Chocolate Yule Log
A light chocolate sponge rolled round whipped cream and covered in glossy chocolate bark: the Christmas cake for people who do not like fruit cake.
AI assistance: the introduction, ingredient list, method, tips and FAQ on this page were drafted with an AI writing tool, working from long-established traditional methods. Named editor who reviewed it: owner to supply How we work
- Prep
- 40 min
- Cook
- 10 min
- Total
- 1 hr 30 min
- Makes
- 10 servings
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Course
- Cake
- Cuisine
- British
Not everyone loves rich fruit cake, which is why a chocolate yule log has become a Christmas favourite across Britain. It is a Swiss roll in disguise: a whisked chocolate sponge, rolled while warm so it does not crack, filled with cream and covered in ganache.
Ingredients
Cups use the King Arthur Baking ingredient weight chart. Weighing is more accurate.
Sponge
- 4 eggs
- 100 g caster sugar (US: superfine sugar), plus extra for rolling
- 65 g self-raising flour (US: self-rising flour)
- 3 tbsp cocoa powder
Filling and topping
- 150 ml double cream (US: heavy cream), for the filling
- 200 g dark chocolate, chopped
- 200 ml double cream (US: heavy cream), for the ganache
- icing sugar, to dust (US: powdered sugar)
Equipment
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- Large mixing bowlHow to chooseShop on Amazon(affiliate link, opens in a new tab)
- Electric hand or stand mixerHow to chooseShop on Amazon(affiliate link, opens in a new tab)
- Baking trayHow to chooseShop on Amazon(affiliate link, opens in a new tab)
Method
- 1
Heat the oven to 200°C / 180°C fan / gas 6 / 400°F. Line a 33 × 23 cm Swiss roll tin with baking paper.
- 2
Whisk the eggs and sugar with an electric mixer for 5–8 minutes until pale, thick and leaving a trail. Sift over the flour and cocoa and fold in gently.
- 3
Spread into the tin and bake for 8–10 minutes, until springy. Turn out onto baking paper dusted with caster sugar, peel off the lining paper and roll up from a short side with the paper inside. Leave to cool rolled.
- 4
For the ganache, heat 200 ml cream until just steaming, pour over the chocolate and stir until glossy. Leave to thicken.
- 5
Whip the remaining cream, unroll the sponge, spread with cream and roll it up again. Cover with the ganache, mark it like bark with a fork, and dust with icing sugar "snow".
Tips
Cut a slice from one end and stick it on the side as a branch. An electric hand mixer makes the whisking easy.
If it goes wrong
| Problem | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Sponge cracks when rolled | Rolled when cold, or overbaked | Roll while still warm and take it out as soon as it springs back |
| Ganache too runny | Not cooled enough | Leave it to thicken at room temperature before spreading |
Frequently asked questions
Why did my yule log crack?
Usually the sponge was overbaked or rolled after it had cooled. Roll it up in sugared paper while it is still warm.
Can I make a yule log ahead?
Yes. It keeps for 2 days in the fridge, or freeze it undecorated for up to a month.
Can I use buttercream instead of ganache?
Yes. Chocolate buttercream is easier to make bark-like and holds its texture well.
Guides for this recipe
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Card photos: A kitchen blowtorch with a blue flame, Hustvedt via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0, cropped; Small cakes cooling on a wire rack, James Petts from London, England via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0, cropped; Stacked cream-coloured ceramic mixing bowls, RLiverpool2021 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped; An electric hand mixer resting on a kitchen worktop, Santeri Viinamäki via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped; Mince pies baked in a bun tray, Jeremy Keith via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0, cropped; Brussels sprouts and bacon being fried in a cast-iron pan, Wheeler Cowperthwaite via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0, cropped; Roasted pigs in blankets: chipolatas wrapped in bacon, Valereee via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped; An apple crumble in a glass baking dish, Jonathan Harker via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0, cropped. All credits: image credits.