Christmas Chocolate Yule Log Cake
- Cook Time: 60 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
- 6 large eggs, room temperature
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream (for filling)
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar (for filling)
- 8 oz semi-sweet chocolate, chopped (for frosting)
- 1 cup heavy cream (for frosting)
- Extra powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 10×15 inch jelly roll pan and line it with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides. Grease the parchment paper as well to ensure the cake releases easily after baking.
- In a large bowl, beat the eggs and granulated sugar with an electric mixer on high speed for about 5 minutes. The mixture should become pale, thick, and triple in volume. Stir in the vanilla extract.
- Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt into a separate bowl. Gently fold the dry ingredients into the egg mixture using a spatula. Be very careful not to deflate the air you whipped into the eggs; fold until just combined.
- Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the top of the cake springs back when lightly touched. Do not overbake, as a dry cake will crack more easily when rolled.
- While the cake is hot, dust a clean kitchen towel with cocoa powder. Invert the cake onto the towel and carefully peel off the parchment paper. Starting from the short end, roll the cake and the towel together. Let it cool completely in this rolled position.
- In a chilled bowl, whip 1 1/2 cups of heavy cream with 1/4 cup of powdered sugar until stiff peaks form. Once the cake is completely cool, gently unroll it. Spread the whipped cream evenly over the surface, leaving a small border at the edges.
- Roll the cake back up tightly without the towel this time. Wrap the log in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to help it set and hold its shape.
- Place the chopped chocolate in a bowl. Heat 1 cup of heavy cream until it just begins to simmer, then pour it over the chocolate. Let it sit for 5 minutes, then whisk until smooth. Let the ganache cool until it reaches a spreadable, frosting-like consistency.
- Cut a small diagonal slice off one end of the log and attach it to the side using a bit of ganache to look like a branch. Spread the remaining ganache over the log. Use a fork to drag lines through the frosting to create a bark texture. Dust with powdered sugar “snow” before serving.