Alternative Log Cake

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Last year I made Christmas Log Cake. This year I want to make something different for Very Good Recipes challenge. As we know log cake is made with sponge cake, frosted, rolled to form a cylinder, and frosted again on the outside. Mine is frosted on the outside but without sponge cake inside. Can you guess what could it be ?

You guess correctly! The answer is doughnuts. Actually this idea is from my hubby. My first thought is crazy idea. Then after thinking about it, I change my mind as it can be done! After some assembly of doughnuts here comes my ‘Alternative Log Cake’.

I have nothing to shout out about my doughnuts. It is kind of dense and it is best to eat warm. It would be better if the texture is softer and lighter. Since time constraint I just proceed with my log cake. I assemble doughnuts into a log by secure with satay sticks. Then frost it with chocolate buttercream. And again my mistake of using buttercream as it can’t stay at room temperature for long. Well overall I’m happy with the look of my ‘Log Cake’.

Adapted from 阿芳老师的三杯面粉cookbook

~Doughnuts (yields around 12 pieces)

Ingredients:

3 cups all-purpose flour

1½ teaspoons instant yeast

2 tablespoons sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

200ml liquid from mixture of 1 egg and water

1 tablespoon butter, softened

Methods:

1. In a large bowl, mix the flour, instant yeast, sugar, salt together with a spatula. Pour in mixture of egg and water. Mix around till most of the dry ingredients are incorporated with the liquid.

2. Add in the butter and knead by hands till form smooth and soft dough. Shape into a ball, cover with a cloth and let proof for 1 hour.

3. Transfer the dough onto working station. Roll out the dough about 1½ cm thickness. Cut out doughnut shape with doughnut cutter (I used a glass for the cutting and making a hole in center with finger). Cover and let it rest for another 15-20 minutes or till double in size.

4. Heat oil in wok at medium-high heat (about 180C or testing by add in a small piece of dough into the heated oil. If the dough is floating with air bubbles around means is ready!).

5. Gently add in doughnuts (try not to add in too much at a time). Fry, turning once after turns golden brown. Drain on paper towels. The doughnuts are ready!

Adapted with changes from My Little Favourite DIY, Mock Cream (简易牛油淇淋)

Chocolate Buttercream (just enough to cover the log cake)

Ingredients:

170g butter, softened

20g icing sugar

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons boiling water

1 tablespoon water at room temperature

50g melted ch0colate

Methods:

1. Mix boiling water and room-temperature water; set aside.

2. Cream softened butter and icing sugar until light, pale and fluffy. Add in vanilla. Gradually add the warm water, one teaspoon at a time and beat well to incorporate after each addition. As you add the water and beat, it might be a good idea to beat by hand (or using the lowest speed if using electric beater) to prevent the water splashing about.

3. Add in the melted chocolate and beat till well combine. Keep inside fridge for 2-3 hours or till it hardens. * The cream is pretty watery so need to keep in fridge to set for easy handling.

 Below are the steps to assemble my 'Log Cake'.

~Log Cake 

Ingredients:

6 pieces doughnuts

2 Satay sticks

Chocolate buttercream for log cake

Methods:

1. Arrange 5 doughnuts in a row and secure with a satay stick. Cut the remain doughnut as shown and place on top of log cake. Secure with another stick.

2. Trim away the excess stick. To make the log cake stay straight, trim off the base of ‘log’ as shown.

3. Apply the chocolate buttercream on the ‘log cake’ and decorate as you like.

I'm submitting this post to 

Very Good Recipes as Christmas Dessert for the Christmas Menu challenge.

Bake-Along #56 hosted by Zoe from Bake for Happy Kids, Joyce from Kitchen Flavours and Lena from Frozen Wings.

Baby Sumo's Christmas Recipe Collection 2013 hosted by Baby Sumo of Eat Your Heart Out