Description
Chocolate yule log cake brings festive cheer straight to your holiday table with rich, rolled chocolate sponge and creamy frosting. Festive memories and winter celebrations come alive when sharing this classic French dessert that feels like a warm hug from grandma.
Ingredients
Scale
Primary Components:
- 4 large eggs
- 8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- ½ cup granulated sugar
Supporting Ingredients:
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup cocoa powder
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Final Touches:
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- Powdered sugar
- Fresh berries
Instructions
- Crack 4 eggs and separate whites from yolks into two different mixing bowls. This will help create the perfect cake texture.
- Whip egg yolks with ¼ cup sugar until they transform into a thick, pale mixture. Blend in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
- Beat egg whites until soft peaks develop. Gradually sprinkle remaining ¼ cup sugar and continue whipping until stiff peaks form.
- Gently combine egg yolk mixture into the whites using a folding motion. Maintain the airiness of the batter.
- Sift ⅓ cup flour, ¼ cup cocoa powder, ½ teaspoon baking powder, and ¼ teaspoon salt together. Fold dry ingredients into batter carefully.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 10×15-inch jelly roll pan with parchment paper and lightly grease the surface.
- Spread batter evenly across the prepared pan. Bake for exactly 10-12 minutes until the cake springs back when touched.
- Immediately after baking, flip cake onto a kitchen towel dusted with powdered sugar. Carefully peel off parchment paper.
- Roll the warm cake with the towel, starting from the short end. Allow cake to cool completely while rolled.
- Whip 1 cup heavy cream with 2 tablespoons powdered sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla until stiff peaks form.
- Unroll cooled cake and spread whipped cream evenly across the surface. Re-roll the cake without the towel.
- Place rolled cake seam-side down on a serving platter.
- Chop 8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate into fine pieces for the ganache.
- Heat 1 cup heavy cream until it just begins to simmer. Pour over chocolate and let sit for 1 minute.
- Stir chocolate and cream until smooth and glossy. Allow ganache to cool slightly and thicken.
- Cover the entire cake with ganache, using a fork or spatula to create bark-like textures.
- Dust cake with powdered sugar. Decorate with fresh berries or holiday-themed garnishes.
Notes
- Always sift dry ingredients together to prevent lumps and ensure a smooth, even cake texture.
- Roll the warm cake in a powdered sugar-dusted towel immediately after baking to help prevent cracking when filling later.
- For the smoothest ganache, use room temperature chocolate and cream, stirring gently to create a glossy finish without breaking the emulsion.
- Decorating with a fork or spatula creates realistic bark texture, making your Yule log look beautifully rustic and authentic.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Cakes
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 293 kcal
- Sugar: 22 g
- Sodium: 68 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 24 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 105 mg