Yule Logs are so festive but often have to be down at the last minute. This recipe includes a make ahead freezer option. The buche de noel cake can be frozen before it is frosted and garnished. The filling (a combo of whipped cream stabilized with cream cheese) can be frozen. Freezing also makes it easier to frost in that there won’t be a lot of crumbs in the frosting. Recipe is adapted from Baking A Moment blog. By the way, this recipe gets a thumbs up — not too sweet, moist and just the right balance between cake, creamy filling and frosting. YUM! This may have just become a new Christmas tradition!
Holiday Yule Log Servings: 10
Chocolate Sponge Cake
4 large eggs
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted to remove lumps
1 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/3 cup sour cream
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted
2 tablespoons milk
Powdered sugar for sprinkling over baked cake
Chocolate Whipped Cream Filling, recipe follows
Whipped Chocolate Ganache Frosting, recipe follows
Garnishes: powdered sugar. fresh greens, toasted sliced almonds, cinnamon sticks
- Cake — Preheat the oven to 325° F, lightly mist the sides of a 10x15-inch jelly roll pan with non-stick spray; line with parchment paper allowing for overhang on both ends.
- Place the eggs, sugar, vanilla, and salt in a large bowl and whip on high speed for a full 5 minutes—the mixture should be very pale and fluffy, and tripled in volume.
- Using a silicon spatula, fold in the flour, cocoa, and baking powder.
- Whisk the sour cream, melted butter, and milk together, then fold the mixture into the batter.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared pan, smoothing it out to the corners in an even layer.
- Bake for 17 to 22minutes, or until the cake is fully set and springy in the center but not dried out.
- Place sheet pan on a cooling rack and while the cake is still hot, dust it generously with powdered sugar.
- Lay another sheet of parchment (or a clean kitchen towel) on top of cake. Starting at one of the short sides of the cake, carefully roll it into a tight log – use the parchment overhang to help get the roll started.
- Set rolled log, seam side down, on a cooling rack and allow it to cool completely before filling, frosting, and garnishing.
- Filling & Cutting — As the cake cools, make the Chocolate Whipped Cream Filling according to directions that follow.
- When the cake has completely cooled, gently unroll it and spread the filling on in an even layer.
- Carefully roll it back into a log shape. CAN BE COVERED WITH FOIL AND FROZEN AT THIS POINT.
- Trim off both ends of the cake roll with a serrated knife, then cut off a small piece on a 45-degree angle, butting it right up to the side of the main part of the log.
- Frosting — Prepare the Whipped Chocolate Ganache Frosting according to directions that follow.
- Use a small spatula to frost the yule log with the whipped ganache, creating ridges that resemble tree back; leave cut ends unfrosted.
- Garnish — dust with powdered sugar, fresh greens and arrange almonds to resemble pine cones on or around the log, and add cinnamon sticks as/if desired.
Chocolate Whipped Cream Filling
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
4 ounces (1/2 block) cream cheese
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/3 cup heavy cream
Place the powdered sugar, cocoa, cream cheese, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl, and whip together until smooth.
Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl with a silicone spatula, and slowly drizzle the cream in while continuing to whip on medium speed. (Stop frequently to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl, to avoid lumps.)
When all the cream has been added, turn the mixer up to high speed and whip until the filling holds stiff peaks.
Whipped Chocolate Ganache Frosting
6 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup heavy cream
Carefully roll the cake back up into a log, frost with whipped ganache, and garnish. Warm the cream in the microwave (or in a small pot on the stove) until just beginning to simmer, then pour it over the chocolate and allow it to stand for 5 minutes.
Whisk the ganache together until smooth, then allow it to cool until firm but still soft.
Whip the ganache on high speed until fluffy (about 3 to 4 minutes).
Recipe without photos . . . Holiday Yule Log Servings: 10
Chocolate Sponge Cake
4 large eggs
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted to remove lumps
1 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/3 cup sour cream
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted
2 tablespoons milk
Powdered sugar for sprinkling over baked cake
Chocolate Whipped Cream Filling, recipe follows
Whipped Chocolate Ganache Frosting, recipe follows
Garnishes: powdered sugar. fresh greens, toasted sliced almonds, cinnamon sticks
- Cake — Preheat the oven to 325° F, lightly mist the sides of a 10x15-inch jelly roll pan with non-stick spray; line with parchment paper allowing for overhang on both ends.
- Place the eggs, sugar, vanilla, and salt in a large bowl and whip on high speed for a full 5 minutes—the mixture should be very pale and fluffy, and tripled in volume.
- Using a silicon spatula, fold in the flour, cocoa, and baking powder.
- Whisk the sour cream, melted butter, and milk together, then fold the mixture into the batter.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared pan, smoothing it out to the corners in an even layer.
- Bake for 17 to 22minutes, or until the cake is fully set and springy in the center but not dried out.
- Place sheet pan on a cooling rack and while the cake is still hot, dust it generously with powdered sugar.
- Lay another sheet of parchment (or a clean kitchen towel) on top of cake. Starting at one of the short sides of the cake, carefully roll it into a tight log – use the parchment overhang to help get the roll started
- Set rolled log, seam side down, on a cooling rack and allow it to cool completely before filling, frosting, and garnishing.
- Filling & Cutting — As the cake cools, make the Chocolate Whipped Cream Filling according to directions that follow.
- When the cake has completely cooled, gently unroll it and spread the filling on in an even layer.
- Carefully roll it back into a log shape. CAN BE COVERED WITH FOIL AND FROZEN AT THIS POINT.
- Trim off both ends of the cake roll with a serrated knife, then cut off a small piece on a 45-degree angle, butting it right up to the side of the main part of the log.
- Frosting — Prepare the Whipped Chocolate Ganache Frosting according to directions that follow.
- Use a small spatula to frost the yule log with the whipped ganache, creating ridges that resemble tree back; leave cut ends unfrosted.
- Garnish — dust with powdered sugar, fresh greens and arrange almonds to resemble pine cones on or around the log, and add cinnamon sticks as/if desired.
Chocolate Whipped Cream Filling
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
4 ounces (1/2 block) cream cheese
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/3 cup heavy cream
Place the powdered sugar, cocoa, cream cheese, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl, and whip together until smooth.
Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl with a silicone spatula, and slowly drizzle the cream in while continuing to whip on medium speed. (Stop frequently to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl, to avoid lumps.)
When all the cream has been added, turn the mixer up to high speed and whip until the filling holds stiff peaks.
Whipped Chocolate Ganache Frosting
6 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup heavy cream
Carefully roll the cake back up into a log, frost with whipped ganache, and garnish. Warm the cream in the microwave (or in a small pot on the stove) until just beginning to simmer, then pour it over the chocolate and allow it to stand for 5 minutes.
Whisk the ganache together until smooth, then allow it to cool until firm but still soft.
Whip the ganache on high speed until fluffy (about 3 to 4 minutes).
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