Chocolate Roll Cake

Also known as "The Birthday Cake" to a friend and myself, this is a really fun chocolate cake that looks festive. The recipe for it came from a KitchenAid cookbook: KitchenAid: Great Baking and More, and my friend's mom used to make it for her every birthday while she was living at home. The KitchenAid stand mixer comes in really handy for this one.

Cake Ingredients:

• 4 eggs, separated
• 3/4 cup sugar, divided
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 3/4 cup cake flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder

Whipped Cream Filling Ingredients:

• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 Tbsp sugar

1. Whip egg yolks on speed 8 (that's high) until they are light and lemon-colored, about 2 minutes. Continuing on speed 8, gradually sprinkle in 1/4 cup sugar and vanilla extract and beat for 2 more minutes. Remove the mixture from the bowl and set aside.
2. Whip egg whites in clean mixer bowl on speed 8 until the whites begin to hold shape. Continuing on speed 8, gradually sprinkle in remaining sugar, whipping until stiff but not dry.
3. Fold egg yolk mixture into egg whites. I still don't totally have that folding thing down. Sift flour, baking powder, salt, and cocoa powder together. Fold into egg mixture.
4. Line a 10-1/2 x 15-1/2 x 1 inch jelly roll pan with wax paper and grease. Pour the batter into the pan and bake at 375 degrees F for 10-12 minutes. Remove from oven and immediately turn onto a towel sprinkled with powdered sugar. Remove wax paper, and roll cake and towel together. Cool completely.
5. To make whipped cream filling, whip cream and vanilla extract on speed 8 until it begins to thicken. Gradually sprinkle in sugar, and whip until it's stiff.
6. When the cake has cooled, unroll it and spread it with whipped cream filling. Reroll the cake and sprinkle the top with powdered sugar (or more whipped cream filling :)).