Bûche de Noël (Yule Log)

• 4 eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 Tablespoons water
• 1 cup cake flour
• 1½ teaspoons cornstarch
• 1½ teaspoons baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon almond extract
• ½ teaspoon vanilla
• Large jar of seedless jelly (strawberry or raspberry)
• Chocolate frosting, 1 can
• Powdered sugar
• Optional decorations: holly berries and evergreen leaves (fresh or artificial)

Procedure

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Grease a jelly-roll pan (cookie sheet with a rim all around) and line the bottom with waxed paper. Grease the waxed paper well.
3. Beat the eggs until frothy and pale yellow in a large mixing bowl.
4. Add the sugar and water to the eggs and continue to beat.
5. Mix flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl.
6. Add the flour mixture to egg mixture.
7. Add the vanilla and almond extract.
8. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
9. Bake for 15 minutes. (Toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean. Do not overbake.)
10. Remove from oven. Cover pan with a clean dishtowel, and turn over to remove cake from pan. Remove pan and carefully peel off the wax paper. (Cake is wrong-side up.) Trim off any crusty edges.
11. Fold one end of towel over short end of cake, and carefully roll cake up inside the towel.
12. Lift the whole roll and place it, seam side down on a cooling rack.
13. Allow to cool completely. Unroll carefully.
14. Coat the cake completely with jelly.
15. Carefully roll the cake back up again, without the towel.
16. Cut a 2-inch slice from one end and cut in half.
17. Attach these pieces to the sides of the cake to resemble branch stubs on a log.
18. Frost the cake "log" with chocolate icing. Drag a fork along the length of the cake, scoring the frosting to resemble bark.
19. Arrange holly berries and evergreen leaves around the cake if desired.

Serves 12 or more.

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