While the holiday season can be a hectic time, the moments spent with family and friends often warm out hearts throughout the winter and all year long. Sharing our family baking traditions is just one of the aspects many of us cherish during the holidays. Try the following Christmas cake, a charming Yule Log, for a festive, and relatively easy, addition to your dessert table.

Festive Yule Log Cake

6 eggs
1 box moist chocolate cake mix
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup Greek extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon powdered sugar
Rich Chocolate Frosting
1/2 cup whipping cream
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips (6 ounces)
1 tablespoon corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
For the filling
1 container whipped vanilla frosting or the frosting of your choice

Heat the oven to 375 degrees F (350 degrees F for dark or nonstick pan). Line a 15x10x1-inch pan with foil or waxed paper and grease and flour or spray with baking spray with flour. Place paper baking cups in each of 8 regular-size muffin cups.

In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the eggs on high speed about 5 minutes or until thick and lemon colored. Add the cake mix, water and oil and beat on low speed for about 30 seconds, then on medium speed for 1 minute, scraping bowl occasionally. Pour 3 1/2 cups of the batter into the prepared pan. Divide the remaining batter among the prepared muffin cups.

Bake the cake for 14 to 16 minutes or until the cake springs back when lightly touched in center and the cupcakes test done when a cake tester or toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. If necessary, run knife around edges of the pan to loosen the cake. Turn the cake upside down onto a clean kitchen towel sprinkled with the 1 tablespoon powdered sugar and carefully remove the foil or waxed paper. While hot, carefully roll up the cake and the towel from the narrow end. Cool completely on a wire cooling rack for about 1 hour.

Cool the cupcakes for about 10 minutes, then remove from the muffin pan and cool completely, about 30 minutes. Save the cupcakes for decorating with festive Christmas sprinkles.

Meanwhile, in a medium microwavable bowl, microwave the whipping cream uncovered on High for 1 minute to 1 minute 30 seconds or until it just starts to boil. Stir in the chocolate chips and corn syrup. Let stand for 3 minutes and then beat gently with wire whisk until smooth. Add the vanilla extract and beat to incorporate completely. Refrigerate the chocolate frosting about 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes, until it reaches a spreading consistency.
Unroll the cake carefully and remove the towel. Spread the vanilla frosting filling evenly over the cake and roll it up. Place the cake roll on a sheet of waxed paper on a cooling rack and frost the cake with the chocolate frosting. Using a fork, drag the tines through frosting on the cake roll to create the log’s bark. Let the cake roll stand for 15 minutes, then carefully transfer the cake to a serving platter. Store loosely covered in the refrigerator. Let stand at room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving.