Yule Log Cake Recipe (Buche de Noel Recipe)

Yule log cake, also known as buche de noel, is a classic French Christmas dessert made with a soft chocolate sponge rolled with a creamy filling and covered with chocolate frosting. The cake is decorated to look like a wooden log, making it a beautiful addition to your Christmas table. Follow the recipe with step-by-step pictures to see how easily you can make yule log at home.

Buche de Noel Recipe

Yule log is a very new recipe to me. I heard about it from Nigella lawson Christmas cookbook and was so fascinated by the look. So I tried to recreate it for Christmas this year and everyone loved it. It may look complicated for many but actually pretty easy to make. I am sharing step by step guide, so you can make it easily at home.

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Why is it called a yule log cake?

Yule log cake or Buche de Noel, is a traditional Christmas dessert that originated in France. It is inspired by the old Christmas tradition of burning a wooden log in the fireplace during the holiday season.

Over time, this tradition turned into a cake shaped like a log, which is now a popular Christmas dessert across the globe. Making this cake at home is also quite fun, especially when it comes to decorating it.

About Yule Log Cake

Yule log cake is made with a soft chocolate Swiss roll. Once baked, the cake is rolled while it is still warm is an important step, as it helps the cake hold its shape without breaking.

Once the filling is added and the cake is rolled, it is ready for the final decoration. The chocolate frosting gives the cake its signature wooden log appearance. You can simply run a fork over the frosting to make lines that resemble the bark of a tree.

What I love about this cake is the combination of soft chocolate sponge and creamy filling in every slice. It is light, moist and makes a delicious dessert to serve after Christmas dinner. You can also decorate it with fresh strawberries or dust it with little icing sugar to give it a festive look.

If you enjoy making Christmas bakes, you can also check out my Christmas fruit cake, plum cake and eggless fruit cake.

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Ingredients

All purpose flour : I used all purpose flour which makes the swiss roll so soft.
Unsweetened cocoa powder : Use good quality dutch processed cocoa powder for best taste.
Cornstarch : Cornstarch along with plain flour makes the swiss roll pliable so it is easy to roll.
Eggs : Separate the egg whites and yolks, as whipping them separately helps create a light and airy cake.
Sugar : Sugar helps to stabilize the whipped egg whites and give volume to the sponge.
Baking powder : Baking powder acts as a rising agent and helps the sponge cake rise while baking.
Salt : A pinch of salt added to balance the sweetness and enhances the chocolate flavour.
Confectioners sugar : Powdered sugar is sprinkled over the finished cake for decoration. It gives the yule log a beautiful snowy look.
Frosting – I have used my double chocolate buttercream for the filling. It helps create the beautiful tree bark effect when spread over the rolled cake.

Step by Step Pictures

1)Start by preheating oven to 220 degree C / 425 degree F. Line a sheet pan or a jelly roll pan or any large tray with parchment paper and grease it well. The parchment paper should come over the sides of the tray.

Dry Ingredients

2)take plain flour and cocoa powder in a sieve.

3)Add in salt and baking powder.

4)Add in cornstarch into the flour mixture. Now sieve all of this together so all ingredients is evenly incorporated.

5)Now set this aside for a moment. This is your dry ingredients.

Whipping egg whites and yolk

6)Now separate egg whites and egg yolks.

7)Take egg whites in a clean dry bowl and use an electric beater to whip this till it is frothy and forms soft peaks.

8)When you lift the bowl and invert it shouldn’t fall off the bowl.

Make Swiss Roll Batter

9)Now take egg yolks and sugar in another bowl and whisk using the same electric beater till it gets pale yellow and light. Let it get frothy.

10)This is how it should look like.

11)Now add in the sifter flour mix into the egg yolk and mix well.

12) Once the flour is combined. Gently add the whipped egg white in three addition and fold gently.

13)Fold the first addition gently before adding the second addition of egg whites.

14)Add the second addition now and use a spatula to gently fold the batter.

15)Once it is mixed, add the third and final addition of whipped egg whites.

16)Be gentle with the egg whites.

17)Don’t over mix and deflate the egg whites. The batter should be light and airy.

Baking Swiss roll

18)Now transfer the batter into the prepared pan.

19)Tap few times on the counter to level out the batter.

20)place into the preheated oven. Bake for 6 to 8 minutes only. The cake will be baked super fast. Remove the pan from oven and cool for 2 minutes in the pan.

Pre shape the swiss roll

21)Now take a sheet of parchment paper and sprinkle some powdered sugar on top.

22)gently remove the swiss roll from the pan with the help of parchment paper.

23)Invert the swiss roll over the sugar sprinkled parchment paper.

24)peel off the parchment paper.

25)soft and fluffy swiss roll.

26)Now roll the cake with the parchment paper tightly.

27)Roll them hot so the swiss roll get the shape and doesn’t crack when frosting and rolling.

28)set aside to cool completely. This step is important to prevent the swiss roll from breaking.

Frost the cake

29)Meanwhile make the chocolate frosting. Instead of chocolate buttercream, you can use whipped cream as well.

30)Once the cake is cooled, unwrap it from the parchment paper roll.

31)Since we rolled the cake hot, it doesn’t crack.

32)Spread the chocolate buttercream frosting over the cake.

33) Spread the frosting all over the cake.

34)Now Roll the cake carefully again into tight log like. Put the cake in fridge for 30 minutes.

Decorating into yule log

35)Once the cake is chilled and set. Remove the cake from fridge. Now slice the cake at both ends at an angle.

36)Now spread some frosting on the side. This will stick the cut out cake on the swiss roll.

37)Stick the sliced cake so the cake looks like a log.

38)Now spread remaining frosting all over the cake. It doesn’t have to be perfect.

39)Spread the frosting with a spatula to cover the whole log.

40)Use a fork to mark impressions like wooden log.

42)You can place this in fridge to firm up.

43)Now sprinkle the top with powdered sugar and decorate as you wish. Place the yule log on a platter and enjoy.

Expert Tips

Be cautious when separating eggs – Make sure no egg yolk gets into the egg whites. Even a little yolk can affect how well the egg whites whip. Beat the egg whites with sugar until still peaks form. This gives the sponge cake its light and airy texture.

Fold and not beat – Gently fold the whipped egg whites into the egg yolk and flour mixture. Don’t over-mix, as it can remove the air and make the cake dense.

No Over Baking – Don’t over bake the sponge. This is one of the important steps, as it can make the sponge dry and cause crack while rolling.

When decorating – Make sure to dust the parchment paper with powdered sugar before rolling. It prevents the warm cake from sticking while rolling. Spread the filling evenly over the cake so it doesn’t squeeze out too much while rolling.

Storage – Store the yule log cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Serving – Dust the yule log cake with powdered sugar just before serving to give it a snowy look. Serve it along with some fresh strawberries or cherries. You can also serve each slice with whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

FAQ

Q. Why did my yule log cake crack while rolling ?

The cake can crack if it is overbaked or cooled completely before rolling. Make sure to roll the sponge while it is still warm, as this helps it bend without breaking.

Q. How do I make the cake look like a wooden log ?

Cover the rolled cake with chocolate buttercream and gently run a fork over it to make lines that look like tree bark. You can also cut a small piece of cake diagonally and attach it to the side to look like a tree branch.

Q. Why is my sponge cake dense ?

The sponge may turn dense if the egg whites are not whipped properly or the batter is overmixed. Gently fold the ingredients to keep the air in the batter and get a soft, spongy cake.

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