There is no better way to celebrate Christmas than with a cake shaped like a yule log and decorated like a Christmas tree! Here is my recipe and tips to bake an eggnog yule log cake using a homemade Swiss roll.
Table of Content
What is a yule log cake?
A yule log is a traditional Christmas cake, also known as Buche de Noel in France. It was originally a Nordic tradition to chase away the winter by burning a log. I believe the yule is the name of the Winter Solstice, which has now become a Christmas ritual. A large piece of the log is carefully chosen and bought into the house. A small fire is lit to one end of the log every day for the next 12 days before Christmas.
Making a log cake sounds very daunting. But in truth, it is very simple and easy. This eggnog-flavored yule log cake is a wonderful twist on that classic.
Why make this log cake?
- If you love eggnog, you will enjoy this recipe. It has a wonderful rich eggnog flavor. But you can also replace the eggnog with milk or buttermilk.
- Also, this recipe is a fuss-free, simple, and easy with a standard creaming method.
- And most of the ingredients are simple pantry staples or easy to find such as eggnog
- Today, I am using homemade eggnog but you can certainly use store-bought eggnog just as well.
- I am baking the cake in a Swiss roll cake pan because I believe it is the easiest way to make this cake without any carving required. Also, you do not need any special pan, just a sheet pan will do.
- And making the chocolate bark is surprisingly simple and easy with just melted chocolate and parchment paper.
- There are four parts to making this cake and each step is fairly simple and straightforward:
- Bake vanilla sponge or cocoa sponge cake - 20 mins
- Making the buttercream and chocolate bark - 10 mins
- Shaping the yule log cake - 10 mins
- Assembling and decorating the yule log - 20 mins
Ingredients and substitutes
- All-purpose flour - Cake flour is most commonly used for this cake. And yet, all-purpose flour works just as well.
- Butter - There is not much butter in this recipe. So, I like to use a good quality European butter, which has a high-fat content. But, regular butter works just as well.
- Eggnog - You can make homemade eggnog, or buy the commercially available brand. They can be found in most supermarkets these days. And if you don't want an eggnog flavor, you can also substitute it with an equal amount of sour cream.
- Eggs - It is important that you use good large eggs for this recipe. The real light and airy texture for this cake comes from whipping the egg whites to stiff peaks. Equally, it is important to separate the eggs carefully. Make sure no egg yolks get mixed with the whites or they won't whip to stiff peaks.
- Cream of tartar - Helps stabilize the egg whites and prevents the protein in the egg whites from separating. But, if you can't find it, just omit it. A pinch of salt works just fine.
- Vanilla extract - I am using vanilla bean paste but pure vanilla extract works great too. You can also substitute some of the white sugar in the recipe with vanilla sugar. A good quality pure vanilla extract goes a long way in recipes like this.
How to make a yule log cake
Chocolate sponge cake
- Preheat the oven to 325 °F/ 165°C / Gas Mark 3
- Line a spring roll pan 15 x 10 inches with parchment paper. Make sure the parchment covers the sides of the baking tray too.
- Dry ingredients - In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and half the salt - and set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with a whisk attachment, on medium speed, start whipping the egg whites with cream of tartar and the remaining salt.
Pro tip - Cream of tartar helps stabilize the protein in the meringue and prevents it from separating. - Gradually, add the white sugar and continue to whip on medium speed. Once all the sugar is added, turn the speed to medium high speed and whip to almost stiff peaks form. Then, remove from the bowl and set aside.
Pro tip - Adding the sugar slowly prevents the protein from drying out. Adding sugar quickly can cause the meringue to become flat and runny. - In the same bowl of the stand mixer, with the paddle attachment, whip the egg yolks with the brown sugar until sugar is almost melted.
Pro tip - You need to work quickly at this time so the whip egg whites don't lose volume. - Next, add the eggnog mixture, vanilla extract, and melted cooled butter. Sift in the flour mixture and combine well but do not overmix. Finally, fold the whipped egg whites into the mixture in three or four additions.
Pro tip - Sifting the flour will give a light and airy sponge. Use a folding motion of up and over when combining the whipped egg whites.
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking tray. Spread evenly with a spatula. Tap the tray three times on the counter-top.
Pro tip - Tapping on the counter will break the large air pockets. - Bake in the preheated oven for 11 to 12 minutes until the top is springy and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Then, as soon as the cake is out of the oven, carefully slide the parchment paper from the baking tray to the cooling rack. Wait five minutes, then, flip the cake over using a second wire rack. Gently peel the bottom parchment paper.
Pro tip - This is an important step to keep the cake soft and prevent it from drying out. - Dust the cake with powdered sugar and place a clean kitchen towel or parchment paper on top. Flip the cake over again and roll the cake into a jelly roll with the help of the cheesecloth (as shown in the video). Set aside to cool.
Pro tip - The powdered sugar prevents the cake from sticking to the cheesecloth or parchment paper.
Buttercream
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream butter for a minute. Add the salt and vanilla extract. Followed by the eggnog and powdered sugar in three batches. Then, whip for 2 to 3 minutes more until light and fluffy.
Chocolate bark
- Melt the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl at 30-sec intervals. Spread evenly over a sheet of parchment paper. Roll into a log (as shown in the video).
- Let set in the fridge for 10 to 20 minutes until firm. When set, unroll and let the chocolate break naturally. Keep in the fridge until ready to use.
Assemble
- Fill - Unroll the cake and remove the cheesecloth. Generously brush with eggnog. Using an offset spatula spread a generous amount of buttercream and roll the cake back firmly into a jelly roll.
- Carve - Using a serrated knife, cut both ends of the roll at an angle or make diagonal cuts (as shown in the video). Then, attach the cut pieces to create branches with the diagonal side towards the log (see video).
- Frost - Spread a generous amount of buttercream all over the log using an offset spatula. This does not need to be smooth.
- Bark - Attach chocolate bark pieces all over the buttercream. Dust with cocoa powder. Then, give a light dusting of powdered sugar for a snowy effect
Pro tip - The cocoa powder gives the bark a deeper color and the powdered sugar gives a snow effect.
- Berries and Holly - Decorate with little fondant Christmas berries and leaves as shown in the video. I also used rosemary for garnish.
Pro tip - You can also use meringue mushrooms, fresh cranberries, and rosemary leaves for decorations.
Tips for success
- Separate the eggs carefully making sure no egg yolks get into the egg white. The yolks represent fat, which will prevent the whites from whipping into a meringue, which is what we need for this sponge cake to make it light and airy.
- Also, add the sugar into the eggs whites gradually, this will help whip the eggs out the protein separating and build some volume. The egg white cells are similar to blowing a balloon. If you blow the air into it slowly it will take more air and become big but if you try to blow into it too fast it will burst.
- Preheat the oven well in advance so the batter does not stay on the counter once it is ready. This must be baked immediately.
- Because I use the same hand mixer, I like to whip the egg whites first then use the same bowl and whisk to whip the egg yolks. But, you must do this quickly so the egg whites are not kept waiting for long. And if you choose to do the whites after the yolks make sure to clean the whisk before whipping the whites.
- The cake must be rolled while it is still hot. Otherwise, it will crack if you try to roll it cold.
- Dusting the cake with powdered sugar before rolling will prevent it from sticking to the kitchen cloth or parchment paper.
- When you unroll the cake again it may not be flat but still holds its rolled position. And, that's ok - just fill it as best you can and then reroll it. Trying to make it flat can cause it to crack as well.
- I have used eggnog buttercream for this cake but you can also use chocolate buttercream to frost the cake. Alternatively, you use the whipped cream filling with confectioners sugar for a white log cake.
More Christmas recipes
- Christmas MM Cookies
- Marzipan Cake or Chocolate Marzipan Squares
- Christmas Star Cookies or Stenciled Christmas Sugar Cookies
- Christmas Cake Wreath or Christmas Pavlova
- and Christmas Spritz Cookies (No-fail Recipe)
- Cranberry Cake Christmas
- Ice Cream Cone Christmas Tree Cupcakes
- See all Christmas recipes
Frequently asked questions
How long will this cake keep?
This cake will keep for a few hours at room temperature because eggnog contains eggs and thus needs to refrigerate. It will keep in the fridge for 4 to 5 days.
Can I freeze a yule log cake?
You can freeze this cake but before frosting. The sponge cake can be rolled and frozen with or with a buttercream filling (not whipped cream filling) Thaw it in the fridge overnight for best results. Then, on the day of serving you can frost the outside and decorate as desired.
How to shape the yule log cake?
This sounds complicated but as you can see in the video you simply roll the sponge cake and then cut the two ends. The most important thing to remember is to roll the cake while it is still hot/warm (not cold). That way, you have almost no cracks which makes the process easy peasy.
How do you decorate a yule log cake?
The option for decorations can be as simple or as elaborate as you like.
To keep it simple so you can omit carving the two ends, frost it with chocolate frosting create a few lines with the tings of a fork, and dust with powdered sugar.
For a more elaborate presentation, you can carve the two ends as shown in the video and frost it with buttercream and bark. For decorations, you can use sugared cranberries and rosemary or make some meringue mushrooms dusted with cocoa powder.
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Printable Recipe
Yule Log Cake - Bûche De Noël
Print Pin Rate Share by Email Share on FB Save GrowCalories: 578kcal
Adjust Servings Here: 10 Servings
Description
There is no better way to celebrate Christmas than with a cake shaped like a yule log and decorated like a Christmas tree! Here is my recipe and tips to bake an eggnog yule log cake using a homemade Swiss roll.
Video
Conversions Used
1 lb = 453 grams, 1 cup = 240 ml, 1 stick = 113g, 1 tbsp= 15 ml, 1 tsp= 5 ml,
Ingredients
For the cake
- 5 large Eggs (separated)
- ¼ cup (50 g) White sugar
- ¼ cup (55 g) Brown sugar
- ½ cup (60 g) All-Purpose Flour
- ¼ teaspoon Baking Powder
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- ⅛ teaspoon Cream of Tartar
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 2 tablespoon Butter (melted, coold)
- ¼ cup (60 ml) Eggnog
Eggnog buttercream
- 8 oz (225 g) Butter (unsalted)
- 2 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- ¼ cup (60 ml) Eggnog
- 1 lb (450 g) Powdered sugar
Instructions
Chocolate sponge cake
- Preheat the oven to 325 °F / 165°C / Gas Mark 3
- Line a spring roll pan 15 x 10 inches with parchment paper. Make sure the parchment covers the sides of the baking tray too.
- Dry ingredients - In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and half the salt - set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with a whisk attachment, on medium speed, start whipping the egg whites with cream of tartar and the remaining salt.Pro tip - Cream of tartar helps stabilize the protein in the meringue and prevents it from separating.
- Gradually, add the white sugar and continue to whip on medium speed. Once all the sugar is added, turn the speed to medium high speed and whip to almost stiff peaks form. Remove from the bowl and set aside.Pro tip - Adding the sugar slowly prevents the protein from drying out. Adding sugar quickly can cause the meringue to become flat and runny.
- In the same bowl of the stand mixer, with the paddle attachment, whip the egg yolks with the brown sugar until sugar is almost melted.Pro tip - You need to work quickly at this time so the whip egg whites don't lose volume.
- Next, add the eggnog mixture, vanilla extract, and melted cooled butter. Sift in the flour mixture and combine well but do not overmix. Finally, fold the whipped egg whites into the mixture in three or four additions.Pro tip - Sifting the flour will give a light and airy sponge. Use a folding motion of up and over when combining the whipped egg whites.
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking tray. Spread evenly with a spatula. Tap the tray three times on the counter-top.Pro tip - Tapping on the counter will break the large air pockets.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 11 to 12 minutes until the top is springy and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- As soon as the cake is out of the oven, carefully slide the parchment paper from the baking tray to the cooling rack. Wait five minutes, then, flip the cake over using a second wire rack. Gently peel the bottom parchment paper.Pro tip - This is an important step to keep the cake soft and prevent it from drying out.
- Dust the cake with powdered sugar and place a clean kitchen towel or parchment paper on top. Flip the cake over again and roll the cake into a jelly roll with the help of the cheesecloth (as shown in the video). Set aside to cool.Pro tip - The powdered sugar prevents the cake from sticking to the cheesecloth or parchment paper.
Buttercream
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream butter for a minute. Add the salt and vanilla extract. Followed by the eggnog and powdered sugar in three batches. Then, whip for 2 to 3 minutes more until light and fluffy.
Chocolate Bark
- Melt the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl at 30-sec intervals. Spread evenly over a sheet of parchment paper. Then, roll into a log (as shown in the video).
- Let set in the fridge for 10 to 20 minutes until firm. When set, unroll and let the chocolate break naturally. Keep in the fridge until ready to use.
Assemble
- Fill - Unroll the cake and remove the cheesecloth. Generously brush with eggnog. Using an offset spatula spread a generous amount of buttercream and roll the cake back firmly into a jelly roll.
- Carve - Using a serrated knife, cut both ends of the roll at an angle or make diagonal cuts (as shown in the video). Then, attach the cut pieces to create branches with the diagonal side towards the log (see video).
- Frost - Spread a generous amount of buttercream all over the log using an offset spatula. This does not need to be smooth.
- Bark - Attach chocolate bark pieces all over the buttercream. Dust with cocoa powder. Then, give a light dusting of powdered sugar for a snowy effect.Pro tip - The cocoa powder gives the bark a deeper color and the powdered sugar gives a snow effect.
- Berries and Holly - Decorate with little fondant Christmas berries and leaves as shown in the video. I also used rosemary for garnish.Pro tip - You can also use meringue mushrooms, fresh cranberries, and rosemary leaves for decorations.
Recipe Notes & Tips
- Separate the eggs carefully making sure no egg yolks get into the egg white. The yolks represent fat which will prevent the whites from whipping into a meringue which is what we need for this sponge cake to make it light and airy.
- Also, add the sugar into the eggs whites gradually, this will help whip the eggs out the protein separating and build some volume. The egg white cells are similar to blowing a balloon. If you bowl the air into it slowly it will take more air and become big but if you try to blow into it too fast it will burst.
- Preheat the oven well in advance so the batter does not stay on the counter once it is ready. This must be baked immediately.
- Because I use the same hand mixer, I like to whip the egg whites first then use the same bowl and whisk to whip the egg yolks. But, you must do this quickly so the egg whites are not kept waiting for long. If you choose to do the whites after the yolks make sure to clean the whisk before whipping the whites.
- The cake must be rolled while it is still hot otherwise it will crack if you try to roll it cold.
- Dusting the cake with powdered sugar before rolling will prevent it from sticking to the kitchen cloth or parchment paper.
- When you unroll the cake again it may not be flat but still holds its rolled position. And, that's ok - just fill it as best you can and then reroll it. Trying to make it flat can cause it to crack as well.
- I have used eggnog buttercream for this cake but you can also use chocolate buttercream to frost the cake. Alternatively, you use the whipped cream filling for a white log cake.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 578- kcalCarbohydrates: 67- gProtein: 5- gFat: 32- gSaturated Fat: 19- gCholesterol: 148- mgSodium: 128- mgPotassium: 241- mgFiber: 2- gSugar: 57- gVitamin A: 805- IUVitamin C: 0.2- mgCalcium: 66- mgIron: 3.1- mg
The nutrition information and metric conversion are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee its accuracy. If this data is important to you please verify with your trusted nutrition calculator. Thank you
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Sri
Hello, I want to make an eggless Swiss roll.. can you suggest if your classic eggless vanilla cake recipe (with curd and oil) would work for it or I should use recipes with condensed milk.. thanks in advance.
Veena Azmanov
Hey Sri, No both my eggless vanilla cake recipes won't work for a Swiss roll. You need a different recipe with a much lighter batter because a Swiss roll needs to be rolled. I don't have one at the moment on the blog. Sorry..
Melissa
This is a SHOWSTOPPER dessert for the holidays, so gorgeous!!! I love eggnog and would never have thought to incorporate it into the cake and icing, I normally just drink it!
Veena Azmanov
Thank you, Melisa. It's a great flavor for buttercream as well as drinking.