Red Velvet-Cherry Cake Roll

Red Velvet-Cherry Cake Roll

For the Cake:
1 1/2 cups flour, plus more for dusting
2 cups cherry-flavored cola
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup buttermilk
3 large eggs
1 tablespoon red food coloring
2 teaspoons almond extract
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Confectioner's sugar, for dusting

For the filling:
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 cups cold heavy cream
2 teaspoons almond extract
1/3 cup confectioner's sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350*F. Butter an 11x17" baking sheet and line with parchment paper; butter the parchment and dust with flour.
2. Bring the cola to a simmer in a medium skillet over medium-high heat and cook until reduced to 1/2 cup, 10-12 minutes. Let cool.
3. Whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl. In a separate large bowl, whisk the sugar, vegetable oil, buttermilk, eggs, food coloring, almond and vanilla extracts, and the cola syrup. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined. Spread the batter on the prepared baking sheet; bake until the cake pulls away from the pan, about 15 minutes. Let cool on the pan on a rack, 5 minutes.
4. Dust a kitchen towel (not terry cloth) with confectioners sugar. Invert the cake onto the towel and peel off the parchment. Trim the cake edges. Starting with the short end, roll up the cake around the towel; let cool completely on a rack.
5. Make the filling: Whisk the cream cheese, 1/2 cup cream and the almond extract in a large bowl. Beat the remaining 1 cup cream and the confectioners sugar with a mixer until soft peaks form; gradually fold into the cream cheese mixture. Chill until ready to use.
6. Unroll the cooled cake. Spread with the filling, then gently re-roll the cake and transfer to a platter. Dust with confectioners sugar.

So, I didn't let the cake cool enough before I rolled it and it kinda fell apart on me...so I smashed it into 2 round cake pans and made a layer cake out of it. It worked out pretty well. However, I didn't like the flavor of this cake very much. But if you're a big cherry-flavor fan then this will be perfect for you.