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Bûche de Noël (Traditional Yule Log Cake)

Close-up of a slice of chocolate Bûche de Noël cake showing the dark sponge and light cream swirl filling.
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Make a traditional French Bûche de Noël, a rolled sponge cake decorated to look like a log, perfect for holiday celebrations.

Ingredients

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  • 4 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, sifted
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1/2 cup chestnut purée (optional filling)
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon coffee extract (for chocolate buttercream)
  • Chocolate shavings or small meringue mushrooms for decoration

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a 15×10 inch jelly roll pan with parchment paper.
  2. In a large bowl, beat the eggs and granulated sugar together until pale and thick, about 5 minutes.
  3. Gently fold in the sifted flour, cocoa powder, and salt until just combined. Stir in the vanilla extract. Do not overmix.
  4. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
  5. While the cake bakes, lay a clean kitchen towel on a flat surface and dust it lightly with powdered sugar.
  6. As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, invert it onto the sugared towel. Carefully peel off the parchment paper. While the cake is hot, roll it up tightly along with the towel, starting from the short end. Let it cool completely in this rolled position on a wire rack.
  7. Prepare the filling: If using chestnut purée, mix it with the heavy cream until smooth. If making plain chocolate buttercream, beat the softened butter with the powdered sugar and coffee extract until light and fluffy.
  8. Once cool, carefully unroll the cake. Spread your chosen filling evenly over the surface. Reroll the cake without the towel.
  9. To make the bark effect, take about one-third of the remaining buttercream and spread it thinly over the entire outside of the log. Use a fork to create rough lines resembling tree bark.
  10. Use the remaining buttercream to pipe small rosettes or leaves onto the log. Decorate with chocolate shavings or meringue mushrooms.
  11. Chill the Bûche de Noël for at least 1 hour before slicing and serving.

Notes

  • For a richer flavor, substitute 1/4 cup of the flour with almond flour.
  • If you do not have chestnut purée, you can use a simple chocolate ganache as the filling.
  • Chill the buttercream briefly if it becomes too soft while decorating the log.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://miameal.com/buche-de-noel-recipe-french-yule-log-cake/