Hello everyone! Today I would like to share a recipe for a simple and traditional yule log, a chocolate rolled cake with a mascarpone cream filling and whipped ganache frosting.
The most difficult part of this recipe is getting the cake itself rolled and unrolled without it breaking. In the end, it isn’t too big of a deal if it does break (like mine did), as you can simply fill in the gaps with filling/frosting.
When separating the eggs, I highly recommend using 3 bowls total: one for the yolks, one for putting each white in one at a time, and your final bowl for mixing. After separating each egg, transfer the white to your final bowl, that way if the yolk breaks while separating you only lose 1 egg instead of all.
If any yolk gets mixed with the whites, it will most likely keep them from holding as much air as is necessary, but if they do have just a tiny speck of yolk mixed in it may be worth it to try beating them first before starting over.
As with most cakes, the decoration style is completely up to you. I went for the traditional bark appearance, plus meringue mushrooms and cocoa powder/powdered sugar snow. If you would like the recipe for the mushrooms, please feel free to let me know in the comments!
Without any further ado, here is the recipe!
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Yule Log (Bûche De Noël)
Difficulty: Medium8-10
servingsRich and balanced chocolate cake, rolled around a mascarpone filling and covered with a whipped ganache frosting!
Ingredients
Frosting:
3/4 cup (170g) heavy cream
1 cup (170g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
pinch of salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
6 tbsp (85g/0.75 stick) salted butter, room temperature
Cake:
5 eggs
1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup (60g) all-purpose flour
1/3 cup (30g) cocoa powder (I used dutch-processed)
3 tbsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp espresso powder (opt.)
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 cup (50g) vegetable/canola oil
6 tbsp (85g) buttermilk (or buttermilk substitute)
Filling:
1 cup (227g) heavy cream
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp granulated sugar
3/4 cup (170g) mascarpone, room temperature
cocoa powder, for decoration (opt.)
powdered sugar, for decoration (opt.)
meringue mushroom or sugared cranberries, for decoration (opt.)
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a 12×16 or 13×18 jelly roll pan (or regular baking sheet with the same dimensions), then line with parchment paper and grease the parchment paper. Set aside. Add the cream for the frosting to a microwave-safe vessel and microwave until just barely bubbling. Add the chocolate, let it sit for 2-3 minutes, then whisk until smooth. Cover with a paper towel and let cool to room temperature.
- Separate the 5 eggs into yolks and whites. Add the whites to the bowl of a stand mixer and beat with the whisk attachment for 2 minutes or so, until light and frothy but no peaks forming yet. Add the sugar, salt and vanilla and beat again to soft peaks.
- In a separate bowl or measuring cup combine the flour, cocoa powder, cornstarch, espresso powder and baking powder. Sift 1/3 of the dry mixture over the egg whites and fold them in by hand. It does not need to be fully incorporated before adding the next 1/3. Repeat 2 more times, then add the oil and buttermilk and fold one more time until smooth. Spread batter into the prepared pan and bake for 16-20 minutes or until it springs back when very lightly pressed. Let cool for just long enough to be able to touch (about 2 minutes), then remove from the pan and roll starting at the long edge. You want the parchment paper to stay with the cake as you roll it, so it doesn’t stick to itself. Let cool completely.
- For the filling, add the heavy cream to a food processor and mix until you have soft peaks, scraping down the sides as necessary. Mix in the vanilla. Combine the mascarpone with the sugar and add half at a time to the processor. Pulse until incorporated each time, being careful not to overmix.
- Unroll the cooled cake on a worksurface. Don’t worry if it cracks; we will fix it with the filling. Spread the filling over the whole cake, leaving the last 1/2″ or so bare. Roll up from the wide edge just like before. Cut a piece from the side about 4″ long at a 45 degree angle and set aside. Transfer the main piece to your final serving dish and place the angled piece on the side of the main piece. Chill while you finish the frosting.
- Transfer the cooled ganache to a medium bowl and beat with the salt and vanilla extract with a hand mixer (or whisk by hand) for 1 minute. Add in 1/3 of the butter at a time, beating thoroughly in between each addition. Scrape down the sides at least once.
- Assemble: cover the outside of the cake with about 1/2″ of the frosting, being sure to cover the place where the two cake pieces meet. Drag the tines of a fork across the outside to make a bark-like appearance. Optionally decorate with powdered sugar, cocoa powder, meringue mushrooms, or anything you’d like!
- Slice and enjoy! Store covered in the fridge for up to 3 days, or freeze for 1-2 months.
Recipe Video
Notes
- You can use dutch-processed or natural cocoa powder, and either will work just fine.
- I rolled mine starting at the shorter edge, to make it thicker. You can do it this way as well, but it increases the chances of it breaking.
Thank you for viewing my recipe! If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to leave them below!
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