1/2 cup). Beat until stiff and glossy peaks are formed.
In a bowl beat egg yolks (6 egg yolks) with remaining sugar (1/2cup) until pale in color and doubled in volume(ribbon stage). Gradually add melted and cooled butter (5tbsp). Beat well. Lastly beat in Vanilla extract (2tsp).
Sift flour (1 cup) and salt (pinch) into a bowl.Into the egg yolk mixture gradually and alternating fold in sifted flour and meringue.
Spray the jelly roll pan with non stick spray, lay the piped frozen tree pattern into a bakign sheet (half sheet) and spread the cake batter over the tree pattern layer.
Bake at 350F for 13-15 minutes.
Dust the wax paper sheet with powdered sugar, invert baked and still hot cake onto the wax paper. Peel of the top layer of parchment paper. Now it's time to flip the cake so the tree pattern is facing the surface. Place another layer of wax paper on the top of the tree pattern. Put a cutting board or another baking sheet on the top and flip the cake, peel the wax paper. Starting at the side with no tree pattern, roll the cake. Wrap into a kitchen towel, let cool completely before filling, about 3 hours.
Cream Cheese Filling
Beat cream cheese ( 1 and 1/2 block of cream cheese) and butter (1/4 cup) until smooth and creamy. Then gradually add powdered sugar (1 cup and 1/4 cup) alternating with cream (2 -3 tbsp), beat well. Then mix in Vanilla extract (2 tsp). Reserve about 2/3 cup of cream cheese frosting.Place into a small dish, cover and refrigerate until ready to use.Into the remaining frosting stir in crushed candy candies (1/ 2cup) and few drops of peppermint flavoring. Don't add too much as flavor will be overpowering.
Fill Cake Roll
Carefully unroll cake roll and spread candy cane cream cheese onto the cake. Ten roll it up again. Cover with food wrap and refrigerate for couple of hours, until it firms up a little.
Decorate Cake Roll
Divided reserved filling and color one portion with green and one with yellow food coloring. Spoon green frosting into the piping bag fitted with a round piping tip #3 or #4. And yellow frosting into a piping bag fitted with a small open star tip.
Unwrap cake roll from a food wrap. Pipe yellow starts on the top of the trees. And green garland across. Decorate garland with Christmas lights. Use sprinkles or small candies, such as mini M&M candies.
Storage
Cake roll should be stored loosely but well covered in the fridge. Prepare it up to 3 days ahead.