Woodland Christmas Yule Log Cake

Method

Make it together.

1. Preheat the oven to 200u00b0C (180u00b0C fan oven, 400u00b0F, gas 6). Grease and line the base of a 25 x 38cm (10 x 15 inch) Swiss Roll tin with baking parchment.
2. Working on one sponge at a time, whisk 4 eggs with 75g (3oz) caster sugar for 4-5 minutes until thick, pale and the consistency of lightly whipped cream.
3. Sift 75g (3oz) flour and 25g (1oz) Cocoa on top. Using a large metal spoon, gently cut through and fold the ingredients together until well blended taking care not to over-mix and lose the fluffy texture.
4. Pile into the prepared tin. Smooth the surface and bake for 8-9 minutes until risen and just set, but not crusty.
5. While the cake is in the oven, lay a clean tea towel on a wire rack and lay a sheet of baking parchment on top. As soon as the sponge is cooked, turn the sponge on to the parchment, sponge-side down. Leave the tin lining paper in place, cover with another clean tea towel and leave to cool for 30 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, prepare the White Chocolate butter icing filling. Break up 100g (3 u00bd oz) White Chocolate into a heatproof bowl and place over a saucepan of barely simmering water to melt. Remove from the water and leave aside to cool for 10 minutes.
7. Put 150g (5oz) butter in a bowl and beat until smooth and glossy. Gradually sieve and mix in 300g (10oz) icing sugar to make a firm icing, then mix in the melted white chocolate, the Vanilla Extract and 30-45ml (2-3 tbsp) milk to make a softish, spreading icing.
8. Unwrap the sponge and discard the paper. Transfer to a large board and trim away a thin strip from all of the edges to remove the crust. Spread the sponge evenly with one third of the icing making sure it reaches right to the edges.
9. Slice down the length of the sponge to make 2 equal strips. Carefully roll up one sponge tightly like a Swiss roll.
10. Lay the rolled sponge at the end of the other strip of cake and roll up to make a fat Swiss roll.
11. Following the same directions as above in steps 2-5, relining the tin, make and bake 2 more sponges using the remaining ingredients.
12. Spread with icing as above and wrap around each other to make a large chunky Swiss roll approx. 18cm (6inch) diameter, 10cm (4inch) deep.
13. Transfer to a serving plate or board, and cover loosely with cling film to keep fresh and prevent from drying out.
14. Next, make the chocolate paste. Break up 100g (3 u00bd oz) Dark Chocolate into pieces and place in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of barely simmering water to melt.
15. Remove from the water and stir in 50g (2oz) Liquid Glucose to form a thick paste.
16. Spread the icing all around the side of the cake to cover it. Press the Dark Chocolate curls on to the side of the cake to resemble bark, trimming them to fit, as necessary.
17. Use the remaining butter, icing sugar, Cocoa Powder and milk to make up another batch of spreadable butter icing.
18. Use raspberries to make red toadstool caps if preferred. The chocolate paste will become soft quite quickly as it is being shaped.