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Yule Log Cake Recipe (Bûche de Noël)

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5 from 113 votes

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! This post walks you through how to make a yule log cake, and ideas for decorating a yule log cake for a beautiful holiday dessert centerpiece! Serve with a White Hot Chocolate or Cranberry Mimosa for an extra festive celebration.

Chocolate yule log cake filled with whipped cream and decorated with sugared cranberries and rosemary twigs

Averie said: “This was my first time making a log cake and it was definitely much easier than I anticipated! The instructions were clear, easy to follow, and it turned out beautifully. Will definitely be adding this to my holiday baking list every year! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

After Thanksgiving is over, I head into full Christmas mode. 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. 

And that means it's the perfect time for my favorite Christmas cake. Do you recall the most classic Christmas cake of aaaaaaaaaaaall? (yes, that was sung to the tune of “Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer”, shush)

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 an 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.

A slice of chocolate yule log cake filled with whipped cream and decorated with sugared cranberries and rosemary twigs

Bûche de noël pronunciation

I absolutely love that I've had people message me asking how you pronounce “Bûche de noël”.

I'm sure you can find a site online that will play an audio clip of how to pronounce it, but phonetically it is: boosh day no-el.

What's the difference between a yule log cake 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.

Swiss roll vs. yule log

Same deal! They're essentially the same thing, except the yule log is decorated in more than just a smooth chocolate ganache.

Ingredients for yule log cake

Ingredients for yule log cake on a marble counter

Chocolate cake

These ingredients will create a light chocolate sponge cake in a thin layer that is easy to roll into shape:

  • Eggs
  • Granulated sugar
  • Vanilla extract
  • Cake flour
  • Unsweetened cocoa powder
  • Baking powder
  • Espresso powder – This is optional if you don't have it, but all this does is bring out the chocolate flavor of the cake. You won't taste the espresso at all!
  • Salt

Chocolate ganache frosting

  • Bittersweet or dark chocolate – You can use baking bars and chop them up, or chocolate chips. I prefer to use darker chocolates because if you use anything sweeter, it's going to make the whole cake overwhelmingly sweet since there's so much chocolate.
  • Unsalted butter – This will give the ganache a smooth and pretty sheen!
  • Vanilla extract – This rounds out the flavors
  • Salt – To cut the sweetness a bit
  • Heavy cream – The cream is heated in a saucepan and then poured over the rest of the ingredients in a bowl and left to melt it all. Makes it much easier to mix it all together without much work needed on your part!

Whipped cream filling

A very simple whipped cream filling that you can make as sweet as you'd like by adding additional powdered sugar:

  • Heavy cream
  • Powdered sugar
  • Vanilla extract

How to make yule log cake

I'm going to break this down step-by-step with process photos for each section of the cake-making process: the chocolate cake layer, the whipped cream filling, the chocolate ganache, and the assembly and decoration.

Making the chocolate cake layer

Black electric hand mixer whipping egg whites in a clear mixing bowl

Step 1: In the bowl of a stand mixer or a large bowl with an electric hand mixer, whip egg whites until soft peaks form. Set aside.

Black electric hand mixer whipping egg whites in a clear mixing bowl

Perfect! Set that bowl aside.

Whisking white granulated sugar and egg yolks together in a clear mixing bowl

Step 2: 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.

Whisking together dry ingredients in a clear mixing bowl

Step 3: In a medium bowl, whisk together cake flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, espresso powder, and salt.

Thick chocolate cake batter dripping off a red mixing spoon into a clear mixing bowl

Step 4: Add the medium bowl of dry mixture to the large bowl of egg yolk mixture and stir to combine – it will be very thick!

Folding whipped egg whites into chocolate batter in a clear mixing bowl

Step 5: Add half of the egg whites to the batter mixture and stir vigorously to combine completely. Then 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.

Spreading chocolate cake batter onto parchment paper on a baking sheet

Step 6: 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.

Be careful not to overbake or else it will be dry and it will crack when you try to roll it.

Using a fine mesh sieve to dust a white kitchen towel with powdered sugar

Step 7: While it's baking, lay out a flour sack or clean kitchen towel on the counter and sprinkle it with a layer of powdered sugar.

Tip: I like to use my flour sifter so that it's a relatively even layer and I don't miss any spots!

Peeling parchment paper off the back of a thin layer of baked cake on a powdered sugar coated kitchen towel

Step 8: 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.

Rolling a thin layer of chocolate cake in a white kitchen towel on a marble surface

Step 9: 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.

Making the chocolate ganache and whipped cream filling

Hot cream being poured into a mixing bowl full of chocolate chips and butter

Step 1: While the cake is baking, make the ganache. In a small heatproof bowl, combine chocolate, butter, vanilla and salt.

And 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.

Mixing chocolate ganache in a clear mixing bowl

Step 2: Let sit for 5 minutes, then stir until completely combined and smooth.

Mixing chocolate ganache in a clear mixing bowl

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 in a clear mixing bowl

Step 3: In the large bowl of a stand mixer or in a large bowl with an electric hand mixer, whip heavy cream until soft peaks form. Add powdered sugar (to taste) and vanilla and whip until stiff peaks form. Set aside.

Assembling the Christmas roll cake

A cooled, thin layer of chocolate cake unrolled on a white kitchen towel

Step 1: Once the cake is completely cooled, carefully unroll it. You'll notice crinkles and wrinkles, and that's completely okay and expected. You're about to cover them all up, and no one will see that part anyway!

Spreading whipped cream on a thin layer of chocolate cake

Step 2: Using a spatula, add an even layer of the whipped cream filling to the top of the cake, leaving about 1/2″ of space on the edges.

A thin layer of chocolate cake rolled up tightly with whipped cream inside

Step 3: Gently re-roll the cake and then move it, seam side down, to a serving platter.

A chocolate cake roll sliced at an angle and positioned to look like a log and branch

Step 4: At this point, you are welcome to just leave the cake roll whole and move on to decorating! But if you'd like to make it a little fancier, you can use a large serrated knife to slice off one end of the cake at an angle, and then place it on one side of the main “log”.

Using a fork to carve lines into the sides of a yule log cake

Step 5: Use a spatula to coat the outside of the roll with the chocolate ganache frosting, on all sides. Now it's 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.

Yule log cake from above decorated with sugared cranberries and rosemary twigs

Step 6: Let that set, then garnish! My personal favorite is to top it with fresh cranberries and rosemary sprigs, then a little coating of powdered sugar just before serving to make it look like fresh snowfall.

  • I like my yule log cake to be simple: a light, chocolate sponge 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 of 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.
  • It doesn't need to be ornately decorated! 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).

My top 2 tips for making yule log cake

#1: Don't overbake it!

I repeat: do not overbake the chocolate cake.

Because we're making this in the form of a very thin sheet, if it's overbaked it will be too dry and it will crack when you try to roll it. It will also just taste less awesome because it won't have enough moisture.

#2: Roll it as soon as you can

Similarly to the above, you want to avoid it getting too dry before you roll it because it will be too difficult to roll, won't hold it's shape, and could crack.

So only let the cake cool on the pan for a minute before you turn it out onto a kitchen towel and roll it into shape.

Chocolate yule log cake filled with whipped cream and decorated with sugared cranberries and rosemary twigs

How to cut yule log cake

I highly recommend using a large, sharp serrated knife to cut each slice of your yule log. It's less likely to squish the cake, or drag crumbs as you slice as opposed to something like a chef's knife.

How to store yule log cake

Loosely cover the cake with plastic wrap and store in the fridge for up to 3 days. I like to stick toothpicks into a few places on the cake so that the plastic wrap isn't clinging directly to the cake itself.

Freezing a yule log

It's better to store the yule log cake before it's been frosted and decorated, but if you need to store it in the freezer after you've already covered it in the chocolate icing… it can be done.

  • Make sure you have enough space in your freezer to let the uncovered cake (on a baking sheet) set for at least an hour.
  • At this point, the frosting should be hardened and you can wrap it in plastic wrap and store it inside an airtight container or large bag for up to 3 months.

But I highly recommend not fully decorating it until after you've thawed it and you're getting ready to slice and serve.

Thawing a yule log

Keeping it covered, transfer the cake from the freezer to the fridge and let it thaw slowly for at least a day. Then you can place it on a counter (still covered) and let it come to room temperature.

If you uncover it before it's come to room temperature, the frosting will form condensation. While it will still taste good, it wouldn't be as pretty!

Behind the scenes

This is the face of a cat who saw me pour heavy cream into a bowl, and not into his face. Needless to say, he is mad and disappointed in me:

A brown, black and white cat sitting on top of a trash can staring at the camera

FAQs

How to decorate a yule log cake

Check out the photos above and the video for the most detailed answer, but the short answer is that you can do a few things to decorate the chocolate ganache, such as using a fork to drag lines down the ends and across the top, lengthwise. And then after its set, you can top it with fresh cranberries and rosemary sprigs, then a coating of powdered sugar to make it look like freshly fallen snow.

How to roll a yule log

Check out the photos above and the video for the most detailed answer, but the short answer is that once you've got the cake on your powdered sugar-dusted towel, you'll peel the parchment paper from the bottom. Then starting from one of the short ends, you'll use gentle but firm pressure to roll the cake up (rolling the towel with it as you go). Then lay the wrapped cake seam side down and let it cool completely.

How to cut yule log cake

I highly recommend using a large, sharp serrated knife to cut each slice of your yule log. It's less likely to squish the cake, or drag crumbs as you slice as opposed to something like a chef's knife.

How to store yule log cake

Loosely cover the cake with plastic wrap and store in the fridge for up to 3 days. I like to stick toothpicks into a few places on the cake so that the plastic wrap isn't clinging directly to the cake itself.

Leaving a comment and star rating is a great (and free) way to support Stress Baking. After you've enjoyed this recipe, click on the stars below and leave a comment to share your experience – thank you!

Yule Log Cake (Bûche de Noël)

4.77 from 113 votes
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! This post walks you through how to make a yule log cake, and ideas for decorating a yule log cake for a beautiful holiday dessert centerpiece.
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Servings: 10 to 12 servings

Ingredients
 

Chocolate cake

Chocolate ganache frosting

Whipped cream filling

Instructions

Chocolate cake

  • Preheat oven to 350°F and line a 10"x15" baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
  • In the large bowl of a stand mixer or in a large bowl using an electric hand mixer, whip egg whites until soft peaks form. Set aside.
    4 large (4) eggs
  • In a separate large bowl, whisk together egg yolks and sugar until well combined and a pale yellow color. Add vanilla and whisk again to combine. Set aside.
    4 large (4) eggs
    1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
    1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together cake flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, espresso powder, and salt.
    1/2 cup (62 ½ g) cake flour
    1/4 cup (21 ½ g) unsweetened cocoa powder
    1 teaspoon baking powder
    1/2 teaspoon (½ teaspoon) espresso powder
    1/4 teaspoon (¼ teaspoon) salt
  • Add the medium bowl of dry mixture to the large 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. Be careful not to overbake!
  • While the cake is baking, lay out a flour sack or clean kitchen towel on the counter and sprinkle it with a layer of powdered sugar.
    Tip: I like to use my flour sifter 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.
    8 ounces (226 ⅘ g) bittersweet or dark chocolate
    1 tablespoon unsalted butter
    1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
    Pinch 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).
    3/4 cup (178 ½ g) heavy cream

Whipped cream filling

  • In the large bowl of a stand mixer or in a large bowl using an electric hand mixer, whip heavy cream until soft peaks form.
    1 cup (238 g) heavy cream
  • Add powdered sugar (to taste) and vanilla and whip until stiff peaks form. Set aside.
    1/4 cup (30 g) confectioners’ sugar (powdered sugar)
    1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

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 1/2" of space on the edges.
  • Gently re-roll the cake and then move it, seam side down, to a serving platter.
  • At this point, you are welcome to just leave the cake roll whole and move on to decorating! But if you'd like to make it a little fancier, you can use a large serrated knife to slice off one end of the cake at an angle, and then place it on one side of the main "log".
  • 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!

Video

Notes

Storage: Loosely cover the cake with plastic wrap and store in the fridge for up to 3 days. I like to stick toothpicks into a few places on the cake so that the plastic wrap isn't clinging directly to the cake itself.
Freezing: It's better to store the yule log cake because it's been frosted and decorated, but if you need to store it in the freezer after you've already covered it in the chocolate icing… it can be done. Make sure you have enough space in your freezer to let the uncovered cake (on a baking sheet) set for at least an hour. At this point, the frosting should be hardened and you can wrap it in plastic wrap and store inside an airtight container or large bag for up to 3 months. I recommend not fully decorating it until after you've thawed it and you're getting ready to slice and serve.
Thawing: Keeping it covered, transfer the cake from the freezer to the fridge and let it thaw slowly for at least a day. Then you can place it on a counter (still covered) and let it come to room temperature. If you uncover it before it's come to room temperature, the frosting will form condensation. While it will still taste good, it wouldn't be pretty!

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 396kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 126mg | Sodium: 147mg | Potassium: 261mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 751IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 81mg | Iron: 3mg

Nutrition Disclaimer

The provided nutrition information is generated by an automatic API and does not take variations across specific brands into account. This information is provided as a general guideline and should not be treated as official calculations. Learn more here.

Recipe created by Leslie Kiszka

Photos from 2018

If you want to see the photos from when I originally published this recipe in 2018, take a trip down memory lane with these photos!

Yule Log Cake on a white platter with a slice on its side
Yule log cake in front of a Christmas tree with a slice taken out to reveal the middle
A close up of the inside of a sliced yule log cake
Yule Log Cake on a white platter with a slice on its side
A slice of yule log cake in the foreground with the rest in the background in front of a Christmas tree
Yule Log Cake being dusted with powdered sugar
4.77 from 113 votes (76 ratings without comment)

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119 Comments

  1. Did you spray/butter the parchment paper? Just looked at your pics and your paper looks very clean and cake is not sticking to it?

  2. 4 stars
    Hi, I know this is old but can I flavour the frosting chocolate, or would you say this ends up with too much chocolate? I wanted to try making the centre frosting chocolate orange but don’t know how much coco powder should be added. Any advice would be great, cheers!

  3. I REALLY love how you have the measurements listed with each step. it makes everything go so much smoother

  4. 5 stars
    this is a tried and true recipe for me! I can’t believe it’s taken me so long to rate it as I’ve been using this recipe for a few years now. by far, my favorite part of this recipe is the ganache. it works so well with the cake and using dark/bittersweet chocolate ensures you’re not getting a sickly sweet cake (especially when you dust the top with powdered sugar). not to mention, I’ve found the ganache makes the cake look like an actual log, whereas recipes that use buttercream look very fake. I’ve let so many friends try this recipe over the last few years and everyone has loved it!

  5. Sounds perfect for Christmas Party or Family Gathering just be sure there’s enough to go around

  6. Hello, I just found this site as will attempt your enticing version for this Christmas. My question is your pictures from 2018 vs this updated post appears to be a different cake. 2018 is thicker cake with “less rolled layers” and this version is a thinner cake with more rolled layers. Is it the same recipe and same pan with different results or did you make a change for this 2022 post thank you.

  7. Does anyone know if I can use a Nordicware Half Size Sheet pan for this recipe? I’m worried that pan may be too big, but unsure. Looking forward to trying this recipe for Christmas Eve! Thanks!

    1. You’d want to use a quarter sheet pan for this one – but if you don’t have access to one, you can do a trick I’ve done between where I fold up the edges of parchment paper in the smaller size and place that on the larger sheet pan, and pour the batter inside of that :)

  8. 2 stars
    Do I use a 12X 7 or 10×5 pan? The Amazon link took me to a 12×7, but the recipe called for a 10×5.
    Thank you

    1. Looks like Amazon updated their listing and removed the original option for the 10×15″ baking sheet – I’ll get that updated, thanks for letting me know!

      I own both of these and would recommend either one:
      https://amzn.to/3tfXhdB
      https://amzn.to/4ak72bf

      As a side note, please don’t rate recipes 2 stars when you haven’t even tried the recipe yet :( Poor ratings hurt creators’ Google rankings, which makes it harder for people to find our recipes, and therefore hard for us to make money on those pageviews.

      I hope you enjoy the recipe!

  9. I have always wanted to try out a yule log cake. Pinning it
    I visited you via CHRISTMAS SUGAR COOKIES – WEEKEND POTLUCK #610
    I linked up this week with = Easy 6 Ingredient Intensely Chocolatey Puddle Cakes and Easy and Fun French Macarons
    I hope you will join us M-S SeniorSalonPitStop. You will find it under BLOGGING.

  10. 5 stars
    This is an awesome recipe, even for a novice baker!! Instructions are very clear and the measurements are easy to get right. Love this recipe and the cake! The decoration tips were great too — creates a WOW effect with minimal effort!

  11. 5 stars
    Back to shop for the ingredients to make this again this year. Love this recipe and how easy it is to make something that looks and tastes so impressive! My family loves it.

  12. 3 stars
    Tried this recipe as my first homemade Yule log and it was super bitter, the first bite is good then it turns bitter while chewing. If that’s normal then I made it right but I think this will go on my not going to make again list.
    It was fun to make however so that was good.

    1. It’s definitely not supposed to be bitter, I’m sorry that was the result! Are you perhaps super sensitive to espresso or bittersweet chocolate (if that’s what you used)? In trying to see what else may have caused that result, the only things I can think of are that the cocoa powder may have been expired or otherwise stale (sometimes if it’s exposed to warmer and more humid temperatures, it can affect the flavor), or that some of the ingredients were potentially accidentally mismeasured (i.e. too much baking soda or cocoa powder could cause a bitter or metallic flavor) or left out. If you think the latter may have been the case, take a look at this post I have about properly measuring ingredients – it might be helpful: https://stressbaking.com/how-to-measure-ingredients-for-baking/

      Again, I’m sorry that was your experience and that I’m not sure of the cause – that’s definitely not the result I was aiming for you to have with your yule log.

  13. 5 stars
    Outstanding flavor! My friend brought it for dessert, it was the best I have had. We usually buy professionally baked Yule logs but not anymore!

  14. Great. Easy to follow recipe that my tween daughters were able to follow and make. My whole family loved it. Served 10 people nicely. We made one addition that was a big success. We smashed 12 ounces of fresh raspberries into the whipped cream and decorated the outside with fresh raspberries. Everyone very impressed!