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Classic Chocolate Yule Log Cake (Bûche de Noël)

A close-up of a rich chocolate yule log cake slice showing the dark sponge rolled with white cream filling, covered in ganache and powdered sugar.
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Make a stunning, traditional chocolate Yule Log Cake, perfect for your holiday celebration. This recipe guides you through creating a moist sponge, rich filling, and realistic chocolate bark.

Ingredients

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  • 4 large eggs, separated
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar, divided
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1 cup heavy cream, cold
  • 8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • Powdered sugar, for dusting
  • Optional: Fresh rosemary sprigs or meringue mushrooms for decoration

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a 10×15 inch jelly roll pan with parchment paper, lightly greasing the paper.
  2. In a large bowl, beat the egg whites with the salt until soft peaks form. Gradually add 1/4 cup of the sugar and beat until stiff, glossy peaks form. Set aside.
  3. In a separate bowl, beat the egg yolks with the remaining 1/4 cup sugar until pale and thick. Beat in the vanilla extract.
  4. Sift the flour and cocoa powder together over the yolk mixture. Gently fold the dry ingredients into the yolks until just combined.
  5. Gently fold one-third of the beaten egg whites into the yolk mixture to lighten it. Then, gently fold in the remaining egg whites until no white streaks remain. Do not overmix.
  6. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the top springs back lightly when touched.
  7. While the cake bakes, lay a clean kitchen towel on your counter and dust it heavily with powdered sugar.
  8. Immediately invert the hot cake onto the prepared towel. Carefully peel off the parchment paper. Starting from a short end, roll the cake and towel together tightly. Let it cool completely in this rolled shape on a wire rack.
  9. Prepare the filling: Heat 1/2 cup of the heavy cream until simmering. Pour the hot cream over the chopped chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl. Let it sit for 5 minutes, then whisk until smooth. Let the ganache cool until it is spreadable, about 30 minutes.
  10. Once cool, gently unroll the cake. Spread the chocolate ganache filling evenly over the surface, leaving a 1-inch border on the far edge.
  11. Reroll the cake tightly without the towel. Place the rolled cake seam-side down on a serving platter. Chill for 30 minutes to set.
  12. Make the outer coating: Whip the remaining 1/2 cup cold heavy cream until soft peaks form. Spread this whipped cream over the entire outside of the chilled log.
  13. To create the bark texture, use the tines of a fork to drag lines across the whipped cream surface, mimicking wood grain.
  14. Dust heavily with powdered sugar for a snowy effect. Decorate with rosemary or meringue mushrooms. Chill until ready to serve.

Notes

  • If your cake cracks when unrolling, do not worry; the filling and outer coating will hide any imperfections.
  • For a firmer bark texture, you can use a thin layer of chocolate ganache (made with a higher chocolate-to-cream ratio) instead of whipped cream for the exterior coating.
  • Prepare the sponge and filling one day ahead. Assemble the cake the day before serving for best results.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://tastetaught.com/yule-log-cake-recipe-classic-chocolate-buche-de-noel/