Yule log

The Christmas Log (Bûche de Noël) is the pinnacle of holiday spectacle – dramatic, decadent and downright magical. This light chocolate sponge cake wraps around a whipped cream filling and transforms into a rustic log straight out of Santa’s enchanted forest. Finished with a stunning 3D chocolate ‘bark’ exterior, each slice delivers rich chocolate flavor, festive charm and serious wow factor for your Christmas table.

This recipe has been made for Christmas Eves, Christmas dinner centerpieces and just a fun Christmas dessert and has become a tradition since 2015.

Ingredients

• Eggs
• Sugar
• Vanilla extract
• Flour
• Cocoa powder
• Baking powder
• Baking soda
• Salt
• Coffee
• Heavy whipped cream/double cream
• Powdered sugar/icing/confectionery

What is a Christmas log?

Burning a Yule log is an ancient tradition dating back to pre-Christian times, symbolizing warmth, light and the promise of brighter days during the darkest time of the year. This tradition has its origins in Germanic or Scandinavian pagan practices and was part of winter solstice celebrations in medieval Europe.

Cake roll/Swiss roll

The roll is prepared the same way as a regular cake roll, similar to my Swiss roll recipe. This is a thin cake baked on a baking tray, rolled in a clean tea towel while still warm and left to cool to form the shape.

Make the bark

A common decoration is to spread chocolate ganache on the roll and use a fork to create lines – that’s how I learned about home economics – but I wanted to jazz it up. This version is very simple to make. To enhance the rustic look, I like to sprinkle a little powdered sugar (icing/confectioners’ sugar) on top of the cake, creating the effect of a layer of fresh snow settling on the surface and in the cracks. You can also add meringue mushrooms for extra decoration.

I call this effect “Chocolate Chips” and I love how they mimic the look of a real Yule log by adding visual texture. As well as decorating this Bûche de Noël cake, I also used them as a simple but stunning topping for my Irish Chocolate Cake. They look like a thicker version of chocolate chips.

Making them is incredibly simple: just melt some chocolate, spread it on parchment paper and let it harden. When you unroll the paper, the chocolate naturally breaks into shards. You can learn more in my article which also has a video tutorial, How to Make Chocolate Chips/Barks.

Christmas log (And the number – Stop by Stop:

Line a 15 x 11 inch (38 x 28 cm) baking sheet/tray or jelly pan with parchment paper. Leave the excess paper around the edges to lift the cake from the pan.

1. Line a 15 x 11 inch (38 x 28 cm) baking sheet/tray or jelly pan with parchment paper. Leave the excess paper around the edges to lift the cake from the pan.
2. Beat egg whites with an electric mixer, set to high speed, in a large bowl until stiff peaks form.
3. Add the granulated/powdered sugar, one tablespoon at a time until stiff peaks form.
4. In another bowl, beat the egg yolks and vanilla with an electric mixer set to medium speed for 3 minutes. Gradually add the rest of the sugar. Beat for 2 minutes or until thickened and lemon-colored.
5. Mix the flour with the cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Gently fold the flour mixture into the egg yolk mixture, alternating with the coffee, until the mixture is smooth.
6. Gently fold chocolate mixture into whipped egg whites; Spread cake batter evenly in prepared pan and bake.
7. Using the paper, carefully lift the cake from the pan and place it on a cooling board or rack.
8. Place a clean linen towel over the cake and a cooling rack or large cutting board on top. Invert the cake onto the board so the towel is under the cake. Sprinkle with powdered sugar so the cake doesn’t stick to itself.
9. Immediately roll the cake in a kitchen towel, starting at the narrowest end. Place on a rack and let cool completely to room temperature.
10. Whip the heavy cream with the vanilla until it begins to thicken.
11. Add the caster sugar in small quantities until the cream is thick with soft peaks. Cancel.
12. Carefully unroll the cooled cake and cut a 1-inch strip from the long end of the cake for the extra branch.
13. Spread the whipped cream evenly over the large and small pieces of cake using an offset spatula.
14. Roll large and small cakes seam side down.
15. Cut the “branch” at an angle so it rests against the cake.
16. Place both cakes on the surface where they will stay because once decorated it is very difficult to move them.
17. Take the chocolate rolled in parchment paper out of the refrigerator.
18. Unroll the paper and the chocolate will break into pieces of bark. Place in a bowl and refrigerate.
19. Once the cakes are placed, melt the chocolate in the same way as before in the microwave.
20. Working in small areas, spread some of the 8 ounces of melted chocolate over the log and place the chocolate bark pieces unevenly until the entire cake and branch are covered.
21. Sprinkle lightly with powdered sugar to imitate snow.

Decoration

The easiest way is to use a spatula or offset knife and spread a layer of melted chocolate over the log and the bark will stick easily. To enhance the rustic look, I like to sprinkle a little powdered sugar (icing sugar) on top of the cake, creating the effect of a fresh layer of snow.

Coffee in a chocolate cake

If you haven’t tried using brewed coffee in your chocolate cakes, muffins, cupcakes, or frostings, I encourage you to try it. Coffee enhances the flavor of the chocolate, making it richer and, well…even more chocolatey!

The simplest Yule log

To make my life easier (and I did it myself). If you don’t want to make the cake from scratch, you can buy a box of your favorite chocolate sponge cake mix and follow my recipe starting by baking it in the baking tray/baking sheet.

Janette is a professionally trained chef based in California who channels her passion for cooking into carefully crafted recipes. His culinary creations are inspired by his English heritage as well as his favorite global cuisines, including Indian and Italian. Connect with her on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram for more delicious inspiration. Learn more about Janette…