Sweetheart Chocolate Roll Cake

Preheat oven to 350F.

Butter a jelly roll pan (baking pan) and then lay a sheet of wax paper on the bottom of the pan but make sure there is some overhang (you’ll use this to pull the cake out later) and butter the wax paper as well, making sure to get the sides of the pan greased.

Melt the butter and chocolate together in a saucepan over very low heat until smooth. Take off the heat, add the sugar and mix well.

Beat eggs until thick, pale and light. This will take about seven-eight minutes beating on high. Fold in the chocolate mixture and vanilla extract, but be careful not to over-mix (this will deflate the eggs).

Mix together the flour, baking soda and salt. Add dry ingredients alternately with milk to the cake batter, folding slowly the entire time. Make sure to get down to the bottom of the bowl with your rubber spatula!

Spread the cake batter onto your prepared pan and smooth out to the edges, making sure the batter is evenly distributed.

Bake for 15 minutes.

While cake is cooling, make the buttercream. Beat together the softened butter and confectioner’s sugar. Add the milk, vanilla and food coloring and beat until very light and fluffy— about six minutes.

After the cake has cooled completely, lift it out of the pan using the wax paper handles and set cake on the counter. Gently turn cake over and peel off wax paper. Spread the filling out on top of the cake, leaving an inch free around all edges. Then, gently roll up cake. Don’t worry if it rips a little bit–it will turn out fine!

Stick rolled up cake in the freezer while you prepare ganache.

Place chocolate chips in a heat proof bowl and set aside. Bring cream to a simmer on the stove. Immediately pour the hot cream over chocolate chips and stir to melt. Remove cake from freezer and pour ganache over the cake, making sure all sides are covered. Cover with sprinkles and return to freezer for 30 minutes to set.

Store cake in the fridge—can be made a day ahead of time!