Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a jelly roll pan with parchment paper and grease it lightly.

In a large bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Add vanilla extract and mix well.

In another bowl, sift together cake flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, espresso powder, and salt. Gradually fold dry ingredients into the egg mixture until just combined.

In a separate bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form and gently fold into the chocolate batter.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan, spreading it evenly. Bake for about 12-15 minutes, or until the top springs back when lightly touched.

While the cake is baking, prepare a clean kitchen towel and dust it with powdered sugar.

Once baked, remove the cake from the oven and immediately turn it out onto the prepared towel. Peel off the parchment paper and roll the cake tightly with the towel from one end. Allow it to cool completely.

For the chocolate ganache, melt chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl over simmering water, stirring until smooth. Add vanilla extract and a pinch of salt, then let it cool slightly.

Whip 3/4 cup of heavy cream until soft peaks form, then carefully fold this into the cooled chocolate ganache.

After the cake has cooled, unroll it gently. Spread the chocolate ganache cream evenly over the cake, then re-roll it carefully without the towel.

Trim the ends of the cake to give it a rustic look and place seam-side down on a serving platter.

For the whipped cream filling, beat the remaining heavy cream with confectioners’ sugar and vanilla until soft peaks form. Spread this whipped cream on top of the cake log.

Use the remaining ganache to frost the outside of the log, creating texture to mimic wood, and chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve.