Chocolate Yule Log (Bûche de Noël)

How to make a delicious chocolate yule log with this delicious and very chocolatey recipe. This Christmas roll cake is very easy to make with only 3 preparations and is the perfect holiday dessert for all chocolate lovers.

Why you'll love this recipe

Are you looking for a delicious, chocolate-flavored Yule log cake for Christmas? Then try this traditional holiday dessert (Bûche de Noël) for chocolate yule log with a delicious milk chocolate ganache and a crunchy chocolate rocher glaze.

This chocolate log cake recipe is very easy to make at home, and you won't need any specific materials to make the yule logs with inserts or other silicon molds.

Made of only 3 preparations, a cocoa powder sponge roll cake layer, an easily whipped milk chocolate frosting, and a Ferrero rocher chocolate glaze.

This is the perfect recipe to celebrate Christmas and to impress all your guests, it is both greedy and light and its delicious chocolate flavor will please everyone, young and old alike.

More Holiday Desserts

Chocolate roll cake composition

Chocolate sponge cake

A very easy recipe to make and perfect for rolled log recipes. The chocolate sponge is very soft and is made with only 4 ingredients and without baking powder, eggs, sugar, flour and unsweetened cocoa powder.

All you need is a hand mixer or a stand mixer to make it and a large baking sheet to bake it, no need for a special roll cake pan.

Milk chocolate ganache

The milk chocolate ganache is very easy to make and if you follow the instructions and my advice you will have a delicious creamy and firm perfect to fill and decorate your yule log cake.

Made of milk chocolate chips and full-fat heavy cream, the mixture needs to rest overnight in the refrigerator and must be whipped up at the last moment.

>> You can replace it with whipped cream like the mascarpone frosting or dark chocolate ganache if you like for an even more chocolatey flavor by following my whipped chocolate ganache.

Chocolate rocher glaze

The chocolate rocher glaze brings a crunchy texture to the log and a delicious flavor. It is a very simple and quick recipe to make, the chocolate is melted with vegetable oil and then crushed hazelnut is added to give this rocher effect.

⚠️ You will find the quantities of the ingredients and the instructions in the recipe card at the end of the page.

How to make a chocolate Christmas roll cake

1 - Whipped Ganache frosting

1. Place the chopped chocolate in a large bowl and pour over the hot heavy cream previously heated in a saucepan.
2. Mix with a spatula until you have a smooth liquid ganache.
3. Add the cold heavy cream and mix again to incorporate it.
4. Using a hand blender, smooth the ganache and cover it with plastic wrap, then let it cool completely in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours or even overnight.
5. When ready to assemble, beat the completely cooled ganache in a stand mixer at medium speed for 1 to 2 minutes until fluffy and firm.

Tip: The frosting can be made 1 to 2 days ahead of time and should be whipped up when rolling the buche de noel.

2 - Chocolate cake roll

1. Separate the whites from the yolks and beat the whites with an electric mixer until stiff, then set aside.
2. In a large bowl, beat egg yolks with sugar and vanilla extract with an electric mixer for 2-3 minutes until smooth and pale.
3. Fold ⅓ of the whites into the yolk mixture and blend in with a rubber spatula.
4. Pour in the flour mixture, flour, cocoa powder and salt and mix with a spatula until the mixture is smooth.
5. Add the remaining egg whites and fold in gently.
6. Pour the cake batter onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a jelly roll pan and smooth with an offset spatula to obtain an even layer.
7. Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F / 180°C for 8 to 10 minutes, then remove the hot cake from the oven and carefully peel it off from the parchment paper.
8. Cover the warm cake with a kitchen towel while preparing the filling.

3 - Roll the cake

1. Cover the entire surface of the cooled cake with the chocolate ganache.
2. Then gently roll it lengthwise to make a yule log shape.
3. Cover the outside of the log with a thin layer of ganache and smooth it with a piece of acetate roller to get a smooth finish.
4. Place the chocolate rolled cake in the freezer for about 1-2 hours before applying the rocher glaze.

Tip: You can place the rolled log in a loaf pan lined with parchment paper so that it keeps its round shape.

>> Add pieces of feuilletine crunch to the inside of the log to add crispness and more flavor.

4 - Rocher Glaze

1. Place the chocolate chips and vegetable oil in a bowl and heat in a double boiler or microwave.
2. When the chocolate is completely melted, add the praline or crushed almonds.
3. Remove the log from the freezer and place it on a rack.
4. Cover the entire log with the melted chocolate rocher glaze and let the glaze harden before moving it to a serving dish.

Tip: You can make the Rocher glaze in advance, it will just need to be reheated when you use it again, it should be around 95°C/ 35°C.

5 - Decorate the log

1. Beat the remaining chocolate frosting with an electric mixer for a few moments and fill a piping bag with a St. Honoré tip.
2. Decorate the top of the chocolate Yule log cake with the chocolate ganache.
3. And decorate with chocolate shavings, meringue mushrooms, sugar pearls, powdered sugar, cranberries and rosemary, and other decorations.
4. Place in the refrigerator for 1 hour before serving.

More yule log cakes

• Hazelnut Buche de Noel

More holiday desserts

• Chocolate Mousse Pie
• Christmas gingerbread cake
• Berry pavlova
• Strawberry mini pavlova
• Christmas sugar cookies with royal icing
• Mini gingerbread house recipe

Did you like this recipe? Don't forget to rate it and leave me a review in the comments! And to not miss any recipes follow @sweetlycakes on Instagram and tag me to share it if you make this recipe 😊!

Print