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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 I make the cake and fill it then leave in fridge for a couple of day before I put the chocolate ganache on it
Yes, that would be fine.
I made this xmas snd loved it – making it again for a birthday , can i freeze the roll with icing inside of it a whole week ahead?
So glad you enjoyed it! Yes, freezing it with the filling inside for a week should be fine. Just wrap it well and then remove the wrapping and thaw it in the fridge.
I made this cake for a friend’s woodland-themed baby shower and it was a huge hit! It tasted SO yummy! I’m not an experienced baker, so it was a challenge for me, but thanks to thorough instructions I was able to do a good job. My cake fully cracked into three pieces when I unrolled it, but it held together just fine with the cream and cooling up in the fridge in the plastic wrap. This could be because I cooled the cake in the parchment overnight in the fridge, and that may have been too long/cold. Mainly my issue was with the chocolate ganache at the end: despite cooling and lots of whipping it was really hard to spread (it would stick to whatever I spread it with more than the cake itself) and when I tried to drag the fork to make bark lines it kept pilling up and not spreading out of the way like icing would. The taste was absolutely delicious, but my bark looked a bit more like real bark and less “picture cartoon perfect” like your photo haha. I wish I could post photos because in the end it was a real glow up compared to how it looked in progress!
I’m glad you were happy with it! As far as the cake cracking, that can happen, but I definitely wouldn’t recommend refrigerating the cake prior to unrolling it next time. Cakes firm up in the fridge, making it less pliable for unrolling. If you are leaving it overnight, just leave it at room temperature. I’m not sure I know what happened with your ganache, but I’m glad it still turned out nicely.
I made this yule log this year. It was fantastic.
My daughter turns 21 this week and asked me to make it in a double layer round cake form. I am going to try. Wish me luck!!
So glad you enjoyed it! I’m not sure how it’ll do as a layer cake, but I hope it turns out well. If you end up looking for another chocolate cake. I highly recommend this chocolate cake.
My cake broke apart as I enrolled it! Any suggestions? It was delicious and would try it agaon.
I’m sorry that happened! Try unrolling very slowly and watching it as it unrolls to unstick any parts that look like they’re sticking as you go. Also, try not to roll it too tight when you initially roll it.
Marscarpone can sometimes be hard to get, so is there a replacement i can use in the filling?
You could use cream cheese.
Thank you for this amazing recipe! I love the marscarpone filling and often use it as frosting for different cakes. What should I do if the cake cracks? It makes it hard to spread the ganache on the cake because it keeps tearing. I just didn’t use the ganache but it still tasted delicious.
Glad you enjoyed it! As for cracks, I’d just try your best to push things together as you spread the filling and roll the cake so that it’s as un-noticeable as possible.
I have been making yule logs for years as a family tradition. This year I decided to try a new recipe because the one I usually make takes many hours and the flavors are a bit rich for some. This recipe was just what I was looking for, less time and more universal flavors that even the kids would love! This cake was a total hit, everybody said it was my best yule log yet! I did have some issue with the sponge cake sticking when I unrolled it, which caused it to crack. I followed one reviewers advice to use cocoa powder to prevent sticking, but I feel like that actually made it stick, because the cake was still warm when I added the cocoa powder and then when I went to unroll the cake, it was sticky. I don’t know if that was the cause, but I will try without the cocoa powder next time? Even though the cake cracked, I was still able to work it and create a beautiful roll up cake! I did add a tad of powdered sugar to the ganache (about 1/8 cup) because I only had bittersweet chocolate instead of semi-sweet, it turned out perfect! I really love the chocolate cake recipe for this, it was the perfect consistency. Every single piece of this cake was eaten, makes great treat with coffee the days following Christmas <3 THANK YOU for helping me enhance a beloved tradition!!!
I’m so glad it was a hit! Sticking and cracking are definitely tricky sometimes. I’m not sure that cocoa powder would help. Part of the problem with cake rolls is that the moisture from the condensation from the heat when you roll it up just creates stickiness. Unrolling it slowly and carefully helps. Also not rolling it too tightly. Glad you enjoyed it!
When you say to combine the egg yolks and sugar and whisk together until well combined do you mean beat them until pale and fluffy like a chiffon cake or just combine them?
Just combine them. It’s a thick mixture.
I made this for Christmas! It was my 1st time making one and it was perfect! The only thing different I did was I just made a whipped cream filling, no cheese.
So glad you enjoyed it!
This cake was a big hit at my Christmas party! Tasted delicious and was very pretty!
First time making a Yule log. This recipe was so delicious! I loved it! It was not overly sweet. Great flavor.
This was a fabulous recipe! I would like to expand on the importance of making sure that the batter is spread out to the corners evenly as when I rolled the cake it had a bit of a thinner side. Also I wish I had known the importance of separating eggs using 3 bowls; unfortunately I had a bit of yolk in my whites and ended up having to use 4 more eggs. I also didn’t give myself enough time to source the special dark cocoa which was surprisingly hard to find – I ended up using regular cocoa in the cake batter and it was still delicious but it would’ve been nice for the colour contrast. Can’t wait for next Christmas as this gorgeous cake will become part of our holiday tradition!
This is a wonderful recipe. To make it even more incredible, I spread a whole jar of seedless raspberry all fruit on half of the cream layer and then covered that with the remaining cream. It made it heavenly.
Second year making this cake, it’s delicious and will be our traditional desert for the holidays. Thank you so much for a great recipe and very thorough instructions. Last year was a fail for me since the egg white did not firm up so the sponge cake was a bit hard. I made it the day before, was going to toss it and start over but my family convinced me to keep it. The next day it tasted better, so I just finished icing and decorating it. It was a big hit, they were very impressed and could not believe I was going to toss it!
This year the sponge cake was perfect. My cake looked very festive decorating with sugared rosemary and raspberry and of course tasted even better.
For those of you who did not know, I found out from other bakers that your Yule log cake taste better if you roll it with the filling the day before so the flavours have time to mingle.
This was wonderful. I have also decided I will use the marscapone filling for my next pumpkin roll. As so many of your recipes, you have once again knocked it out of the park!