Description
This easy yule log cake (Bûche de Noël) delivers impressive holiday presentation with surprisingly straightforward technique.
Ingredients
Scale
For Chocolate Sponge Cake:
- 4 large eggs, separated
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar, divided
- 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- Powdered sugar for dusting
For Whipped Cream Filling:
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 3 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For Chocolate Buttercream:
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/4 cup heavy cream or milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
For Decoration:
- Powdered sugar for “snow”
- Fresh rosemary sprigs
- Fresh cranberries
- Optional: meringue mushrooms
Instructions
- Preheat and prep: Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 10×15-inch jelly roll pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang on short sides. Spray with cooking spray.
- Beat egg whites: In clean bowl, beat egg whites with electric mixer until soft peaks form. Gradually add 1/4 cup sugar while beating until stiff peaks form. Set aside.
- Mix yolks: In separate bowl, beat egg yolks with remaining 1/2 cup sugar until thick and pale yellow, about 3 minutes. Add vanilla extract.
- Add cocoa: Sift cocoa powder and salt over yolk mixture. Fold gently until combined.
- Fold in whites: Add 1/3 of beaten egg whites to chocolate mixture and fold to lighten. Fold in remaining egg whites gently until just combined – some white streaks are okay.
- Bake: Spread batter evenly in prepared pan. Bake 12-15 minutes until cake springs back when lightly touched.
- Roll immediately: While hot, dust clean kitchen towel generously with powdered sugar. Turn cake out onto towel and peel off parchment. Starting from short end, roll cake up WITH towel inside. Let cool completely rolled up.
- Make filling: Beat heavy cream with powdered sugar and vanilla until stiff peaks form. Refrigerate until needed.
- Make buttercream: Beat softened butter until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar and cocoa powder, alternating with cream, until smooth and fluffy. Add vanilla and salt.
- Unroll and fill: Carefully unroll cooled cake. Spread whipped cream filling evenly, leaving 1/2-inch border.
- Roll again: Roll cake back up without towel. Place seam-side down on serving platter.
- Optional branch: Cut 2-inch diagonal slice from one end and attach to side with buttercream to create branch stub.
- Frost: Cover entire log with chocolate buttercream, including cut ends.
- Create bark: Use fork to drag lines lengthwise through frosting, creating bark texture. Add swirls and irregularities for realism.
- Decorate: Dust with powdered sugar just before serving. Add rosemary sprigs and cranberries. Refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving.
Notes
Roll while warm: Rolling the hot cake with towel “trains” it to hold shape without cracking later. This step is critical.
Don’t overmix: Fold egg whites gently to keep air incorporated. Overmixing deflates them and makes dense cake.
Cracks are normal: Minor cracks when unrolling are fine – filling and frosting cover everything.
Imperfect bark is better: Real tree bark has irregularities. Don’t make it too smooth or perfect.
Powdered sugar timing: Add just before serving or it dissolves into frosting.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cooling time: 2 hours
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Rolled Cake
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 420 calories
- Sugar: 45g
- Sodium: 140mg
- Fat: 24g
- Saturated Fat: 15g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Carbohydrates: 50g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 140mg