Fill and frost to make a classic Bûche de Noël. Vary the liqueur and buttercream flavors to create your own signature cake roll; you can also cut the sheet in four pieces to make a rectangular layer cake.
Preheat the oven to 350┬░F. Grease one 17 1/2 x 11 1/2-inch jelly-roll pan and line the bottom with wax or parchment paper. Prepare the batter for:
Génoise or Chocolate Génoise
Scrape the batter into the pan and spread evenly. Bake until the top springs back when lightly pressed, 15 to 20 minutes. While the cake is still hot, run a knife along the edges to release it from the pan. Immediately invert the cake onto a sheet of aluminum foil and remove the pan. Let the cake cool completely before peeling off the paper liner. The cake will stick to the foil as it cools. Peel off the paper liner. Lift the foil and turn the cake right side up onto another sheet of foil, with the old foil still stuck on top. Peel off the top sheet of foil, removing the ΓÇ£skinΓÇ¥ from the cake as you do so. Moisten the cake with:
Soaking syrup
Then spread it the desired:
Filling
Roll (see How to Roll and Tighten a Cake Sheet) and refrigerate for at least 1 hour until firm. If desired, frost or sift over the cake before serving:
