Have yourself a continental Christmas by celebrating with a DELICIOUS spin on the French tradition of Bûche De-Noël — the Yule log Christmas cake! (And we promise it’s better than Aunt Bethany’s fruit cake!) Chef Dietrich Bronner takes you step-by-step through his white chocolate Yule log cake recipe with a video tutorial.
WHAT’S In this post:
- Tradition of the Yule Log
- Chef D’s Buche De Noel Cake Recipe
- Bûche De Noël Yule Log Cake Video Tutorial
- Meringue Mushrooms
- Bûche De-Noel-icious – Yule Log Cake Flavor Profile
- Berry Merry Christmas Festive + Interchangeable Serveware
The French Tradition of the Yule Log
The French tradition of burning a wooden Yule log in celebration of the winter solstice began around the 12th century. The carefully selected, mammoth log brought families together to decorate it with greenery and burn it in the hearth.
Symbolizing warmth, light, and the return of the sun during the darkest time of the year, the Yule log was also believed to bring good luck and protection for the household in the coming year.
In some traditions, a piece of the previous year’s log was saved to help light the new one, symbolizing continuity and renewal.
Buche De Noel – The Yule Log Cake
In the 19th century, this French Christmas custom took on a much more delicious and practical evolution —especially in places without large fireplaces — through the form of an edible dessert aptly dubbed “bûche de Noël.” Shaped like a log and often decorated to resemble bark, the Yule log Christmas cake carries on the spirit of the original tradition in a festive and edible form.
Made from a soft sponge, this cake roulade takes on the form of a wooden log by rolling it, fresh from the oven, in a tea towel generously dusted with powdered sugar.
Once fully cooled, the cake will hold its shape and filling without breaking. The beautiful swirl effect looks just like a tree’s rings.
From Utilitarian to Realistic Recreation to Interpretive, Creative Culinary Masterpieces …
Just as the tradition of the Yule log has evolved over the years so, too, have the artful variations of these dreamy Yule log cake confections.
Blending the best of both these worlds, Dietrich Bronner (Chef D), shares his Flavorful Favorite recipe for a white chocolate Yule Log Cake styled with meringue mushrooms and cranberries.
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Chef D’s Buche De Noel Cake Recipe
A word of warning before you scroll down to read this Flavorful Favorite recipe …
- Looks can be deceiving.
- Don’t judge a recipe by its length!
Though Chef D’s fantastic Bûche De Noël Yule Log cake recipe from Bronner’s 1st Edition of Flavorful Favorites Staff Recipes is, indeed, very LOOONNGG — it isn’t actually all that terribly difficult to make!
It just requires a LOT of dedication! And isn’t that how the best family traditions are made?! This Christmas Yule log cake is a great way to bake memories together to last a lifetime.
NOTE: The meringue mushrooms can be made ahead of time.
Plus, as the English proverb goes — “MANY HANDS MAKE LIGHT THE WORK.”
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Bûche De Noël – Yule Log Cake
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat oven to 350° F.
- Line two 15½" x 10½" jelly roll sheet pans with parchment paper. Grease paper generously.
- In the large bowl of a stand mixer, whisk the egg whites at high speed until soft peaks form.
- Continuing to whisk at high speed, gradually sprinkle in ½ cup of granulated sugar, 2 tbsp. at a time, beating to stiff peaks.
- In a separate, small bowl, whisk egg yolks at high speed with remaining ½ cup of granulated sugar, 2 tsp. vanilla, ½ tsp. almond extract, ½ tsp. rum extract and a pinch of salt until very thick and lemon-colored, about 3-4 minutes.
- Reducing mixer to low, whisk flour into yolk mixture just until combined, being careful not to overmix.
- Fold yolk mixture into the beaten egg whites. Next, divide the batter between the two prepared pans and spread evenly.
- Bake on two oven racks for 10-15 minutes, until golden and the cakes spring back when lightly touched.
- Rotate the pans and racks halfway through baking time to ensure even cooking.
- Meanwhile, lay flat out a large tea towel. Generously dust the towel with ½ cup powdered sugar to ensure the cake does not stick when rolled.
- When the cakes are done, immediately run a spatula around the edges of pans to loosen the cakes; invert onto the prepared tea towel and carefully remove the parchment paper. Repeat with the second cake, overlapping a long side of each slightly.
- Roll the cake in the tea towel. Seam-side down, be sure to cool the cake completely on a wire rack. Meanwhile …
- In a heat-proof bowl, melt the white chocolate chips, being careful not to burn. Beat in the cream cheese and vanilla.
- Gently fold in the Cool Whip®.
- Recipe yields about 2½ cups of frosting.
- Beat the softened butter in the small bowl of a stand mixer, on low speed, until slightly fluffy.
- Next, pour in melted chocolate and continue beating until combined.
- While mixing on low speed, add 2 cups of powdered sugar before adding 3 tbsp. of milk. Mixing the powdered sugar in first acts as an insulator to keep the frosting from seizing when you add the milk.
- Increase mixer speed to high and beat for approximately 2 minutes or until the buttercream is light and fluffy, scraping the bowl often.
- Recipe yields about 12 mushrooms; can be made 1-2 days in advance.
- Preheat the oven to 225° F.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.
- In a small saucepan, heat ½ cup of sugar and ¼ cup of water over low heat until the sugar dissolves.
- Then bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook until liquid reaches 248° F (hard-ball stage) on a candy thermometer.
- Meanwhile, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whip the 2 large egg whites on low speed until soft peaks form.
- Increase speed to high and gradually add the hot syrup in a steady stream, beating constantly. Continue to beat until cool and stiff, about 5 minutes.
- Beat in ½ tsp. vanilla. Then fold in ½ tbsp. of cocoa powder.
- Spoon the meringue into a large pastry bag fitted with a coupler and large plain tip. (Or alternatively into a a Ziplock® baggie with a fine tip cut.)Trick: Place the bag in a large cup with the sides folded down over the edge to help fill the bag.
- Pipe the meringue onto prepared baking sheets.Create 2-inch domes or spirals (these are the mushroom caps) along with separate, thick stem shapes. (One per cap.)
- Lightly dust the meringues with cocoa powder and then bake until dry, about 2 hours. Meringue is completely dry when they remove easily from the parchment paper. (If they are not done, they will stick.)Meringue will remain soft and sticky in the oven but harden up almost instantaneously and come off the pan once out of the oven.
- Cool completely. Store in an airtight container until ready for use.
- Melt 3 oz. of chocolate in a double-boiler. (You can also place a heat-proof bowl over a pot of simmering water). Be careful not to burn.
- Meanwhile, using a toothpick, skewer or small paint brush (reserved for culinary use), carefully poke a small hole in the underside of the meringue cap and brush with chocolate. Score chocolate to create mushroom gills if desired.
- While the chocolate is melted, place the tip of the meringue stem into the center of the bottom side of the mushroom cap. Place finished mushrooms stem side up in an egg carton to harden as they cool.
- Repeat with remaining meringue. Then refrigerate to set.
- Unroll cooled cake on work surface or large cutting board, then spread with white chocolate filling, being careful to leave a ½" border. Alternatively, you can add a thin layer of melted dark chocolate to the cake before spreading the filling for a bit of contrast.
- From the long side, roll the cake bake up (without the tea towel) and place seam-side down.
- With a serrated knife, carefully trim the ends for a clean edge. (You get to taste test these pieces, guilt-free, of course!)Then cut a small diagonal slice from both ends of the cake to be laid on top or beside later.
- Carefully transfer the "log" to a serving platter, keeping the seam-side down.
- With an offset spatula, spread a thin crumb coat of buttercream over the roll cake. Next place the wedge slices atop or against the cake (resembling cut branches), using the crumb coat layer of frosting to hold in place.
- Spread the remaining buttercream frosting over the roll and branches.
- Using a four-tined fork or tooth-edged scraper comb decorating tool, score the frosting to resemble the bark of a tree.
- Finally, decorate the tree with meringue mushrooms and any other adornments before refrigerating the cake for at least 2 hours before serving.
Notes
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Bûche De Noël Yule Log Cake Video Tutorial
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Meringue Mushrooms
I have to be honest – I was pretty skeptical about the aesthetic of the meringue mushrooms when first reviewing the recipe from Bronner’s Flavorful Favorites. However, they turned out to be the most fungi to add when styling the cake!
Having never made meringue before, I was very intimidated by the process. But, surprisingly, they were pretty simple to make!
What’s more, they can be made ahead of time and stored in an airtight container. The texture reminded me of Lucky Charm’s “magically delicious” dehydrated marshmallows — without artificial food coloring. As a result, you may just “wish” to whip up a batch of this more-ish meringue to enjoy all on its own.
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Bûche De-Noël-icious – Yule Log Cake Flavor Profile
Dietrich’s White Chocolate Bûche De Noël yule log cake was as dreamy as a white Christmas!
Not overpowering – light and airy. “Bûche De-Noël-icious” if you’ll pardon the pun! The white chocolate buttercream definitely ups the sweetness factor. If you prefer your cakes to be more true to European confections, you can opt for a naked cake version dusted in cocoa powder or powdered sugar. (You won’t get the same Yule Log Cake effect – but certainly this is a roulade cake worth savoring any time of the year!) What’s more, in place of the white chocolate cake filling, you can enjoy it with fresh whipped cream and berries for a summery version … like a Christmas in July Bûche De-Noël!
While this Flavorful Favorite is an intermediate recipe, it’s not merely for the well-seasoned baker. And with so many steps, it’s a great recipe to make with the family as a new, hands-on Christmas tradition! (Move over gingerbread houses!)
Joyeux Noël + Bon Appétit!
Merry Berry Christmas
“Dish” up Christmas cheer with interchangeable serving ware:
- Appetizer Plate – (1244651)
- Salad Plate – (1244650)
- Rectangular Platter – (1244652)
- Set of 4 Cotton Linen Napkin Set – (1244648)
- Sprig Stemless Glass – (1246002) – available through Bronner’s Customer Service – not pictured
- Red + Green Napkin (1244926) – available through Bronner’s Customer Service
- Wooden Napkin Ring – (1244096)
- Leaves + Berries Sprig Metal Napkin Ring (1244103) – not pictured
- Willow Tree® Gauzy Ombre Nativity Runner – (1258108)
- Dune Woven Green Placemat – (1244098)
- Sparkling Gold Ornament Name Card Holders Set Of 4 – (1246741) – not pictured
- Peppermint Candy Name Card Holder Set Of 6 – (1246743) – not pictured
- Mercantile Tea Light + Taper Holder – (1243620)
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