Vegan Chocolate Peppermint Roll Cake

For Christmas this year I thought I would make a yule log.  Because they are so festive and so pretty!  But I have to admit, roll cakes are something that I like to make year round because to me they are easier than layer cakes but you get just as much delicious filling!  I like chocolate and peppermint around the holidays, so that is what I flavored this one with. In my book "Just Vegan Cakes" I had a chocolate peppermint cake that was heavenly, and I wanted to make this one taste the same, only rolled and with a slightly different batter.

Since I wrote that book, I have realized that date sweetened cake batter works best for roll cakes because it keeps the cake nice and pliable.  For this one, I used a cacao and mint laced date sweetened batter, and it was heavenly!  Yes, I always have to sample the cake batter lol.  This cake batter also happens to be oil free, because I use nut butter in place of oil and it works out beautifully!

It baked up nicely and my kitchen smelled amazing!  It deserved a delicious filling, so  I used a coconut milk base, with cashew butter, and cacao butter to thicken it and make it rich.  It tasted like white chocolate mousse!  Even better once I added the peppermint extract and vanilla. I decided to tint it pick to make it prettier. I knew it would be heavenly with the dark chocolate!

For the outside of the cake I could have just dusted it with some coconut powdered sugar but I decided to make a dark chocolate ganache to finish it off.  It was so heavenly! Rich and sweet cake with a aromatic smooth vanilla mint cream filling and decadent ganache on the outside!  This was the perfect thing to make for Christmas!

Vegan Chocolate Peppermint Roll Cake
Makes one 15 inch long roll cake

Ingredients:

10x15 inch jelly roll pan

Cake:

• 1 1/2 cups organic whole wheat pastry flour
• 1/4 cup cacao powder or unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1 1/4 cups packed soft medjool dates, pitted, soaked in water for 30 minutes and drained
• 1/4 cup cashew butter or your preferred nut butter (just make sure it is smooth)
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 tsp peppermint extract
• 2 cups filtered water
• 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

Filling:

• 1 15 oz can organic full fat coconut milk, such as Thai Kitchen chilled (you want to make sure it is a brand that is 3/4 of the can cream or it will not work)
• 1/2 cup raw cashew butter
• 1/3 cup maple syrup
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 tsp peppermint extract
• 1 tsp beet powder
• 1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp melted cacao butter or coconut butter (NOT OIL), warmed to liquid

Ganache:

• 3/4 cup chopped vegan dark chocolate
• 1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp full fat coconut milk

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350F degrees and position rack in center of oven.
2. Line a 15 x 10 inch jellyroll pan with parchment paper.
3. Whisk flour, cacao powder, baking powder, baking soda, and sea salt in a large bowl to blend well.  Set aside.
4. Place dates, water, almond butter, and vanilla extract into a blender, and blend until smooth, then whisk this blended mixture into the flour mixture until well blended. Whisk in the cider vinegar until bubbles form.
5. Transfer cake batter to prepared pan and bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 15-18 minutes.
6. Cool cake completely.
7. To make the filling, combine all ingredients in a high speed blender and blend until completely smooth.
8. Pour into a bowl and place in the freezer until the consistency of stiffly whipped cream (about 30-45 minutes depending on how warm it has gotten.  Once it is ready place in the refrigerator until ready to assemble.
9. When ready to assemble, spread filling over the top of the cake, then roll up jellyroll style starting with the short side and using the parchment to assist you in rolling.  Be careful because the cake is fragile, but if it cracks as you roll it no worries, keep rolling because the cake will be covered.  Let chill in the freezer once rolled for a few hours before topping with the ganache.  Once it has chilled, cut off the ends to make it nice and even.
10. To make the ganache, melt the chocolate in the top of a double boiler, then whisk in the coconut milk until smooth.  Pour over the cake and smooth out over the top and sides (but leaving the pretty ends exposed).
11. Chill until the ganache has firmed up, and serve!

*If you would like to make this gluten free, swap the whole wheat flour for Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free All Purpose Baking Flour (I have tested this brand and know it works, but have not tried other brands so I am not sure if they would turn out the same).