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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 you skip the chocolate and make it a white cake?
I don’t think you’d get the same result.
Would the temperature vary if using a electric stove?
It shouldn’t vary.
Thank you for sharing! I love this recipe so much. Can we make this a couple of days ahead and freeze it? How should I serve it if I freeze it? Thank you so much!
I haven’t tried freezing it, but I do think that’d be perfectly fine. I’d flash freeze it so that the frosting gets firm, then wrap it. When you want to thaw it, go ahead and unwrap it and then thaw it in the fridge before serving.
Can you add a cherry liquor to the mascarpone cream filling?
Sure, I just wouldn’t add more than a tablespoon or two or you could thin out the whipped cream too much.
This will be my 3rd heat in a row making this. Other than the great sense of failure when trying to roll it, it always works out and is sooo well received.
I’d like to make one ahead for an event in early Dec. Has anyone actually tested freezing it?
So glad you’ve enjoyed it! I’m not sure if anyone has tried freezing it or not. I’ve definitely gotten questions about it and actually plan on testing it this week. My guess is that it would be fine.
I was wondering if I could make the log, then freeze, and frost and decorate later on.
Yes, I think that would be totally fine.
Could I substitute the special dark cocoa powder for the regular? I always have it on hand. TIA.
If I remember correctly, I wrote about it in the blog post, you get different results with the different cocoa powders in this recipe and the dark cocoa makes a big difference in flavor. I would not recommend substituting it for regular cocoa powder.
I’m about to add the filling. So far, so good! I’m shocked, as I’ve never done a rolled cake before, and worried about rolling it up.
My question is, do you think I could decorate this, then transport it in a cooler for a 3 hr drive, or should I wait to decorate when I get there?
I prefer to decorate before, but don’t want to ruin it by driving and it possibly falling apart.
If you have a big enough cooler and you don’t think it’ll be too rough of a ride, it would probably be fine to decorate it beforehand. That’s probably what I would do.
It transfers decorated just fine.
Wonderful, easy and best of all absolutely delectable recipe. The mascarpone filling is particularly stellar, so I doubled it and made a “snow capped log,” That extra layer of cream made this recipe a memorable keeper for me. Thank you very much for sharing!
My sister made this cake, and now im obsessed with it! I want to make a torte, but my question is, will it be okey if i just use a high cake tin to bake it? I dont know if the liquid cake will bake properly in that form :/. I would layer the cake later and shuffle the layers with the white cream. Is it gonna work?
So glad you enjoyed it! I have no idea if it would work. I haven’t tried this cake a layer cake. But typically I don’t suggest baking a cake all in a pan.
Okey, so I tried it and actually turned out great! That is gonna be my favourite cake recipe!
Awesome! Glad to hear it!
Thank you for the recipe —I made for New Years Eve and it was great! Question us on storing leftover— we left our on the counter for a couple of days — should we have refrigerated it? Now we’re worried about food poisoning. 🙁
With the whipped cream and cheese inside the roll, you definitely want to refrigerate it.
This is the second time I have done this yule log recipe and I am successful in both attempts
So glad to hear that!
I made this Buche De Noel and it was my first attempt at such a treat! The recipe was easy and the sponge was delicious!! My sponge did crack and I found it tricky to fill whilst trying to keep it in place to prevent further cracking, I wonder if letting the cake come back to room temp after being in the fridge would help prevent this? Any tips on how else to prevent the cracks? The one tip I would give is rather obvious (but I didn’t think of it at the time..) not too much filling, otherwise it won’t have enough rolls, which happened to me.. but then you get more delicious filling so all is not lost.
A great recipe, it was a huge hit for all the adults and kids ! I will be using this always for Christmas! Thank you!
I added too much filling too. I wish I had known to not to put it all on. The way I read the directions, I thought we were supposed to. I’d never rolled a cake so I had no frame of reference. I think I am going to keep it frozen and pretend it’s supposed to be a frozen dessert with a touch of cake inside, since the taste of that filling is incredible. I can’t in good conscience throw it out, though it’s not what I wanted. I think my fam will really like it anyway.
I add all the filling. But if you feel it’s too much, you don’t have to. I hope everyone enjoys it!
Made this for Christmas, and it was better than local store-bought ice-cream cakes! I call it ice-cream cake because we are in tropical Singapore and it needed to be refrigerated all the time, but then again, we loved the cake chilled! Will definitely be a mainstay in our future noche buenas!
So glad you enjoyed it!
use choc chips
Can I make this without the mascarpone?
Sure.