This yule log is also known as Bûche de Noël is typically a chocolate cake filled with chocolate cream to balance the chocolate out, you can use a sweetened whipped cream. Made famous in France, these sheet cakes, filled, rolled, and frosted to look like the trunks of trees, complete with the stumps of sawed-off branches.
The sponge cake itself is baked with a minimal amount of flour and softly whipped egg whites, which is what gives the cake its spongy texture. It’s then baked in a half sheet baking pan/jelly roll pan before it’s flipped out and rolled into a cylinder.
Ingredients;
- 6 large eggs, separated
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar, divided
- 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
- Powdered sugar, for sprinkling
For the filling - 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
- Pinch kosher salt
For the frosting - 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
- 2 cup powdered sugar, plus more for garnish
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp. heavy cream
- Pinch kosher salt
- Chocolate curls, for garnish
- Cranberries, for garnish
- Small rosemary sprigs, for garnish
Instructions;
- Preheat oven to 350°. Line a jelly roll pan with parchment paper and grease with cooking spray. In a medium bowl mix together flour, cocoa powder, and salt.
- In a large bowl beat egg yolks until thick. Slowly add ½ cup sugar and beat until pale then beat in flour mixture.
- In another large bowl beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Add remaining ¼ cup sugar a little at a time and continue to beat until stiff peaks form. Gently fold egg whites into batter in two batches.
- Pour batter into prepared pan and spread into an even layer. Bake until top springs back when lightly pressed, 12 minutes.
- Dust a clean kitchen towel with powdered sugar and invert warm cake onto towel. Peel off parchment paper.
- Starting at the short end, use the towel to tightly roll cake into a log. Let cool completely.
- Make filling: In a large bowl beat together heavy cream, powdered sugar, pure vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt, until stiff peaks form. Refrigerate until ready to use.
- When cake is cool, unroll and spread filling evenly over cake. Roll cake back into a log, this time without a towel.
- Place seam side down on a baking sheet and refrigerate until well chilled, 1 hour.
- Make frosting: In a large bowl beat butter until smooth. Add powdered sugar and cocoa powder and beat until no lumps remain then beat in vanilla, heavy cream, and salt.
- When ready to serve, trim ends and frost cake with chocolate buttercream. Dust lightly with powdered sugar and top with chocolate curls. Place cranberries and rosemary on the log to create mistletoe.
