This festive yule log cake is chocolate cake filled with whipped cream, rolled into the shape of a log, and coated with a chocolate ganache – a classic European holiday tradition! Serve with a White Hot Chocolate or Cranberry Mimosa for an extra festive celebration.
Once Thanksgiving is over, I’m in full on Christmas mode now. I’m assuming I have some sort of invisible switch that flips on at midnight after Thanksgiving that apparently indicates that Christmas mode is now activated.
- The tree and other Christmas decorations (however minimal they may be) went up the morning after Thanksgiving.
- I’m playing Christmas music in the house, almost exclusively.
- All baking involves Christmas cookies, peppermint, gingerbread, eggnog, and snowflake sprinkles.
Please tell me I’m not the only one.
So I was trying to decide what my first post-Thanksgiving recipe should be, and since last week I did a cookie recipe I figured now is as good a time as any to put a Christmas cake out there into the internet ether. Do you recall the most classic Christmas cake of aaaaaaaaaaaall?
(yes, that was sung to the tune of “Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer”, shut up)
A Bûche de Noël!
What’s a Bûche de Noël?
If you’re not familiar, a Bûche de Noël (or “yule log”) is a traditional European dessert that’s served during the holidays, and it’s intentionally created to look like an actual yule log. It’s typically chocolate cake with a whipped cream filling.
Although not the same size as a real yule log, because sweetbabyjesus that would be a really big cake. That would be a yuleOMGCAKE.
Okay, now I kinda wanna make one. Can you imagine showing up to your family’s house with this log-shaped cake that’s the size of their Australian Shepard? Although, that would make a good story for future Christmases.
“Hey, remember that time that Leslie showed up to Christmas Eve with that giant cake that ended up all over the front door? And Snoopy’s face? And your niece?”
… good times.
Serving yule log cake
I know a lot of people like to slice off one end at an angle, and then attach it to one side so it really looks like a log, but I like to keep it simple. Easier to make, easier to plate, easier to serve. Easy.
What’s the difference between a yule log and a cake roll?
Cake rolls have no holiday affiliation, and a yule log is a cake roll that’s all dressed up for Christmas.
Just look at it, all fancy.
How I like to make yule log cake
I like my yule log cake to be simple: a light, spongey chocolate cake, lightly sweet whipped cream filling, and coated in a dark chocolate ganache. No crazy flavors or ingredients, and just the addition of some espresso powder to the cake to enhance the chocolate flavor.
For garnish, I like to top mine with a handful of fresh cranberries, a couple springs of rosemary, and a dusting of powdered sugar.
And for the ganache, I require a thick layer of ganache on the outside. I like to make enough that while I’m icing the cake, I’m thinking to myself, “Yikes, this is too much. OH GOD this is too much”, and then by the time I’m finished I remember that it’s exactly the right amount.
It’s kinda like when you’re making spaghetti and you keep adding more pasta to the pot, and then at the end you go, “OH GOD this is too much”, except this is the opposite of that.
Of which – why is spaghetti such a surprisingly difficult thing to measure the right amount of, even though you’re using the hole in the middle of the spaghetti spoon and it looks like it’s not enough so you add more than then remember that you’re an idiot and you should have trusted the spoon? WHY.
Okay, spaghetti rant over. And don’t make spaghetti – make this, and impress your family and friends with the presentation. I put very little effort into my design on the outside: I just drag a fork lengthwise across the top and down the sides.
You can do that, or use a toothpick or skewer to draw wavy lines lengthwise across the top, and in spirals on the ends. Or you can just use a small spatula to give it some wavy texture (I never seem to get this right, but it looks beautiful when it’s done right).
Make it, slice it, serve it, and enjoy it. And then forget about the calories because it’s the holidays and spending precious time with loved ones is what matters… right? [shrug]
After you’ve made this recipe, please leave a comment below with a rating – and if you came from Pinterest, add a photo to the Pin of what you make to the pin to share your experience!
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Yule Log Cake (Bûche de Noël)
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 10–12 servings 1x
Description
Chocolate cake is filled with whipped cream, rolled into the shape of a log, and coated with a chocolate ganache – a classic European holiday tradition!
Ingredients
Chocolate cake:
- 4 eggs, separated and room temperature
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup cake flour
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon espresso powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Chocolate ganache frosting:
- 8 ounces bittersweet or dark chocolate, chopped
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
- ¾ cup heavy cream
Whipped cream filling:
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ¼ cup powdered sugar (more or less, to taste)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste (aff link)
Instructions
Chocolate cake:
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line a 10×15 baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In the large bowl of a stand mixer, whip egg whites until soft peaks form. Set aside.
- In a separate large bowl, whisk together egg yolks and sugar until well combined and a pale yellow color. Add vanilla and whisk to combine. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together cake flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, espresso powder, and salt.
- Add the dry mixture to the bowl of egg yolk mixture and stir to combine – it will be very thick!
- Add half of the egg whites to the mixture and stir vigorously to combine completely.
- Gently fold in the other half of the egg whites. Take your time and, again, be gentle – you don’t want to eliminate all the air you whipped into them.
- Pour batter onto the prepared pan, gently using a spatula to evenly distribute the batter.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the cake is spongey and bounces back when touched.
- While it’s baking, lay out a flour sack or kitchen towel on the counter and sprinkle it with a layer of powdered sugar.
Tip: I like to use my flour sifter (aff link) so that it’s a relatively even layer and I don’t miss any spots! - Let the cake cool for a minute on the baking sheet, then carefully turn it out onto the towel and remove the parchment paper from the bottom.
- Starting from one of the short ends, roll the cake up (rolling the towel with it as you go). Lay the wrapped cake seam side down and let cool completely.
Chocolate ganache frosting:
- While the cake is baking, make the ganache. In a small heatproof bowl, combine chocolate, butter, vanilla and salt.
- In a small saucepan, heat the heavy cream over low heat until you see the edges start to bubble. Remove from heat and pour over the bowl of chocolate mixture. Let sit for 5 minutes, then stir until completely combined and smooth. Set aside to cool (or place in the fridge until you’re ready to use it – you’ll just need to give it a stir once you take it out before you can frost the cake).
Whipped cream filling:
- In the large bowl of a stand mixer, whip heavy cream until soft peaks form.
- Add powdered sugar (to taste) and vanilla and whip until stiff peaks form. Set aside.
Assemble the cake roll:
- Once the cake is completely cooled, carefully unroll it. Using a spatula, add an even layer of the whipped cream filling to the top of the cake, leaving about ½″ of space on the edges.
- Gently re-roll the cake and then move it, seam side down, to a serving platter.
- Use a spatula to coat the outside of the roll with the chocolate ganache frosting, on all sides.
- Time to make it look like a log! Here are a few suggestions:
– Use a fork to drag lines down the ends and across the top, lengthwise.
– Use a toothpick or skewer to draw lines lengthwise across the top, and in spirals on the ends.
– Use a small spatula to give it some wavy texture. - Let set, then garnish! My personal favorite is to top it with fresh cranberries and rosemary sprigs, then a coating of powdered sugar. Slice, serve and enjoy!
Equipment
Buy Now →
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: European
Keywords: yule log cake, chocolate yule log, christmas cake
Susan G says
Thank you for sharing cake looks delicious flour sack towel looks amazing.
Joan says
This was the first time I ever attempted to make a Yule Log. I made it for Christmas Eve to bring to my cousin’s house. It came out perfectly, I was so amazed that the cake didn’t crack. It was so much easier than I thought it would be.
★★★★★
Leslie Kiszka says
Thank you so much for coming back to share your experience and leave a rating – I’m so glad it worked out well and was easier than expected! Happy New Year 🙂
Good Canyon Goldie says
I made this cake for the first time on Christmas Eve for a dinner party with 6 people (one woman was from France). I followed the thorough directions and it turned out perfect. It looked fabulous, tasted wonderful and won praise all around. Our French friend explained that it wasn’t easy to make (and I agree) and that sometimes they flatten or are dry, or the roll breaks. None of those disasters with this one! Success!
★★★★★
Leslie Kiszka says
That’s so impressive for your first time – thank you so much for coming back to leave a comment and rating with your experience. Happy Holidays!
M says
Good lord this website has a lot of ads. What a terrible experience. I won’t be back.
Leslie Kiszka says
I’m sorry that you feel that way. Ad revenue is how I am able to support the costs of running this site (ingredients, equipment, hosting fees, etc.), and it’s how I’m able to provide these recipes for free, too! Please do feel free to use the “jump to recipe” button at the top of my post so you don’t have to scroll down, and don’t hesitate to reach out if you ever find an ad obstructing your ability to view the recipe card as that should never be the case and I’d want to get that fixed as soon as possible. I hope that helps, and hope your day gets better – happy holidays!
Lynsey says
I always wanted to try a Yule log at Christmastime. We attempted this recipe today. The directions were very clear and easy to follow, and the cake turned out light and airy and delicious! My husband wasn’t a fan, but he doesn’t like chocolate cake in general (seriously!). My kids and I thought it was very good, and now are excited to try other cake rolls to see which we like the best!
★★★★★
Leslie Kiszka says
Thank you so much for sharing your comment (and for leaving a rating)! I’ll never understand those no-chocolate people, ya know? 😉
Pat Zellers says
My cake turned out very thin. I had no trouble rolling it up & it tasted good. I followed the recipe carefully so I don’t think I did anything wrong but it was only about 1/4 inch thick. We were able to eat it but I wouldn’t make it again
★★★
Leslie Kiszka says
I’m not sure, but maybe your batter was spread out over a larger area than I usually do (10×15 sized pan)? I’m sorry it didn’t turn out as expected for you, but happy holidays!
Aay says
Disappointing to spend so much time on this and have it taste so bland. The cake part was boring, tasteless, and chewy. The filling is good but I do not think the airy cream will hold over night. I wish I would not have strayed away from my original recipe.
★★
Leslie Kiszka says
I’m really disappointed to hear that as it’s a holiday favorite for myself and so many and I’ve always really loved the flavor. As for the chewiness, that usually indicates it was baked a tad too long. Regardless, I’m sorry it didn’t turn out as expected for you, but happy holidays!
Tracy says
Ive had a really hard job making the Ganache its very lumpy and is not melted in five minutes – made two batches now I would love some feed back !! Irritated and definitely not a 10minutes prep just saying !!
Leslie Kiszka says
I actually note that the baking time is 10 minutes, but the prep is 20 minutes. If your ganache was lumpy, it sounds like maybe your chocolate was old, and/or it was heated too long (as it will then start to seize up and get drier and clumpy). Sorry that making this recipe made you irritated, as that’s obviously not the goal – especially during the holidays. I’m sorry it didn’t turn out as expected for you, but happy holidays!
carol says
Hi, I made the cake as per the instructions, unless everyone gets a tiny sliver of cake, the recipe as stated makes a tiny tiny cake. I called it a large Yodel. So the I made the cake again, this time doubling the recipe and then it came out perfect, enough to feed 10/12 people with some left over. The Yodel (my first try) became some twigs, which looked fine. The ganache came out delicious and the filling too. The sponge looked like it could have been a little dry but not sure since I didn’t try it yet. Overall not too difficult to make, it was rather fun!
★★★★
Leslie Kiszka says
I’ve never heard of this problem on this cake before and don’t know how that would happen, so I’m sorry to hear it. But glad it all worked out regardless, and thank you for leaving a comment and rating. Happy Holidays!
Silvana Gallagher says
How long can the assembled cake be kept in the refrigerator? I would like to make it several days before Christmas. Thanks!
Leslie Kiszka says
It should be fine for 2-3 days ahead of time. I would just wait to add garnish like cranberries, rosemary, powdered sugar, etc. until the day of!
Joanne says
I’m really surprised by some of these reviews because this was great. We got eighht slices out of ours and it was moist and just chocolately enough without being sickeningly sweet like some cakes. Everyone loved it at Christmas eve. Thanks
★★★★★
Leslie Kiszka says
Thanks for your feedback and leaving a rating, it’s a favorite of ours!
Emily H says
The sponge cake part worked out great as far as not cracking goes. Unfortunately my ganache split, but that was my fault, not the recipe’s (keeping a 6 month old entertained while making this was challenging). The overall flavor was good, but not great. I’ve seen some recipes with a cream cheese based inner filling, which might be better. The whipped cream center made it seem a bit basic. Going to try to jazz it up a little on my second attempt. I’d give it 4 stars. It works, but not a “wow” flavor.
★★★★
Leslie Haasch says
I appreciate your feedback! This is the “classic” recipe where the filling is quite simple, but it’s easy enough to swap out for a cream cheese filling if that’s more your preference. Check out my gingerbread cake roll (https://stressbaking.com/gingerbread-eggnog-cake-roll/), that one has a cream cheese filling that you might enjoy. Thanks again for stopping by, and happy holidays!