This Yule Log cake is truly a classic Christmas treat for all ages. So easy to make, it is the perfect decoration for your tea table. People might say they’re full up from lunch but bring out the Log cake and miraculous capacity appears. What’s Christmas without a Log Cake?
Why this Christmas Yule Log recipe?
Get ready to light up your holiday season with a festive and delicious Yule Log cake! This post not only shares a step-by-step recipe for making the perfect Yule Log cake but also takes you on a journey through the history and cultural significance of this beloved Christmas tradition.
Whether you’re looking to impress your friends and family or create new holiday traditions, this post is the perfect guide to making a showstopping Yule Log cake that will leave everyone feeling merry and bright!
Unwrapping the Mysteries of Yule Log Tradition
The Yule Log tradition dates back to ancient times when people in Europe would gather logs of wood, decorate them with holly, ivy, and pine cones, and burn them during the winter solstice as a way of celebrating the return of the sun and longer days. As Christianity spread throughout Europe, the Yule Log became associated with Christmas and evolved into a dessert made to resemble a log.
The cake is typically made with a sponge cake base, rolled up and filled with frosting or cream, and then decorated to look like a log, often with meringue mushrooms and powdered sugar snow.
The Yule Log cake has become a beloved holiday tradition in many parts of the world, especially in France and other parts of Europe.
Watch the video tutorial
For those who prefer to watch and learn, I’ve created a comprehensive video tutorial that walks you through every step of the process. Watch it now and see how easy it is to make this showstopper piece – Christmas Yule Log!
What you’ll need
Chocolate cake
- eggs – need to be separated into whites and yolks.
- all-purpose flour – need to be sifted in advance to get rid of any lumbs
- cocoa powder – add the deep chocolatey flavour
- caster sugar – divide into 2 portions, one is for beating the egg whites while the other for the cake batter
- sea salt – it adds the flavour
Chocolate icing
- dark chocolate – try to use high quality one, it affects the taste significantly
- icing sugar – need to be sifted in advance for easy mixing the icing
- unsalted butter – need to be soften, but not too soft
- vanilla extract – once again, use a high quality one
- sea salt – it adds the flavour at the same time, balance the sweetness as well
Decoration
When it comes to decoration, it totally up to your personal choice. My favourite of the decoration has to be a combo of red and green to enhance the festive vibes. My suggestions are:
- some red cranberries – red (Christmas colour, Love it!) If you can’t find the real cranberries, you can roll them on your own using red fondant.
- a few sprigs of fresh rosemary – green (Christmas colour)
- caster sugar – acts as snow, it is impossible to not to have snowfall effect on this tradition Christmas cake
- some water – acts as a glue to stick the caster sugar onto the rosemary
More optional filling ingredients
- whipped cream – this is the easiest way to fill the cake, the cream has to be full fat
- Nutella – I’m sure this is everybody’s favourite, put Nutella into the microwave for 20 sec at a time to soften it for easy spreading
- chopped nuts or toasted coconut – these will definitely add the crunch to the cake
- fresh berries or sliced fruit – it will add the contrast of the taste with the chocolate
Experiment with different flavours and combinations to find the perfect filling for your Yule Log cake.
Rolling to Success: Tips for the Perfect Swiss Roll
- Use a light touch when folding the dry ingredients into the egg mixture. Over mixing can cause the cake to become tough and difficult to roll.
- Be sure to roll the cake while it’s still warm to prevent cracking. Use a clean kitchen towel dusted with icing sugar to help with rolling.
- Don’t be afraid to use a generous amount of filling. A thick layer of filling will prevent the cake from cracking and add extra flavour and texture.
- Chill the cake in the refrigerator for at least an hour before slicing to help it hold its shape.
- Use a serrated knife to cut the cake for clean, even slices.
More Swiss Rolls recipes for you to enjoy
- Black Sesame Swiss Roll (video tutorial) – packed with nutty flavour that you’ll love
- Flourless Walnut Swiss Roll with coffee cream (video tutorial) – a delightful cake without flour!
How to serve your Yule Log cake
There are many ways to serve your Yule Log cake, but there are two particular ways which are my all time favourite.
- Serve the cake with a side of whipped cream or ice cream for a decadent dessert.
2. Serve the cake with a warm cup of hot cocoa or coffee for a cozy winter treat.
Yule Log Cake
INGREDIENTS
For the cake
- 6 pcs large eggs (separated)
- 60 g all-purpose flour (sifted)
- 30 g cocoa powder (sifted)
- 96 g granulated white sugar (divided into 32g and 64g)
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
For the filling
- 1 cup double cream (35% fat)
- 63 g powdered sugar (sifted)
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 pinch sea salt
For the frosting and decorating
- 113 g unsalted butter (room temperature)
- 250 g powdered sugar (sifted)
- 30 g cocoa powder (sifted)
- 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp double cream (35% fat)
- pinch sea salt
- Christmas decoration (own choice garnish )
INSTRUCTIONS
- Pre-heat the oven to 170°C. Brush the butter onto the Swiss Roll pan and line with parchment paper.
Prepare the cake batter
- In a medium bowl, mix together flour, cocoa powder and salt. Set aside.
- In two separate bowls, separate the egg whites and the egg yolks. Be careful, do not mix any egg yolks into the egg whites.
- Use mixer to beat the egg whites until foamy. Add the 32g of sugar a little at a time and continue to beat until stiff peaks form.
- Use the same mixer to beat the egg yolks until thick. Slowly add 64g of sugar and beat until pale.
- Use a metal spoon to scoop a little bit of egg white into the egg yolk mixture to loosen up the texture.
- Alternatively fold in the flour mixture and the egg white gently until all well combined. Be gentle and be patient at this stage, you do not want to beat all the air out.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and use a spatula to spread into an even layer. Bake around 12 to 15 minutes, until top springs back when lightly pressed.
- Prepare a sheet of parchment paper, spread it onto a flat surface. Invert the warm cake onto the parchment paper. Peel off the baked parchment paper. Use a sharp knife to cut the edges to make it look neat.
- Starting at the short side, use the parchment paper to tightly roll the cake into a log. Let it cool completely.
Make the filling
- In a large bowl, beat together double cream, powdered sugar, pure vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt, until stiff peaks form. Refrigerate it until ready to use.
- When the cake is cool, unroll and spread the filling evenly over the cake. Leave around 5cm at the end. Roll the cake back into a log, this time without the parchment paper. Place seam side down on a serving plate and refrigerate until well chilled, 1 hour.
Make the frosting
- In a large bowl beat the butter until smooth and pale. Mix the sifted powdered sugar, cocoa powder and salt. Add half of the sugar mixture into the butter and beat. Then add the remaining mixture and beat until no lumps. Add in vanilla extract and double cream. Beat until a smooth texture.
Decoration
- For the ends of the log, place some buttercream into a piping bag, snip the end and then pipe rings from the inside out, to simulate the inner rings of a tree trunk.
- For the chocolate frosting, use a spatula to spread thickly over the sponge. Then use a fork to create textured bark lines on the outside of the tree trunk.
- Decorate the log with some Christmas theme decorations and then dust lightly with powdered sugar when it is ready to serve.Enjoy! Happy Christmas from Bakabee.
VIDEO TUTORIAL
NOTES
- Watch my video tutorial to understand the whole process.
NUTRITION
Bake this Christmas Yule Log
Give this recipe a try! I love connecting and seeing your picture. It really makes my day.
More tasty recipes for your next bakes
- The BEST and EASY dark chocolate brownies recipe – it is for chocolate lovers
- Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins (Gluten Free & Refined Sugar Free) (video tutorial) – a guilt-free snacks that you’ll love
Thanks so much for stopping by! Hope you will enjoy this recipe.
If you’ve tried my Christmas Yule Log recipe, please feel free to leave me a comment and let me know what you thought. The more we chat the more I know what recipes I should be making and sharing. If you have any recipe suggestions I would also love to hear them.
Rating the recipe once you’ve made this Christmas Yule Log may also help other readers decide whether to make my bakes, so I would love it if you could come back and let everyone know what you think.
From our kitchen to yours, we wish you a very Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! May your Yule Log cake bring joy and warmth to your celebrations, and may you holiday season be filled with love, laughter, and delicious treats. Cheers to new traditions and cherished memories with your loved ones!
