This post may contain affiliate sales links. Please read my disclosure policy.
This classic Yule Log Cake is a tender chocolate sponge cake filled with mascarpone whipped cream and covered with whipped chocolate ganache! It’s delicious, festive and made completely from scratch!
What is a Yule Log Cake?
Burning a yule log is a Christmas tradition that dates back before Medieval Times. People would carefully select a Christmas tree, bring it into their home and place the largest end into the fire. The whole tree would be burned and keep the fire going for the day.
A Yule Log Cake, also known as a Bûche de Noël, is a cake made based on that old tradition. Fortunately for us, we won’t burn it – we’ll eat it! It’s basically a chocolate sponge cake roll that’s filled with cream and covered with chocolate ganache and made to look like a log.
The version I’m sharing with you today is a wonderfully tender chocolate cake filled with mascarpone whipped cream (to jazz it up a bit and give some awesome flavor) and covered with whipped chocolate ganache. It’s decorated with sugared cranberries and rosemary for a lovely rustic and Christmas-y look!
How to Make a Yule Log Cake
When making a Yule Log Cake, you’ll start by making the chocolate cake. If you’ve ever made a Pumpkin Cake Roll, it’s very similar, but uses a larger pan size. The larger size allows for you to later cut part of the log off and attach it to the side for a little branch. Be sure to line the pan with parchment paper, which will be used later to roll the cake in.
After the cake is baked and while it’s still hot, use the parchment paper to lift it out of the cake pan. Starting at one of the short ends, roll the cake up tightly using the parchment paper that it’s on. Allow the cake to cool completely. This will allow the cake to keep it’s shape and not break when you unroll and fill it.
Make the filling and spread it evenly over the cooled cake, then re-roll it. Wrap the cake in plastic wrap and refrigerate it until cool and firm.
How to Decorate a Yule Log Cake
When it’s take to decorate the cake, you’ll make the chocolate ganache. I whipped the chocolate ganache to make it a little lighter (in color and texture), but you could also use it as is – without whipping it.
So while the cake is chilling, make the chocolate ganache. Allow the ganache to come to room temperature, then whip it on high speed until lightened, fluffy and spreadable.
Cut a piece of the log off (about 3 inches in length) and use a little chocolate ganache to attach it to the side of the cake to make it look like a little branch.
Spread the chocolate ganache over the cake, leaving the ends exposed. Use a fork to create bark lines in the cake, then decorate with sugared cranberries and rosemary sprigs.
When you’re done, you’ll have an amazing chocolate Yule Log to serve for Christmas!
Why Is This The Best Chocolate Yule Log Recipe?
There’s so much to love about this particular Yule Log Recipe.
- The cake itself. I tried so many cakes while testing this recipe and most just didn’t get me excited about eating them. They were tough and lacked flavor. This cake uses a little bit different method where only the egg whites are whipped and added at the end. It lends a much more tender cake. It also uses dark cocoa for better flavor.
- The filling. Rather than filling it with a simple whipped cream, I used a mascarpone whipped cream. It doesn’t take over the cake, but lends a flavor that is just a little more special and deserving of being your Christmas centerpiece.
- The whipped chocolate ganache. The whipped texture of the ganache lightens it up and keeps this cake from feeling heavy when eating it. Since the cake and filling are so light, it needs a light frosting. The whipped chocolate ganache has rich flavor, with a light texture. Perfection!
Watch How to Make Yule Log Cake (Bûche de Noël)
Yule Log Cake (Bûche de Noël)
- Prep Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 42 minutes
- Yield: 8-10 servings
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Description
This classic Yule Log Cake is a tender chocolate sponge cake filled with mascarpone whipped cream and covered with whipped chocolate ganache! It’s delicious, festive and made completely from scratch!
Ingredients
Chocolate Cake
- 3/4 cup (98g) all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup (38g) Hershey’s Special Dark cocoa powder
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 4 large eggs, divided
- 3/4 cup (155g) granulated sugar
- 5 tbsp (72g) sour cream
- 1/4 cup butter, melted
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Mascarpone Whipped Cream Filling
- 1 1/4 cups (300ml) heavy whipping cream, cold
- 3/4 cups (86g) powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 8 oz (226g) mascarpone cheese, softened but still chilled*
Whipped Chocolate Ganache
- 8 ounces semi sweet chocolate, finely chopped
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- Sugared cranberries, optional*
- Sugared rosemary, optional*
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 17×12 inch jelly roll sheet pan with parchment paper. Make sure the parchment paper sticks up at least an inch above the sides of the pan on all sides. You’ll use the parchment paper later to lift the cake out of the pan and roll it up.
2. Whisk the flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt together in a medium bowl and set aside.
3. In a large bowl, combine the egg yolks and sugar and whisk together until well combined.
4. Add the sour cream, melted butter and vanilla extract and whisk together until well combined.
5. Add the dry ingredient mixture (previously set aside) to the wet ingredient mixture and gently whisk together until well combined, then set aside.
6. Add the egg whites to a large mixer bowl and whip on high speed until stiff peaks form.
7. Gently fold about 1/3 of the whipped egg whites into the chocolate mixture to loosen up the batter.
8. Add the remaining egg whites and gently fold together until well combined.
9. Spread the cake batter evenly into the prepared pan and bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the top of the cake springs back when toughed and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
10. Remove the cake from the oven and immediately lift the cake out of the pan using the parchment paper and place it on the counter.
11. While the cake is hot, use the parchment paper the cake was baked in and start at the shorter end of the cake to slowly roll the cake up. Set the cake aside to cool completely.
12. When the cake has cooled and is ready to be filled, make the filling. Add the heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar, vanilla extract and salt to a large mixer bowl and whip on high speed until soft peaks form.
13. Add the mascarpone cheese to the whipped cream and whip until stiff peaks form. It will happen fairly quickly.
14. Unroll the cake roll very carefully, looking out for areas where it may be sticking to release it. You can use an offset spatula or something similar and run it along the parchment paper as you unroll the cake to help release it as it unrolls.
15. Spread the filling evenly onto the unrolled cake, then roll it back up without the parchment paper.
16. Wrap it up in plastic wrap with the seam side down and refrigerate for at least an hour to firm up.
17. When you’re read to decorate the cake, make the chocolate ganache. Add the chocolate to a medium sized bowl and set aside. Heat the cream in the microwave just until it begins to boil, then pour it over the chocolate.
18. Allow the chocolate and cream to sit for a few minutes, then whisk until smooth. Let the ganache cool to about room temperature (or cooler, you don’t want it too warm/thin), then transfer to a large mixer bowl.
19. Whip on high speed until lightened in color and thick enough to spread.
20. To decorate the cake, use a large serrated knife to gently cut off a piece of the log about 3 inches in length. Make the cut with a slight diagonal.
21. Use some of the chocolate ganache to attache the small log to the side of the larger log.
22. Spread the remaining chocolate ganache all over the cake, then use a fork to create bark-like lines all over it. Decorate with sugared cranberries and rosemary (instructions in notes), if desired.
23. Refrigerate the cake until ready to serve.
Notes
- To make sugared cranberries and rosemary, add 1/2 cup of sugar and 1/2 cup of water to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes, until sugar has melted. Remove from heat and let cool for about 10 minutes. Spread 1/2 cup of sugar evenly on a shallow dish. Dip cranberries and rosemary springs to the sugar water, then roll in the sugar. Let dry before adding to the cake. I also used some of the clumps of sugar left behind to add “snow” to the cake.
- I prefer to use the mascarpone cheese when still cool, but softened, so that it’ll in corporate without chunks, but not get too warm. The warmer mascarpone cheese is, the more likely it is to soften to the point that it won’t firm up well again and can make too soft of a whipped filling.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 502
- Sugar: 38.7 g
- Sodium: 462.6 mg
- Fat: 31.9 g
- Carbohydrates: 50.5 g
- Protein: 8.3 g
- Cholesterol: 142.1 mg
Can I use Dutch process cocoa powder in this recipe?
I haven’t tried it, but I think it would be fine.
I did, and it worked just fine.
If I make this two days in advance (filling and frosting) will it be ok? Or should I frost another day. I’m just concerned the sponge will dry out, but with my schedule, the earliest I can bake is 2 days. I’d love to cart this over to a friend’s white elephant party!
It should be fine. In fact, frosting it should actually keep it more moist because the cake itself won’t be exposed.
Does it have to be special dark cocoa powder or could standard baking cocoa do? I’m not sure if there is a difference but one of my kids actually can detect even the slightest hint of dark chocolate (parenting fail, I know!). I’d love to to try this for Christmas Day at my house!
So technically you can use regular cocoa, but because this recipe uses baking powder rather than baking soda (which works better for the texture of the cake for rolling), you don’t get as nice of a chocolate flavor without the darker cocoa. The flavor is a little more blah with regular cocoa.
Thanks you!! I’ll go with the darker.
Can I make the cake and roll it one day and frost it with the next day with the chocolate ganache? If so, where should I store the unfrosted cake?
If you are going to roll it without the filling, you could store it in an airtight container on the counter or in the fridge. Once you’ve added the filling, you’re gonna want to keep it in the fridge. You can certainly do all of that a day ahead and then add the ganache later.
Thank you!! So I can roll the cake with the filling one day, store in fridge, and frost it the next day?
Definitely
Made and decorated this today ready for our Christmas dinner dessert tomorrow. So happy with how it turned out. Loved how the sugar frosted cranberries and rosemary for decorating. Dusted a board with icing sugar and also added some meringue mushrooms i made. Really looked amazing.
Looks great! If I wanted to make this for 15 people how much should I scale the recipe by? (Aka how much of each ingredient?)
I don’t really think you’re going to just be able to scale the recipe. If you were to make more cake better, you would need a larger pan so that your cake isn’t too thick and doesn’t overflow the cake pan and I’m not sure that there’s really a larger one to use. You may just want to make two.
I love this recipe a lot!! I made it for my classmates and they loved it too. I used buttercream with almond extract instead of the marscapone. The only problem that I had, was the cake was a bit too dry. Should I wash it with a cooked sugar mixture to fix that issue?
Glad everyone enjoyed it. As for the dryness, you want to be sure not to over bake the cake. It’s very thin so it’s easy to do. But you could also try brushing it with a simple syrup if you like.
This Yule Log is AMAZING! My cake did crack a little but the frosting does help hide that. I added powdered sugar to the ganache frosting and it was delicious. I’m making this again next year as this was an absolute hit. Thank you!!
I’m so glad to hear it!
So fun to make !! Mine cracked a bit when rolling up the filling but I wrapped it good and will wait to decorate it!!
I’m so glad you’re happy with it!
What size oan did you use. It diesnt look like ut makes a big batch so my large cookie sheet is likely too big. Right?
I just made this recipe. Everyone enjoyed it.
The cake crumble on me upon unrolling after cooling off. mascarpone filling, however once I applied the mascarpone filling and rolled back, it held together. Once the chocolate ganache was applied the cake looked awesome!
It’s so good!
I’m sorry to hear it cracked but glad to hear it still worked out well and that everyone enjoyed it!
Can you tell me how to alter the recipe to make it a yellow cake and chocolate filling? Trying to make the perfect cake for my boyfriend, and that is what he had growing up.
This recipe is amazing. I made it this year for Christmas and my whole family loves it. Fairly simple and cheap to make also!
Wonderful! Glad it was a hit!
How long do I wait before putting the fork through the ganache to create the bark texture? Do I do it immediately after spreading it on or wait a bit?
I did it right after I frosted it. The ganache is much softer and it’s easier to create the lines than when it’s cold.
Can the Yule Log Cake be frozen?
It should be fine frozen. Just be sure to wrap it well and thaw it in the fridge.
I am going to make this for my family and I to have on Christmas Day, so when should I make the Yule log? Is it better to make the day before or the day of? And if the day before should I leave it in my fridge, my counter, etc. ?
You can definitely make it the day before and store it in the fridge prior to serving.
Does the parchment paper roll inside of the cake or do u lift it up when rolling
It rolls inside the cake roll.
I need to make this in a pan 11 by 15 will it still work? It is to late to order one. It is also a stoneware cookie sheet. I have a metal one 10.5 by 14 . Would it be better?
I’ve never worked with stoneware cookie sheets. My suggestion would be the metal. As for the size, the cake will bake a little longer. I don’t know if the thicker cake will affect it or not, but I think it would be ok.
YES. i just made it yesterday in my 11×15 pan and it worked great
Just wanted to let you and anyone else know I did use 10 x 15 and it was perfect.
I used 10×15 too! It works great! 👍
Looks so yummy! Can’t wait to have one. Thanks for sharing this recipe
This is an amazing post. Where do you get all your ideas?! I’m so going to make this yule log!
Can this be made the day before it will be eaten since there is whip cream in the filling.? Looks amazing.
Absolutely. The powdered sugar and mascarpone cheese in the whipped cream both help to stabilize it, so it’d be fine in the fridge for days and not wilt. I’ve left it in the fridge for a week plus before and it’s kept it’s shape perfectly. I hope you enjoy it!
Can it be made without mascarpone cheese?
Yes, you could replace it with cream cheese or leave it out entirely.
No not the packaging the actual colour of the cocoa. It won’t let me attach the pic.
I’ve not ever used red cocoa so I don’t know about that. But the black sounds like it might be ok.
OMG I got the biggest homesick feeling for Christmas when I saw your pictures! This is just so beautiful, Lindsay. Wonderful job!! I can’t wait to try that chocolate cake recipe. ♥♥♥
Thanks so much Caron! I hope you enjoy it!
Looks beautiful and im excited try this for Christmas Day dessert. Im jelly roll pan is 10″ x 15″. Will it work or or do i need to get a new one that’s 12″ x 17″?
I haven’t tried that size. I’m not sure if the pan will overflow or be harder to worth with because the cake would be thicker. You could try it though.
Made and decorated this today ready for our Christmas dinner dessert tomorrow. So happy with how it turned out. Loved how the sugar frosted cranberries and rosemary for decorating. Dusted a board with icing sugar and also added some meringue mushrooms i made. Really looked amazing.
Is black cocoa powder darker than the Hersheys ? (which we can’t get here in Canada). I believe theu use it to make Oreos. I bought black and i also bought red which is stil darker than the regular so i thought I’d mix 2 /3 red and 1/3 black. Thoughts?
When you say black and red, are referring to the package color?
Yes you can use 10 x 15, I did turned out perfect. I know this is too late for you but it may help someone else
WOW this looks absolutely stunning!! I will definitely be making this for my family Christmas get together!!
Thank you! I hope everyone enjoys it!
Can you use unsweetened cocoa powder instead of the dark cocoa powder?
You can, I just remember that the dark cocoa really gave this cake better flavor.
Hi! May i kmow shats wrong if the chocolate ganache is too watery?
Did you whip it? After whipping it, it should thicken and add volume.
Mine was watery too but a chill in the fridge made all the difference. Whipped it after it got cool and it was perfect.