Chocolate Yule Log Cake

Christmas is coming and although this year may be different, feel different, and look different, that's no reason not to still go all out. That's even more of a reason as to why you should go all out. Enjoy this time with your loved ones as much as you can. This chocolate yule log cake may seem intimidating, but it's easier to make than you think. It takes a little prep work and a little time, but the beautiful and delicious result is well worth it.

REASONS YOU SHOULD TRY THIS RECIPE:

• showstopping dessert for the holidays

• intense chocolate flavor with a delicious filling

• a wonderful technique to learn

How to Make Chocolate Yule Log Cake:

Cake

• Separate your eggs and place the yolks in a medium bowl and the egg whites in the bowl of your stand mixer. Begin by whisking the egg yolks in a medium bowl and whisk while gradually adding in the granulated sugar. Continue to do this until all the sugar is added in. Once all the sugar is in, whisk for a couple of minutes until the mixture thickens so much that it ribbons off the whisk, looks paler in color (more of a white than a yellow), sugar is dissolved fully, and looks like soft-serve ice cream.

• Once your mixture reaches that stage, slowly whisk in the melted butter that has now come up to room temp. Whisk until this mixture is fully combined. Whisk in the vanilla extract, softened cream cheese, and buttermilk until the mixture is combined and uniform.

• Once this mixture is set, dump in the dry ingredients all at once and use your rubber spatula to begin to fold in the dry ingredients to the wet. Do this until everything is just combined. Don't overmix. The mixture should be thick and resemble brownie batter.

• Add a pinch of sugar to the egg whites and begin to whip with the whip attachment on medium speed for a few minutes until the mixture gets frothy and white. Once it gets to that stage, bump the speed up to a medium-high speed until you reach stiff glossy white peaks. Add the whipped egg whites all at once into the chocolate mixture and use your rubber spatula to fold in gently until everything is combined.

• Line a half-sheet pan with parchment paper and grease it with cooking spray and some confectioner sugar. Pour the chocolate mixture into the pan all at once. Use an offset spatula to gently smooth out this mixture evenly into the pan. Be patient and be sure to get this as smooth as possible.

• Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F for 10-12 minutes or until the cake springs back when touched. Once baked, set it on the counter to cool for about five minutes.

• Run your offset spatula around the sides to loosen the cake from the parchment. Using another half-sheet tray, flip it over so the bottom is facing up. Place a piece of parchment on the top of the bottom. Sprinkle some confectioner sugar over the parchment. Flip the parchment over the top of the cake so the sugar falls onto the top of the cake. Use the bottom of the sheet tray to flip the other sheet tray so that the cake bottom is now facing upwards. Use your parchment to begin to roll the cake up tightly but gently. Do this until you have a log to ensure the seam is on the bottom.

• Let the cake cool for about half an hour. While the cake is cooling, work on the filling.

Filling

• Cream the cream cheese with a paddle attachment on medium to high speed for a minute or two. Scrape the bowl well with your rubber spatula. Turn the mixer off and dump in the confectioner's sugar all at once. Turn the mixer back on to the lowest speed and bump it up once the sugar is dissolved. Stop the mixer, scrape the bowl, and add in the vanilla, salt, and orange zest. Mix for another minute on medium-high speed. Stop the mixer and scrape the bowl well. Pour this mixture into a separate bowl. Using the same bowl for the stand mixer, pour in the heavy cream and whip with the whip attachment until you get stiff peaks.

• Fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture in two additions until fully combined.

• Gently unroll the log and pour the filling on top of the cake. Use an offset spatula to spread as evenly as possible. You may have the cake crack a bit, but that's fine because the filling will act as the glue. You may have a bit more filling than needed, if so, just set it aside.

Assembly

• Once the filling is on top of the cake, use the parchment to reroll the log tightly, but gently making sure the seam side is down. Use the parchment to loosely cover and place in the fridge for at least an hour or up to overnight.

• Once you're ready to serve your cake, you can make your ganache icing. Roughly chop your chocolate and place them into a medium bowl. Heat your heavy cream in the microwave for a minute or two until it gets boiling. Pour the heavy cream over the chocolate. Let it sit for a minute. Use a whisk to mix until it becomes a shiny chocolate mixture. Let it cool for 5-10 minutes then place in the fridge for 15 minutes. Pour the ganache into the bowl of your stand mixer and whip with the paddle attachment for a few minutes until lighter in color and gets fluffier.

• Fill your pastry bag with the ganache. Begin to ice the cake by squeezing the icing onto the log. Then, use an offset spatula to smooth the icing on the log. Gently move the log onto a cardboard round. Then, use a fork to gently drag across the log to form lines onto the log. Decorate as you please.

Serve immediately and enjoy!

SOME MORE GREAT CHOCOLATE RECIPES:

• Flourless Chocolate Cake

• Chocolate Raspberry Mousse Cups

• Molten Lava Cakes

Chocolate Yule Log Cake

Delicious Chocolate Yule Log Cake

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 1 day d

Cook Time 12 minutes mins

Total Time 1 day d 12 minutes mins

Course Desserts

Servings 1

Ingredients

  

• Chocolate Cake
• 70 grams all-purpose flour
• 20 grams cake flour
• 40 grams Hershey's Special Dark Cocoa Powder
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon Nescafe House Blend Instant Coffee Granules
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ cup unsalted butter melted
• 36 grams cream cheese softened and room temp
• 36 grams buttermilk room temp
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 eggs divided + pinch of granulated sugar for meringue
• 155 grams granulated sugar

Filling

• 300 ml heavy cream cold
• 86 grams powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ⅛ teaspoon salt
• 8 oz cream cheese softened
• orange zest from small orange

Whipped Ganache Icing

• 8 oz Ghirardelli semisweet chocolate baking bars
• 1 cup heavy cream
• ¼ teaspoon salt

Instructions

 

• Separate your eggs and place the yolks in a medium bowl and the egg whites in the bowl of your stand mixer. Begin by whisking the egg yolks in a medium bowl and whisk while gradually adding in the granulated sugar. Continue to do this until all the sugar is added in. Once all the sugar is in, whisk for a couple of minutes until the mixture thickens so much that it ribbons off the whisk, looks paler in color (more of a white than a yellow), sugar is dissolved fully and it looks like soft-serve ice cream.
• Once your mixture reaches that stage, slowly whisk in the melted butter that has now come up to room temp. Whisk until this mixture is fully combined. Whisk in the vanilla extract, softened cream cheese, and buttermilk until the mixture is combined and uniform.
• Once this mixture is set, dump in the dry ingredients all at once and use your rubber spatula to begin to fold in the dry ingredients to the wet. Do this until everything is just combined. Don't overmix. The mixture should be thick and resemble brownie batter.
• Add a pinch of sugar to the egg whites and begin to whip with the whip attachment on medium speed for a few minutes until the mixture gets frothy and white. Once it gets to that stage, bump the speed up to a medium-high speed until you reach stiff glossy white peaks. Add the whipped egg whites all at once into the chocolate mixture and use your rubber spatula to fold in gently until everything is combined.
• Line a half sheet pan with parchment paper and grease it with cooking spray and some confectioners sugar. Pour the chocolate mixture into the pan all at once. Use an offset spatula to gently smooth out this mixture evenly into the pan. Be patient and be sure to get this as smooth as possible.
• Bake into a preheated oven at 350°F for 10-12 minutes or until the cake springs back when touched. Once baked, set on the counter to cool for about five minutes.
• Run your offset spatula around the sides to loosen the cake from the parchment. Using another half sheet tray, flip it over so the bottom is facing up. Place a piece of parchment on the top of the bottom. Sprinkle some confectioners sugar over the parchment. Flip the parchment over the top of the cake so the sugar falls onto the top of the cake. Use the bottom of the sheet tray to flip the other sheet tray so that the cake bottom is now facing upwards. Use your parchment to begin to roll the cake up tightly but gently. Do this until you have a log making sure that the seam is on the bottom.
• Let the cake cool for about half an hour. While the cake is cooling, work on the filling. Cream the cream cheese with a paddle attachment on medium to high speed for a minute or two. Scrape the bowl really well with your rubber spatula. Turn the mixer off and dump in the confectioner's sugar all at once. Turn the mixer back on to the lowest speed and bump it up once the sugar is dissolved. Stop the mixer, scrape the bowl and add in the vanilla, salt, and orange zest. Mix for another minute on medium-high speed. Stop the mixer and scrape the bowl really well. Pour this mixture into a separate bowl. Using the same bowl for the stand mixer, pour in the heavy cream and whip with the whip attachment until you get stiff peaks.
• Fold in the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture in two additions until fully combined.
• Gently unroll the log and pour the filling on top of the cake. Use an offset spatula to spread as evenly as possible. You make have the cake crack a bit, but that's fine because the filling will act as the glue. You may have a bit more filling than needed, if so, just set it aside. Once the filling is on top of the cake, use the parchment to reroll the log tightly, but gently making sure the seam side is down. Use the parchment to loosely cover and place in the fridge for at least an hour or up to overnight.
• Once you're ready to serve your cake, you can make your ganache icing. Roughly chop your chocolate and place them into a medium bowl. Heat your heavy cream in the microwave for a minute or two until it gets very hot. Pour the heavy cream over the chocolate. Let it sit for a minute. Use a whisk to mix until it becomes a shiny chocolate mixture. Let it cool for 5-10 minutes then place in the fridge for 15 minutes. Pour the ganache into the bowl of your stand mixer and whip with the paddle attachment for a few minutes until lighter in color and it gets fluffier.
• Fill your pastry bag with the ganache. Begin to ice the cake by squeezing the icing onto the log. Then, use an offset spatula to smooth the icing on the log. Gently move the log onto a cardboard round. Then, use a fork to gently drag across the log to form lines onto the log. Decorate as you please.
• Serve immediately and enjoy!

Video

Notes

You can sub the cream cheese and buttermilk for 72 grams of sour cream instead.

Serve immediately after decorating. Can be placed covered in the fridge for up to 3 days. Can freeze for up to a month covered.