Mom’s 80th Birthday Cake

My mom will be turning 80 this month. My aunt and I are cookin’ up some great plans to make her birthday as special as she is. I’ve arranged to have a hot air balloon ride on the morning of her birthday. And my awesome aunt is flying in from California to help us celebrate mom’s day.

I’m contemplating what we should do for the birthday cake. Should I get a fancy cake made at the magical bakery…or should we whip up something made with love at home in our own kitchen? I’m leaning towards making a cake mom used to make for special occasions called the Forty-Niner Chocolate Roll. It is light, fluffy oh so very delicious and holds so many fond memories of celebrations past.

Forty-Niner Chocolate Roll

Cake Ingredients

• 4 eggs, separated
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 cup ghiradelli ground chocolate
• 1/4 cup boiling water
• 3/4 cup sifted cake flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup sugar

Filling Ingredients

• 1/2 pint whipping cream
• 3 tablespoons powdered sugar
• 1 can (15 1/4 oz.) crushed pineapple, drained
• 3 tablespoons rum

Cake

1. Beat egg yolks with vanilla.
2. Blend ground chocolate with water; beat into egg yolk mixture.
3. Sift flour with baking powder.
4. Gradually add dry ingredients, mixing until smooth.
5. Beat egg whites with salt until soft peaks form.
6. Gradually add sugar, beating until stiff peaks.
7. Using metal spatula, fold egg whites into chocolate mixture.
8. Pour batter into greased and floured waxed paper-lined 10 by 15-inch jelly roll pan.
9. Bake at 325°F for 15 minutes.
10. Run knife around edge.
11. Turn hot cake onto cloth heavily dusted with powdered sugar.
12. Remove waxed paper, and starting from narrow end, roll up cake with cloth; cool.

Filling

1. Whip cream with powdered sugar until stiff.
2. Stir in pineapple and rum.
3. Unroll cake and spread with filling; reroll cake with filling.
4. Chill until firm.

Cut into slices. Makes 10-12 servings.