Christmas time is so festive and the closer the big day comes, the more I feel like baking up sweet holiday treats…
Now although Christmas cookies often get the most attention, this bûche de noel or yule log is the quintessential Christmas dessert. A soft chocolate sponge cake rolled with a fluffy chocolate cream filling and frosted with a light chocolate buttercream. It looks like to cutest little log ever and if you want to send it straight over the top, you can decorate the whole thing with sugared rosemary and cranberries and dusting of freshly powdered snow.
It’s so festive and even more delicious. Let’s get it started…
Begin by gathering 4 tablespoons of melted butter, 6 large eggs separated into whites and yolks, 1/4 teaspoon of cream of tartar, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, 3/4 cup of granulated sugar, 3/4 cup of all-purpose flour, 1/4 cup of natural unsweetened cocoa powder, 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder, 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract and 1/4 cup of strong brewed coffee cooled to room temperature.
These are the ingredients needed for the sponge cake layer, which we need to make first and then allow it to cool rolled in a towel, so it stays rolled beautifully while filled and frosted later on.
Note: I am using Ree Drummond’s sponge recipe for this cake. I tried it out and it was so perfect that I didn’t feel like changing anything, which rarely happens. Thank you Ree! You’re the best!
One of the reasons that this cake is so soft and fluffy is that the egg whites are beaten with cream of tartar and some granulated sugar and then folded in with the rest of the ingredients. This is a really easy way to lighten up your cake batter to create both a beautifully airy texture and a flexible sponge that will roll easily without cracking.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the 6 egg whites with 1/4 teaspoon of cream of tartar. Use an electric hand mixer to beat the egg whites on medium speed until they are super foamy and bubbly. Now, add about 1/4 cup of the granulated sugar and increase the mixing speed to high. Continue until you have stiff, glossy peaks. When you turn the mixer off and pull it out of the mixture, the egg whites should be stiff enough to stand up on their own. If they droop over, continue mixing until they can stand on their own and then set the egg whites aside for now.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the rest of the granulated sugar (1/2 cup) with 3/4 cup of all-purpose flour, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, 1/4 cup of natural unsweetened cocoa powder and 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder.
Now, add the 6 egg yolks, 4 tablespoons of melted and cooled butter, 1/4 cup of brewed and cooled coffee and 2 teaspoons of vanilla and mix until everything is fully incorporated.
Now that the batter is ready and the egg whites have been whipped, we need to combine them. Remember how much time it took to whip them up this stiff? Well, you can deflate them if you are too rough with them, so carefully transfer some of the egg whites into the chocolate cake batter and fold until they are combined using large, slow motions.
Once most of the egg whites are incorporated, add more of the egg whites. Continue to do this until all of the eggs whites have been added and you have a light, airy batter.
This cake should be baked in a greased and parchment lined 12 inch by 17 inch baking sheet or jelly roll pan. Start by spraying the pan with some non-stick spray then press 1 large piece or 2 smaller pieces of parchment paper into the corners of the pan leaving some excess hanging over all 4 sides. This will help you to transfer the hot cake out of the pan later on.
Last, but not least, spray the parchment paper with more non-stick spray and then add the batter into the pan…
Carefully smooth the batter evenly throughout the pan and into all four corners.
Bake the cake in a 350 degree oven for 10-12 minutes. It is really important that this cake is not over-baked. If it is left in the oven too long, it will dry out and then crack apart when you roll it up. The cake is ready to come out as soon as the top just begins to feel springy to a light touch. Mine was ready right at 10 minutes, but every oven is a little different. I don’t think it should be in any longer than 12 minutes though.
While the cake is baking, place a large kitchen towel on a large cutting board or cooling rack and dust it with several tablespoons of confectioners sugar. This is what we are going to roll the cake up in as soon as it comes out of the oven, so have your towel ready to go!
As soon as the cake is ready, set the pan down onto a flat surface and invert the kitchen towel and cooling rack over top of the cake. The sugar dusted side should be against the cake and the cooling rack is on top.
Now, carefully flip everything over, so that the cooling rack is on the counter top and the pan is on top. Use the parchment paper to hold the cake steady as you lift the baking sheet off.
Quickly remove the parchment paper and dust the underside of the cake with a few tablespoons of confectioners sugar. Use the towel to roll the cake up like a cigar, starting on the long end. Be sure to keep the roll even all the way down.
Leave the towel rolled cake on the cooling rack and set it aside for about an hour, so the cake can slowly cool in the rolled shape.
While the rolled cake is cooling, make the chocolate cream filling by combining 4 ounces of room temperature cream cheese with 1/3 cup of confectioners sugar, 1 tablespoon of unsweetened natural cocoa powder, 1/2 teaspoon of espresso powder and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. Use an electric hand mixer to whip until combined and then slowly drizzle in 1 cup of heavy cream until it is fully incorporated.
Increase the speed to medium high and whip until you have a super fluffy consistency.
Carefully unroll the cake and spread the filling over the surface of the cake up to about 1/2 inch from the edges. Re-roll the cake and then transfer it onto a fresh sheet of non-stick parchment paper…
Roll the entire roll in parchment paper and then in several layers of plastic wrap. Transfer the roll into the refrigerator and let it chill for several hours or overnight. This is a dessert that is really easy to make the day before!
When you are ready to assemble your bûche de noel, whip up some chocolate buttercream frosting by creaming 1/2 cup of room temperature salted butter, 3 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract and 2 tablespoons of heavy cream. Slowly add around 2 cups of confectioners sugar and mix until the frosting is light and fluffy.
Do a quick taste test and if your frosting is too thick, add another tablespoon or two of heavy cream or if it is too soft, add a little more confectioners sugar.
If you want to read more about whipping up this fabulous frosting, check out my chocolate buttercream recipe here.
Unwrap the cake roll and slice it up. You can see in the photo above that I have cut myself a little log with clean ends and two little diagonal branches, but this is just how I did mine. You can make your yule log in any shape you like. If there is a branch in the forrest in that shape, then you can make your yule log look just like it….
Transfer the cake onto a platter and then place your branches where you want them. Feel free to re-trim them until they fit perfectly. As the head baker of this project, all of the trimmings are yours…
Frost the cake and use your frosting to help connect the branches and smooth everything out. You can use a butter knife or fork to drag marks in the frosting that mimic tree bark.
Now the cake looks beautiful as is, but if you really want to dress it up…
Add a few sprigs of rosemary and some cranberries onto a plate and spray them with cooking spray. Sprinkle them with granulated sugar and let them sit untouched for a few minutes to let the sugar dry.
Arrange the rosemary and cranberries around the cake and then step back and marvel at your handiwork…
Look at how beautiful this cake is! The sponge is so light and airy and the filling is creamy and fluffy and the frosting is rich and chocolatey. All of the flavors pair perfectly together and they are absolutely delicious in every way…
This bûche de noel is the ultimate Christmas dessert. It can be made the day before your holiday party, everyone will love it and it will add a festive touch to your table that cannot be matched.
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays friends!
Bûche de Noel - Chocolate Christmas Yule Log
Ingredients
Chocolate Sponge Cake
- 6 large eggs, separated
- 1/4 teaspoon of cream of tartar
- 3/4 cup of granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup of all purpose flour
- 1/4 cup of natural unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/4 teaspoon of salt
- 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
- 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
- 4 tablespoons of butter, melted and cooled
- 1/4 cup of strongly brewed coffee, cooled
- 1/4 cup of confectioners sugar (for rolling)
Chocolate Cream Filling
- 4 ounces of cream cheese, room temperature
- 1/3 cup of confectioners sugar
- 1 tablespoon of natural unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 teaspoon of espresso powder
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- 1 cup of heavy cream
Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
- 1/2 cup of butter, room temperature
- 3 tablespoons of natural unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- 2 - 2 1/2 cups of confectioners sugar
- 2-4 tablespoons of heavy cream
Garnished
- rosemary sprigs
- cranberries
- non-stick spray
- granulated sugar
Instructions
Make the cake...
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
- Prepare a 12”x17” baking sheet by spraying the sheet with non-stick spray, lining with parchment paper and then spraying the parchment paper with more non-stick spray
- In a large bowl, whip 6 egg whites with 1/4 teaspoon of cream of tartar on medium speed until foamy and then add 1/4 cup of granulated sugar and whip on high speed until you have stiff, glossy peaks
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the remaining 1/2 cup of granulated sugar with 3/4 cup of all-purpose flour, 1/4 cup of natural unsweetened cocoa powder, 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon of salt
- Add the 6 egg yolks, 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract, 4 tablespoons of melted butter and 1/4 cup of strong brewed and cooled coffee into the dry ingredients and mix until fully incorporated
- Gently fold the whipped egg whites a little at a time into the cake batter being careful not to deflate them
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking sheet and gently smooth it out evenly throughout the pan and into all 4 corners
- Bake the cake in a 350 degree oven for 10-12 minutes or until it just begins to spring back to a light touch. Do not over bake the cake or it will crack when you roll it
- While the cake is baking, place a large kitchen towel on a cutting board or cooling rack and dust it with several tablespoons of confectioners sugar
- As soon as the cake is baked, transfer it onto a flat heat proof surface and carefully invert the dusted towel and cooling rack over the cake pan so that the dusted side of the towel is against the top of the cake
- Carefully flip the cake and cooling rack together so that the cooling rack is now on the bottom and the cake pan is on the top
- Use the parchment paper to hold the cake steady as you carefully remove the baking pan and then unpeeled the parchment paper from the underside of the cake
- Dust the underside of the cake with several tablespoons of confectioners sugar and then fold the towel over one of the long sides of the cake and gently roll the cake (photos above)
- Allow the towel rolled cake to cool for about an hour at room temperature
Make the chocolate cream filling...
- In a mixing bowl, combine 4 ounces of room temperature cream cheese, 1/3 cup of powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon of unsweetened natural cocoa powder, 1/2 teaspoon of espresso powder and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract and beat on medium speed until combined
- Slowly pour in 1 cup of heavy cream while beating on medium speed
- Once the heavy cream is fully incorporated, increase the speed to medium high and beat until stiff peaks have formed
- As soon as the towel rolled cake has cooled, gently unroll the cake and spread the chocolate cream filling evenly throughout the inside of the cake up to about 1/2 inch from the edges
- Re-roll the cake and carefully transfer it off of the towel and onto a fresh sheet of non-stick parchment paper
- Roll the cake in the sheet of parchment paper and then tightly roll the parchment covered cake in several sheets of plastic wrap
- Chill the cake in a refrigerator for several hours or overnight
Make the chocolate buttercream frosting...
- In a mixing bowl, combine 1/2 cup of room temperature butter, 3 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, 2 tablespoons of heavy cream and about 2 cups of confectioners sugar and beat on medium speed until combined
- Increase the speed to medium high and beat until smooth and creamy
- If the frosting is too stiff, add additional heavy cream and if it is too loose, add a bit more confectioners sugar
Assemble and garnish the cake...
- Remove the cake from the refrigerator, unroll it from the wrapping and transfer it onto a cutting board
- Cut the cake into your desired shapes (see photos above) and assemble into your desired form on a serving platter
- Use the chocolate buttercream frosting to attach the “branches” and cover the cake
- Smooth the frosting with the edge of a butter knife or a fork to form tree bark like lines
- Garnish with sugar dusted rosemary sprigs or cranberries and dust the entire cake with confectioner sugar
- Enjoy or chill leftovers in an airtight container
