A festive and traditional holiday favorite, the classic, yule-log-shaped sponge-cake roulade is made in two easy steps: bake the fluffy keto sponge, then finish it with a rich, whipped keto chocolate ganache. Serve solo or with powdered rosemary sprigs for decor. Or skip the holiday look and make and serve this fantastic cake any time of year. Note: required refrigeration during prep means you’ll need to make this hours or even a day or two in advance. Store the cake in the fridge until ready to serve.
Ingredients List
FOR THE CAKE
- 6 large eggs, room temperature, whites and yolks separated
- 3/4 cup powdered sweetener, sifted (such as Swerve brand)
- 1/2 cup finely ground almond flour
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/4 cup granulated allulose sweetener (such as RxSugar) or granulated keto-friendly sweetener (such as Swerve)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp xanthan gum
- sea salt
FOR THE FILLING/FROSTING
- 8 oz sugar-free bittersweet chocolate, chopped (like Lily’s brand)
- 1½ cups heavy cream
- 1/4 cup melted coconut oil
- 1 cup powdered sweetener, sifted (such as Swerve brand), plus more for garnish
- 1½ tsp pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
- sea salt
Some emerging research suggests that erythritol might increase the risk of blood clots, but more studies are needed to confirm this potential link. Whether you decide to use erythritol or not, remember that all sweeteners should be consumed in moderation, and your keto diet should primarily focus on nutritious whole foods. Learn more: Erythritol Explored: Weighing the Pros and Cons.
Instructions
- Bake the cake: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven. Line a 17 by 12-inch rimmed baking sheet or jelly roll pan with a sheet of parchment paper. Coat the paper with cooking spray.
- In a stand mixer fitted with the balloon whisk, beat the egg whites for about 30 seconds on medium-high. Slowly add half of the powdered sweetener, increase speed to high and whip until thick and shiny with medium peaks, about 6 minutes.
- In a large bowl, using a whisk, beat the egg yolks with the remaining powdered sweetener until pale in color, 1 to 2 minutes.
- In a medium bowl, sift together the almond flour, cocoa powder, granulated sweetener, baking powder, xanthan gum, and 1/4 teaspoon salt.
- Add the dry mix slowly to the egg yolk mixture and mix well.
- Whisk in 1/3 of the whipped egg whites to combine. Fold in another 1/3 of the egg whites to combine, then gently fold in the remaining 1/3 of egg whites until no streaks remain; do not over-fold.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared baking sheet, smooth the top, and bake until the cake springs back when pressed lightly in the center, 10 to 12 minutes.
- Meanwhile, on a clean tea towel on a clean surface, lay out a clean sheet of parchment paper as long as the baking sheet.
- While the cake is still hot, flip the pan over onto the prepared parchment paper so the cake and its parchment lining release from the pan. Carefully peel back and discard the parchment paper that baked with the cake, then roll up the cake, along with the fresh piece of parchment paper, like a sleeping bag (from one short end to the other short end). Set aside to cool for 25 minutes.
- Make the filling/frosting: place the chopped chocolate in a large heat-proof glass or metal bowl. In a medium saucepan, combine the heavy cream and melted coconut oil over medium-low heat. Heat until cream is warmed, tiny bubbles form around the edges, and a skin starts to form on the surface, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Pour the heated coconut oil-cream over the chocolate and let it sit for 50 to 60 seconds. Add the remaining sweetener and vanilla and stir until smooth. Refrigerate the chocolate mixture for 40 minutes.
- When cool, transfer the chocolate mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the balloon whisk. Beat on low speed for a few seconds, then turn to medium-high speed and whip the frosting, stopping and scraping the sides of the bowl once, until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- Unroll the cooled cake. Spread two-thirds of the frosting over the top, leaving a 1/2-inch border around all edges. Gently roll up the cake, removing the parchment paper as you go. Then place the parchment paper on a sheet pan, put the rolled-up cake on top, and refrigerate for 40 minutes to set the filling.
- Transfer the cake to a serving platter, cover with the remaining frosting/filling then drag the tines of a fork through the top of the frosting to make it look like tree bark, undulating it a bit here and there, to create an organic look. Dust with a bit of the powdered sweetener to create a snowy effect.
- Enjoy!
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Credits
RecipeEric Lundy
PhotographyErin Ng
