Christmas Yule Log
A festive, rich chocolate yule log with fluffy sponge, creamy filling, and cocoa flavor, perfect for holiday celebrations and impressing guests with its elegant presentation.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Beat the egg whites with salt until they stand in soft peaks.
- Add 4 tablespoons of sugar, one tablespoon at a time, and continue beating until meringue is very stiff.
- In a separate bowl, beat the egg yolks with the remaining sugar and vanilla.
- Sift together the flour and cocoa.
- Gently fold about 1/4 of the meringue into the egg yolk mixture.
- Pour the egg yolk mixture back into the remaining meringue.
- Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of the flour-cocoa mixture and fold together.
- Repeat until all the flour is blended, being careful not to overmix.
- Pour the batter into a buttered 10 x 15-inch jelly roll pan lined with buttered wax paper.
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes at 400°F until the cake springs back when touched.
- Sprinkle a tea towel with confectioners' sugar.
- As soon as baked, invert the cake onto the towel so the wax paper is on top.
- Do not remove the wax paper.
- Roll the cake tightly in the towel to a 16-inch long cylinder and cool.
- Carefully unroll and peel off the wax paper.
- Trim off the crusty edges and spread the cake thinly with buttercream, then thickly with whipped cream.
- Re-roll the cake and refrigerate for half an hour before serving.
Tips & Substitutions
To ensure your Yule Log is fluffy and light, make sure the egg whites are at room temperature before beating them. If you don't have dark cocoa, you can substitute with regular cocoa powder, but the flavor will be milder. For a festive twist, add a dash of peppermint extract to the whipped cream filling or top it with crushed candy canes.
Serving Suggestions
Slice the Yule Log into rounds and serve it on a festive platter. It pairs beautifully with a cup of coffee or hot chocolate. For an extra touch, garnish with fresh berries or a dusting of confectioners' sugar. Consider serving with a side of Soldier Boy Cookies for a delightful dessert spread during your holiday gatherings.
Storage & Reheating
Store any leftover Yule Log in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To keep the cake moist, consider wrapping it in plastic wrap before placing it in the container. If you want to serve it warm, gently reheat in the microwave for about 10 seconds, but be careful not to dry it out.
Nutrition & Diet Analysis (per serving)
Each serving of Christmas Yule Log contains roughly 135 calories, with 3g protein, 26g carbohydrates, and 3g fat. It is a good source of dietary fiber (15% of the Daily Value) and vitamin C (15% of the Daily Value). Note that it is relatively high in sodium, at 919mg per serving (40% of the Daily Value).
Estimated from ingredients & per-serving nutrition — verify against package labels for allergies or strict diets.
* % Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet (FDA 2020).
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I prevent the cake from cracking when rolling?
To minimize cracking, ensure that the cake is still warm when you roll it in the towel. Additionally, rolling it gently and not too tightly can help. If cracks do appear, you can always cover them with frosting or whipped cream when serving.
Nutrition is estimated from USDA FoodData Central ingredient data and may vary with brand, portion and preparation — see our methodology. This information is for general educational purposes only and is not medical or dietary advice (disclaimer).