Classic Bûche de Noël (Yule Log Cake)

This classic Buche de Noel (Bûche de Noël in French) or Yule Log cake is a stunning Christmas dessert made of sponge cake rolled with a whipped creme fraiche and covered with rich chocolate frosting. Bring a taste of France to your holiday table!

Christmas time brings tasty and delicious recipes to make. Yes, Santa loves gingerbread in different variations: gingerbread cookies, gingerbread madeleines, gingerbread loaf, and even twisted gingerbread Pavlova.

There is a Christmas tradition in Europe to make a classic Bûche de Noël, often spelled as Buche de Noel in English. This type of cake, shaped like a Yule Log, is a part of the French culinary heritage.

As per CuisineAZ.com, "A Christmas meal without a log is a bit like a Christmas without a tree or without snow: it's nice, but a little something is missing." 

And as per Williams-Sonoma, "For a purely joyous, bells-are-ringing holiday extravaganza, a Bûche de Noël is simply unbeatable."

After making traditional Buche de Noel, gorgeous chocolate raspberry Swiss roll, and beautiful coffee roll cake, I am up to simplifying a rolled cake and transforming it into a classic Buche de Noel.

I was eyeing this Buche de Noel recipe for a while, waiting for the holiday season to make it. I made it once and decorated it in the same way as the chef Caitlin Dysart.

Then I decided to change the Buche de Noel decoration. I switched "exaggerated" long-stemmed meringue mushrooms with my favorite meringue mushrooms. I found this type of decoration more classic.

How to roll a cake log

There are a few tips/tricks for rolling a cake log to make it beautiful and curvy without breaking it.

• The essential step is to roll a hot sponge/biscuit (as soon as it comes out of the oven) without filling.

It lets the cake cool down in a rolled shape. It facilitates to work with once it has cooled.

• Another tip/trick is to roll a cake log using a clean kitchen towel or parchment paper.

Once the sponge/biscuit is out of the oven, turn it over on a clean towel or parchment paper.

To prevent the sponge from sticking while rolling, dust the towel or parchment with icing (powdered) sugar or cocoa powder before flipping the sponge cake.

Attention: the French usually place a slightly damp cloth on top of the baked sponge. Then they flip the baking sheet and let it stand (with a baking sheet on top) for about 5 minutes.

This step keeps the humidity well and facilitates demolding. Then they remove the baking sheet and gently peel the parchment paper.

• Roll the cake gently: start from the top of the sponge and roll down on itself by grabbing the kitchen towel (the French still use that wet towel) or parchment and rolling it above the sponge.

If the sponge cake breaks at the beginning, please, don't worry. With the thickness going further, the wrap will be easier and easier to handle.

• The last trick is to tighten the roll well. To do so, use parchment paper and a grid or baking sheet. Watch this short video by S. Serveau on how to tighten a Christmas log. Once the cake is rolled, let it stand for 1 to 2 hours in the refrigerator.

While assembling the cake, some recipes recommend soaking the sponge cake with sugar syrup to make it moist and roll more easily.

How to decorate a Yule Log cake

To decorate your homemade Christmas log and impress your guests, take into consideration these five tips.

• Arrange meringue kisses, meringue mushrooms, fresh (raspberries, strawberries), sugared (cranberries, red currants) or canned berries (lychees), candies, cookies, truffles, or chocolate shavings on top of the Yule log.

• Use plant decorations such as fresh or crystallized flowers, rosemary springs turned upside down, and even a cute real fir branch. 

• If you are experienced using a pastry bag, pipe the whipped cream or chocolate buttercream with different tips such as petals, flowers, or stars.

• Decorate the Yule log's sides with macarons, dark chocolate crisps, speculoos cookie crumbs, or shredded coconut.

• Leave the logs' ends trimmed or decorate them with chocolate circles, cut out shapes in marzipan, and baked meringue spirals.

• The most common final touch is to sprinkle the Yule log with powdered sugar to imitate the look of snow.

It is up to you to choose simple or elaborate decorations. The possibilities are endless!

And do not forget to bring kids to decorate Buche de Noel: they are a great help and fun if you like to bake with them!

Why you should try this Yule log recipe

• This Buche de Noel is a classic French Christmas dessert.

• The recipe is straightforward: it is made within 1.5 hours. Make sure to prepare meringue mushrooms or other Buche de Noel decorations in advance.

• The dessert is stunning and delicious: guests' "Ohs" and "Ahs" are guaranteed.

Ingredients

Here is a quick overview of what ingredients you will need. Find the recipe card below for exact amounts and detailed instructions. I recommend making the recipe as written for the best results.

• Eggs: The recipe calls for large eggs. Use chilled eggs and an egg separator to separate egg whites from egg yolks.

• Flour: Use all-purpose flour.

• Corn starch is added as a lower-protein ingredient to make a soft sponge.

• Cocoa powder: use unsweetened cocoa powder here.

• Granulated sugar or replace it with caster sugar.

• Butter: Use unsalted butter. To make the sponge, melt it and cool it to room temperature. To make the chocolate frosting, use softened butter.

• Icing sugar: Make it yourself with a coffee grinder or use store-bought powdered sugar.

• Salt enhances the flavors of the cake. If you desire, increase the amount of salt up to ¼ teaspoon while making the dark chocolate frosting.

• Dark chocolate: Use high-quality dark chocolate such as Valrhona dark chocolate or Scharffen Berger dark chocolate.

• Heavy cream: The recipe calls for heavy or heavy whipping cream with at least 30% fat content.

• Creme fraiche is a French ingredient - crème fraîche - also sold in the USA. Replace it with plain Greek yogurt, sour cream, or mascarpone.

• Vanilla extract: Use Madagascar Bourbon pure vanilla extract or replace it with an alcohol-free vanilla flavor.

• Apricot preserves: Use thick apricot preserves, jam, or marmalade. Replace it with any other fruit preserves of your choice.

How to make Bûche de Noël

To make the chocolate sponge, preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Using a flour sifter, sift all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, corn starch in a medium bowl and set aside.

In a bowl, beat egg whites with an electric mixer until they are mounted. Gradually add granulated (caster) sugar and continue to whisk until stiff peaks (photo 1).

Add egg yolks and gently mix with a rubber spatula, working in the same direction (photo 2).

Add dry ingredients (flour, cocoa, and starch) and gently combine with the spatula. Finally, add melted butter and gently mix again (photo 3).

Pour the dough on a baking sheet covered with buttered and floured parchment paper or a non-spill baking sheet and even the surface with a bent spatula (photo 4). Bake the sponge for 10 minutes. Take it from the oven and let it cool.  

To make the whipped creme fraiche, place all the ingredients in a chilled bowl and whisk till the cream is obtained (photo 5). Cover the bowl with plastic film and refrigerate.

To assemble Buche de Noel, flip the sponge over parchment or a kitchen towel and remove the parchment paper or baking mat. Cut the rectangle of 11 x 10 inches (28 x 25 cm).

Spread a 1-inch (2.5 cm) line of apricot preserves along the long edge of the sponge.

Spread a thin layer (⅕ inch (0.5 cm) of the whipped crème fraîche on top of the remaining sponge and even with a bent spatula (photo 6).

Roll the sponge, starting from the top to the bottom, and tighten it (photo 7). Wrap the roll in parchment paper and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. 

To make the chocolate frosting, stir cocoa powder into the warm water in a small bowl and set it aside.

Beat butter, icing (powdered) sugar, and salt with an electric mixer for 3 minutes (photo 8).

Melt dark chocolate in a bain-marie/water bath (also known as a double boiler) or microwave and let it cool to room temperature.

Add melted chocolate to the butter/sugar mixture and whisk. Finally, add the cocoa mixture and beat again (photo 9).

Take the rolled cake out of the fridge, trim the ends to make them neat, and place it on a serving tray.

Spread the chocolate frosting over the cake and spoon the frosting out with the back of a tablespoon.

Decorate the top of Buche de Noel with meringue mushrooms (photo 10). Refrigerate the cake. 

Expert Tips

1. Follow the recipe to make meringue mushrooms in advance to shorten the time of the cake preparation. Get them ready before assembling the cake.
2. Be sure to butter and flour parchment paper before pouring in the sponge dough and baking. Do not grease and flour a silicone non-spill baking sheet.
3. The sponge is forgiving: no need to roll a hot cake. Let it cool, and then roll.
4. Replace creme fraiche with Greek yogurt, sour cream, or mascarpone.
5. Experiment with decorations of your choice. For example, add sugared cranberries and rosemary springs, then dust the cake with icing (powdered) sugar before serving.
6. Cut the Yule log with a hot, sharp knife: doing so will result in a perfect swirl of the cake for each plate.

Frequently asked questions

Love roll cakes? Try these next!

• Chocolate Raspberry Swiss Roll
• Meringue Roulade
• Raspberry Pistachio Roulade
• Or browse all the cake recipes

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Recipe card

The nutritional information has been calculated using an online recipe nutrition calculator such as Verywellfit.com and is intended for informational purposes only. These figures should be used as a general guideline and not be construed as a guarantee.

The recipe was adapted from http://edibledc.com/. It was originally published on January 02, 2019. The recipe has been revised to include improved content and photos.