Ingredients:

Directions:

Cake:

1. Bring ingredients to room temperature and preheat oven to 450F. Grease and line a half sheet pan with parchment paper.
2. Place 3 egg whites and 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar in mixing bowl and begin mixing on medium speed. As whites begin to froth begin adding granulated sugar gradually. Once all sugar is added increase speed to high and mix until soft peaks are formed. When soft peaks are achieved place whipped egg whites in a clean bowl and set aside until ready to add.
3. Sift and combine almond meal, confectioner’s sugar, salt, and Steve’s GF Cake Flour Blend. Using same bowl and whisk used for egg whites (no need to wash yet) add sifted dry ingredients and whole eggs. Whisk on mixer on medium speed for about 5-7 minutes. Batter should become very thick and pale. Remove from mixer and add 1/3 of whipped egg whites. Gently fold egg whites into almond batter. Once mostly incorporated add melted butter and remaining egg whites and fold in as gently as possible to not deflate batter.
4. Pour batter into prepared pan and spread out very carefully to all edges. Batter will form very thin layer on sheet pan.
5. Place into preheated oven and bake for about 5-7 minutes. Top should be lightly browned and center should just spring back when pressed down.
6. When removing from oven immediately invert onto a clean sheet of parchment and roll up entire cake with parchment into a log starting from long edge. Roll as tightly as possible and allow to cool completely in this position.

Chocolate Italian Buttercream

1. Place 1/4 cup of water in a heavy bottomed pot and add 1 1/4 cups of sugar all at once. Swirl pot to moisten all sugar, but do not stir. Place on stove and heat over medium heat swirling pot occasionally. While sugar syrup is cooking place 4 egg whites in clean mixing bowl with whisk attachment.
2. Have a thermometer in the sugar syrup while it is cooking to check the temperature. Once syrup reaches about 220F start mixer on low to beat egg whites. Allow sugar to keep cooking while egg whites just start mixing. Once sugar syrup reaches 243F remove from stove and pour it into egg whites while the mixer is running on low speed. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt and increase speed up to medium, whisking for about 5-10 minutes. Egg whites will become very thick.
3. Make sure the mixture has come down to room temperature. Add chunks of softened butter a few tablespoons at a time while mixing on low to medium speed. Allow butter to fully incorporate before adding another handful and continue until all the butter is incorporated.
4. Increase speed to high and allow to mix until buttercream is very smooth and soft.
5. Lastly add all vanilla and melted and cooled chocolate and mix until well combined. Set aside buttercream until ready to use.

Mushroom Meringues

1. Preheat oven to 225F.
2. Place 2 egg whites and cream of tartar in a clean mixing bowl with whisk attachment. Whisk on medium speed.
3. Once mixture is very frothy and turning white begin gradually pouring in all sugar and salt. Whisk on high until almost stiff peaks are achieved. Add vanilla extract and whisk to stiff peaks.
4. Place in piping bag with round tip. Pipe pillars to act as the mushroom base and separately pipe mounds of icing to act as the mushroom tops.
5. Use a sifter to very lightly sprinkle cocoa powder over the mushroom tops. This gives them a more realistic appearance.
6. Place in preheated oven and bake for about 1 hour and 45 minutes to 2 hours. Meringues should be very dry down to center but not browned.
7. When finished baking remove from oven and allow to cool completely.
8. Melt and slightly cool a few ounces of chocolate and cut off peaks of mushrooms to make a flatter and more stable surface. Using a small pastry brush, brush some melted chocolate on underside of mushroom tops and place on a mushroom stem. Allow to harden before moving mushrooms.

Creating Your Masterpiece:

1. Unroll sponge cake and spread about half of buttercream evenly along inside of cake leaving 1/2 an inch along bottom. Roll cake back up tightly leaving seam on bottom.
2. Place log on serving plate. Cut off ends and reposition around cake to resemble branches coming off log. Coat entire surface in buttercream and place in freezer for about 15 minutes to chill.
3. Once buttercream firms up slightly run a fork over surface to make indentations and give it a more textured appearance. Make adjustments as necessary.
4. Arrange mushrooms decoratively around log and sprinkle with powdered sugar. Place any additional ornaments or leaves for decoration as desired.