Yule Log Cake Recipe

Yule Log Cake is a sweet and tender, chocolaty roll, that is the perfect fancy dessert to celebrate the holidays. Made with fresh cocoa powder, delicious creamy filling, and light and fluffy chocolate ganache frosting, your family will love this cake. 

If you are a fan of chocolate, try our Chocolate Banana Bread recipe for a delicious dessert any time of the year. Another fantastic and scrumptious dessert is this Lemon Blueberry Cake. For more lemony flavor, try our silky and tangy Lemon Poke Cake.

Although there are a lot of steps to creating this amazing dessert and many ingredients, do not let that intimidate you. Each of the steps is straightforward and easy so you should have no problem in making this beautiful Christmas delight.

This is the perfect recipe for Christmas eve to commemorate the Germanic Yule tradition. Once you see the stunning results, you will be glad you took the time.

Ingredients needed:

Check out our printable recipe card at the bottom of the page for the detailed instructions but here are the basic things you will need:

Filling ingredients:

• Butter: Softened.
• Powdered sugar: Also known as confectioners’ sugar.
• Cocoa powder: Use premium cocoa for best results.
• Vanilla: Pure vanilla extract is best.
• Milk: Whole milk works best.
• Mascarpone cheese: You could also use cream cheese, but mascarpone is the best. 

Cake ingredients:

• Cocoa powder
• Large eggs: At room temperature.
• Flour: All purpose flour is what we used.
• Sugar: Granulated white sugar.
• Salt: We used kosher salt. 
• Powdered sugar 
• Vanilla extract

Ganache ingredients:

• Heavy cream: Also known as heavy whipped cream.
• Chocolate chips: Semi-sweet (not milk chocolate).

How do you make yule log cake?

Make the filling: 

1. Mix: First, using a large bowl, mix the butter with an electric mixer on medium speed until it is light and fluffy. 
2. Make peaks: Next, add the other ingredients and mix well at high speed until stiff peaks form. 
3. Fold: Then, use a spatula to fold in the mascarpone cheese. 
4. Chill: Last, put in the fridge, covered until you are ready for it.

Make the cake:

5. Preheat: To start, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. 
6. Prepare: Meanwhile, grease a jelly roll pan with butter and then add parchment paper. Spray the paper with cooking spray too. 
7. Whisk: Next, whisk together the dry ingredients in a small bowl. 
8. Mix: After, using a large bowl of a stand mixer or a mixing bowl and hand mixer, beat the sugar and eggs until they are light, thick, and fluffy. Add the vanilla and half of the flour mixture and stir well before mixing in the other half. 
9. Pour: Last, pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for eight to 10 minutes or until it passes the toothpick test, and the side of the cake pulls in away from the edges of the pan.
10. Prepare: While it is cooking, dust a clean dish towel with powdered sugar, making sure you cover it all. 
11. Roll: After it is done, turn it onto the towel and remove the paper. Then sprinkle with powdered sugar and roll it up with the towel, starting with the long end of the cake. Let it cool for 15 to 20 minutes.
12. Frost: Next, unroll gently and spread half of the filling onto the top of the cake using an offset spatula. Roll it back up (without the towel), wrap it in plastic, and refrigerate for two to three hours. 
13. Cut: After the cake is cold, cut about ½ inch off each end to show the spiral pattern inside. Then, cut a diagonal piece of it about three inches long. Attach it to the side of the cake using the rest of the filling. 

Make the ganache:

14. Microwave: First, heat up the heavy cream in the microwave until it is boiling. This should take about two minutes.
15. Mix: Meanwhile, put the chocolate chips into a medium bowl. Pour the boiling cream over the top and let it sit for one minute. Then stir it until the chips are melted and the ganache is smooth.
16. Frost: After the ganache is cooled and thick, spoon it over the log and cover all the surfaces except the ends. Chill for 15 minutes in the fridge.
17. Decorate: Finally, use a fork to make lines like tree bark and then use the back of a spoon to make some circles to look like knots. 
18. Serve: Last, sprinkle with powdered sugar, and add decorations around it on a serving platter if desired.

How to serve:

This Yule log is best served cold, so it is firm and cuts cleanly. Here are some serving ideas:

• Add a dollop of homemade whipped cream or ice cream on the side of this delicious cake. 
• Alternatively, serve with a drizzle of warm caramel sauce. 
• This makes an excellent dessert for the holiday season with this glazed smoked ham.
• In addition, you could add some pumpkin candies and candy corn as decorations.
• A glass of Christmas punch would also go great with this delicious cake.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between a Yule log and a Swiss roll?

The main difference is in the appearance. A Yule log looks like an actual log and a Swiss roll looks like a rolled cake. Also, the Yule log is made of chocolate cake and creamy frosting with chocolate ganache and decorations like leaves, berries, and snow.

A Swiss roll is a sponge cake roll filled with jam or cream. 

What does the Yule log cake represent? 

The Yule log, also known as bûche de noël, is a Christmas tradition that began in Germany before medieval times using actual logs. Back then, they used a whole tree that they cut down and stuck one end into the fireplace with the rest sticking out into the room.

The fire was lit by using the remains of the log from the year before that was saved all year.

The remains of the previous year’s log was fed to the fire over the 12 days of Christmas. Therefore, this begins on Christmas day and ends on January 5^th.

It is thought that this tradition may have started in Germany as a custom of Germanic paganism. They believed that burning the log would bring good luck. 

What are the other traditions of Yule?

Yule actually began as a festival observed in Germany dating back as far as the 4^th century. Some of the customs from back then include the Yule log, Yule goat, the Yule boar, and Yule singing.

The goat was related to the god, Thor, who rode in the sky on a chariot that was pulled by two goats. 

Next, the boar was the animal they sacrificed and ate every year at Christmas. Today, we eat ham instead and we do not have to kill the animal ourselves.

Traditional singing, or wassailing, is like the modern Christmas caroling where you go door to door singing together.  

How to store leftovers:

1. Store: First, let the cake cool to room temperature before wrapping it in plastic wrap and putting it in an airtight container. Then, it will stay fresh for up to five days in the fridge.
2. Freeze: If you cannot finish it all within five days, freeze it. It will be good in the freezer for up to three months in plastic wrap and an airtight container.
3. Thaw: Be sure to thaw the cake out by letting it defrost in the fridge overnight.

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