Happy Third Week of Advent! I went to a luncheon the other day and made a Buche de Noel with Meringue Mushrooms. I enjoy baking so very much and sharing with others makes it even more special. The nativity set was a gift from my four children, and it's so wonderful to get out every Christmas time. I set it up here, but it's spot is on my dining room hutch.
This Johnson Bros trio is a favorite of mine. The pattern is called Merry Christmas.
My mantle is set with iron angels, pine cones and greenery and snowflake lights.
My son, Mike, and I watched Harper and Hayden while my son, Kevin, and DIL Kristen went skiing in Colorado recently. We took the girls to the Dallas Arboretum, where the 12 Days of Christmas were on display, and there was a German Village set up for the kids to see all these adorable houses and do a scavenger hunt. It was so fun!
They look so tiny in Santa's sleigh.
This was in front of the Candy Shop.
This was one of our favorites...of the Nine Ladies Dancing.
Yield: 10-12
Buche de Noel
Ingredients
- Sponge Cake:
- 3/4 cup flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 4 eggs, separated and at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 3/4 sugar, divided
- Creamy Chocolate Frosting:
- 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
- 2/3 cup butter
- 1/3 cup + 1 tablespoon half-and-half (I used half heavy cream and half milk)
- 2 cups sifted powdered sugar
Instructions
- For the Sponge Cake:
- Prepare a jelly roll pan (15 x 10 x 1") by greasing the inside of the pan, laying a piece of wax paper on top, and then greasing the wax paper.
- Sift flour, baking powder and salt together.
- Beat yolks and vanilla until lemon colored. Add 1/4 cup sugar gradually and beat until very thick.
- Beat egg whites in another bowl, until soft peaks form. Add remaining 1/2 cup sugar gradually and continue beating until stiff and glossy.
- Fold yolk mixture into egg white mixture and then fold in dry ingredients.
- Spread batter evenly in prepared jelly roll pan. Bake at 375 degrees for 12 minutes.
- Turn onto a towel that has been sprinkled with powdered sugar. Peel off wax paper. Roll the cake from the long side with the towel. Cool on wire rack.
- For the Frosting:
- Combine first three ingredients in a large heavy saucepan: cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until chocolate melts. Remove from heat; stir in the sifted powdered sugar. Set saucepan in a large bowl of ice, and beat at low speed of an electric mixer for about 8 minutes or until frosting holds its shape and loses its gloss.
- Unroll cake and remove towel. Spread the cake with some of the frosting; carefully reroll the cake. Cut a diagonal piece of the cake and position it against the side of the cake. Spread the rest of the frosting all over the top ans sides of the cake, leaving the ends exposed. You can use a knife to make the frosting look like bark, or you can use the tines of a fork.
- I decorated with meringue mushrooms, but you can leave plain or use green frosting for leaves and cinnamon candies for berried. You can even use the green spearmint candy leaves for decoration.
Thank you for your visit! xo
I am sharing this with:
Love Your Creativity Link Party
Merry Monday Kitty! There’s so much to love in your post this morning with your sweet grand girls enjoying the 12 Days of Christmas, your Buche de Noel, Johnson Brothers Merry Christmas and Nativity! I’d love to tag along and enjoy a trip to the Arboretum and have slice of your cake. I know it must have been the highlight of your luncheon. ♥
ReplyDeleteYour buche de Noel looks wonderful! And with mushrooms, how clever!
ReplyDeleteI bet you were tired after keeping those little ones, but oh, what fun to see their excitement so alive!
We made a buche de noel last Christmas for the first time and really enjoyed it a lot. My son was just making some this week in school for the bakery to sell and was glad he knew what to do already.
ReplyDeleteYou are such a talented baker Kitty. I love this pretty Buche de Noel you made. I love the pretty Christmas decorations and family photos. I hope you have a nice week Kitty.
ReplyDeleteHello Kitty! Your buche de noel looks great, especially with those meringue mushrooms. I make one most years, too. Your family photos are lovely. Have a good week.
ReplyDeleteLove the precious pictures of your trip with family. How exciting for you all. Your Christmas dishes are beautiful! I love that design so much. Your buche de noel looks wonderful. I hope your week is wonderful. Hugs and blessings, Cindy
ReplyDeleteKitty, Your Buche Noel is very pretty. I made one once years ago. My daughter served one this weekend that she bought from a French pastry shop.
ReplyDeleteYour table looks very pretty with your Nativity and the Buche Noel.
I sure do miss getting to go to the Arboretum since my son moved from Dallas.
Your grandchildren must love the time they spend with you, Kitty. You always have so much fun. The Arboretum looks like the perfect place to stroll around and enjoy all the fabulousness of the Festive Season. Your Nativity set is, I think, one of the loveliest ones I have seen; and you have a Christmas teacup set....of course you do. =) It is so pretty. Your mantel is beautifully decorated; and as for your Buche De Noel....it sounds delicious.
ReplyDeleteThe meringue mushrooms look very realistic!
ReplyDeleteYour Nativity set is beautiful. I'm also loving the JB Merry Christmas tea set, and the fun tree dress!
I can't believe Christmas is less than 2 weeks away...
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ReplyDeleteKitty, I so enjoy looking at your family photos! You have such fun with your grandchildren and they will always remember these times. Love the Christmas china! I also love the Nativity set up on the table for tea. It makes for such a lovely and cozy tea time with your home made Buche de Noel and little mushrooms. Everything is lovely! Have a merry week, my friend!
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ReplyDeleteWhat a fun outing for the girls! They look so cute in Santa’s big sleigh! I have never attempted a Buche de Noel, what a beautiful and special cake! I can’t believe it’s almost Christmas!
ReplyDeleteJenna
What lovely pictures! And the recipe is delightful. I've never made one of those. You have such fun adventures! XO
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely wonderful! What sweet photo of you and your princesses! Happy Advent.
ReplyDeleteOh, I just love those Christmas plates and the beautiful Nativity set! So beautiful! So thankful you had a wonderful time with the little ones. God bless you and Mike and your dear family this Christmas season!
ReplyDeleteI have never baked one but yours looks delish! Your Christmas dishes are so pretty! Happy the mug arrived safely - enjoy it and think of all of us when you use it!
ReplyDeleteA big WOW from me!
ReplyDeleteYour Buche de Noel looks wonderful, especially with the meringue mushrooms.
Enjoyed seeing your family photographs too.
Keep on enjoying the season.
All the best Jan
A Very sweet post Kitty. Merry Christmas to you and your family. Your grands, Harper and Hayden look all smiles while visiting the Twelve Days of Christmas You are creating special memories. Great photos. Your Buche de Noel looks fabulous. I have never made one, however I can admire yours. The Johnson Bros plate and tea cup are so pretty. I can see why it is favorite. Enjoy the rest of this week. xo
ReplyDeleteSO sweet! Your home is so beautifully festive.
ReplyDeleteLoved seeing you and two of your sweeties - golly they are growing fast.
Hugs. ♥
What a fun outing for the girls and look delighted in Santa’s sleigh! I've made Buche de Noel, and they are fun for the holidays. Christmas is almost here!
ReplyDeleteDear Kitty, Merry Christmas! I loved seeing your china ... my husband's mom had those dishes and they were passed down to my oldest daughter. I'm thinking she's going to use them for several holiday meals in the next few weeks. I know they're going to bring back so many warm and lovely memories of days past.
ReplyDeleteYour Johnson Bros Merry Christmas plates are so pretty. I love that pattern, too! And the Buche de Noel is perfection: I would love to learn how to make one! Merry Christmas! :D
ReplyDeleteThe weather looked great for our outing with the girls. They are so adorable and loved seeing the photos. Your Buche de Noel is so impressive! I've only made it once because it's a labor of love ;)
ReplyDeleteYour Buche de Noel looks so festive and delicious. Thanks so much for sharing with us at Full Plate Thursday, 567 and hope you and your family have a very Merry Christmas!
ReplyDeleteMiz Helen