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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
Easy recipe and your tips were super helpful! I did decrease the whipping cream a bit for the filling and added Bourbon Cream, yum! Also added a bit of cinnamon and clove to the filling.
Thx again and Merry Christmas!!
Awesome! Glad you enjoyed it!
I wanted to make ahead, can this be frozen?
Yes, it can be frozen.
If you are going to freeze it ahead of time do you freeze with the filling in it too?
Yes. I’ve done it before and it worked well. I thawed it in the fridge.
I have tried making this twice and both times it has come out quite a dense sponge, almost rubbery. I can’t figure out where i’m going wrong- any suggestions? Thanks!
Hmm, hard to say from a distance. Did you watch the video to see if you noticed anything that was different than what you did? A couple things you could check – is your baking powder still good? Did you use regular cocoa or the dark/dutched cocoa? Did you over mix the batter after adding the flour? Were you careful to gently fold the egg whites into the batter so that they didn’t deflate?
I made this for Christmas last year. It was a SUPER hit. They especially loved the mascarpone filling. I didn’t do the candied cranberries, just used a small holly & berries decoration. It was so good that I’ve been asked for it again this Christmas dinner. Thank you. Your instructions are so great too, detailed enough to answer all the questions one might think of!
Awesome! So glad you enjoyed it!
I have to say, it was even easier to make it this year. A total hit. Everybody thought I was a professional baker. Although I never started really baking until I retired from work. Very very much appreciated your video. Thank you for making me the star of Christmas dinner!
This recipe has become a fixture in our Christmas season menu. The cake, filling and ganache are so delicious and it’s beautiful. For something that makes such a gorgeous impression on the table, it’s actually pretty easy to make. Just follow the steps and don’t wing it or make substitutions.
That’s so great to hear! So glad its a hit!
Made it for Christmas party and it was delicious!!!! It was a bif hit even with people that are not much into chocolate! There was no leftovers but I have fantasies about making another one for myself and eating it with a tiny fork hahaha
I’m so glad it was a hit!
can it be unrefrigerated for 4 hr ?
Technically 2 hours would be what’s recommended for food safety purposes.
Hallo,
please, i need this recipe in German…
or the unit of measurement for Europe.
That’s not standard for european people 😉
Thanks… Dieter from Cologne
I’m confused, how is it not in the right measurements. Weights are included. The only one missing is the butter, which would be 56g for 1/4 cup.
Can I use milk chocolate instead of dark chocolate?
For the cocoa in the cake? I believe you can, the chocolate flavor just isn’t as strong. I really do prefer the Dutched cocoa in this one.
How far ahead can I make this; I don’t want to freeze . Thanks.
It should last well in the fridge for about 4 days, maybe 5. So any time in that time frame would work.
If I make it 4 days in advance, should I wait to frost it until the day I’m going to serve it?
You could do it either way. The frosting could actually help it stay more insulated and moist, as long as you cover the ends with something.
Can you make this log and freeze it for a few weeks?
Yes, that should be fine.
I made this over the weekend. Mine didn’t look as pretty as yours, but if was delicious. Took it to a function. It was a hit. Everyone loved it. Only problem- no left overs to bring home, lol.
I’m so glad it was a hit!
I’ve always wanted to learn how to make this, so in 2020 I did! Your recipe is absolutely delicious and I have been making it every year since! I’m about to make 3 for a Christmas party we’re having and know it will be the hit of the dessert table. Thank you so much for a great recipe!!
Awesome! So glad to hear that!
Can you use cream cheese instead of mascarpone?
Yes, you can.
I’d like to make this with a vanilla cake, would I just remove the cocoa powder and keep the rest of the ingredients for the cake the same? Thank you!
You could try it, I’m just not sure if it’d turn out as well. I haven’t experimented with a vanilla version.