Impress your guests this holiday season with a bûche de noël, also known as a yule log cake. This chocolate sponge cake has a mascarpone filling and chocolate ganache frosting that is absolutely delicious! The decoration makes this dessert quite festive for Christmas.
¼cup(56 g) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
1teaspoonpure vanilla extract
Whipped Mascarpone Filling
1 ¼cups(300 ml) heavy whipping cream, cold
½cup(60 g) confectioners’ sugar
1teaspoonpure vanilla extract
Pinchof salt
1cup(8 oz or 226 g) mascarpone cheese, softened but still cool
Chocolate Ganache Frosting
¾cup(180 ml) heavy whipping cream
1cup(6 oz or 170 g) finely chopped bittersweet chocolate, (not chocolate chips)
Sugared cranberries
Rosemary sprigs
Instructions
Chocolate Sponge Cake
Preheat oven to 350° F. Line a 17×12 inch rimmed sheet pan with parchment paper. This will work best if the parchment paper goes up the side/rim of the pan.
Whisk dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt together. Set aside.
Whip egg whites: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whisk egg whites and ½ cup sugar on high speed until stiff peaks form, about 4 minutes. Carefully transfer egg whites to a separate bowl and set aside.
Make cake batter: In the same bowl of the stand mixer (no need to clean the bowl), combine the egg yolks, remaining ¼ cup sugar, melted butter and vanilla. Mix until well combined. Add half the egg white mixture to the egg yolk mixture and using a rubber spatula fold in egg whites until combined. Add half the flour mixture and stir just until combined. Repeat again with remaining egg white mixture, then remaining flour mixture. Avoid overmixing and deflating the egg whites.
Bake cake: Transfer cake batter to the prepared pan and bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or until the top of the cake springs back when gently touched and a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Do not over-bake the cake (it will become dry and crack).
Roll the cake: Place the pan on a wire cooling rack. Run a butter knife around the edges of the pan. Place a clean tea towel/kitchen cloth on the counter and dust it with cocoa powder. Invert the cake on top of the towel and remove the pan. Peel back the parchment paper and discard. Starting from the short side, roll the warm cake with the tea towel somewhat tightly. Do this carefully and slowly. Place the rolled up cake seam side down so it doesn’t unroll on the counter. Cool cake completely, about 1 to 2 hours.
Whipped Mascarpone Filling
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat mascarpone on medium-low speed. With the mixer running, slowly pour in heavy cream (mixture will become liquidy). Increase speed to high and beat until soft peaks form (about 3 minutes). Add confectioners’ sugar and vanilla, then mix on low speed until incorporated, then increase speed to high until stiff peaks form. Cover and chill the filling until ready to use.
Chocolate Ganache Frosting
In a large microwave-safe bowl, add the heavy cream. Microwave for 90 seconds or until bubbling. Remove bowl from the microwave and add chopped chocolate. Let the chocolate sit for 10 minutes, then whisk until smooth. If chocolate isn’t fully melted, add the bowl back to the microwave for another 20 seconds. Let the mixture cool completely to room temperature, about 1 hour.
Once the ganache is completely cooled, either whisk it vigorously by hand or use your stand mixer to whisk it until it turns lighter in color. The ganache should be thick enough to spread, about the consistency of icing. Set aside.
Assembly
Clear your work surface and have a serrated knife, serving plate and offset spatula close by. Very carefully and slowly unroll the cooled cake. Use an offset spatula to spread the mascarpone filling on the cake, leaving about ½-inch border around the cake. Slowly reroll the cake (without the tea towel) and place it on a serving plate.
Use a serrated knife to cut about 3 inches of the cake on a slight diagonal. Place the small log against the side of the larger log. If necessary, use some extra mascarpone filling or ganache to help adhere the smaller log.
Spread chocolate ganache over the sides of the log leaving the ends exposed. Use a fork and run it length wise against the ganache to make it look like the bark of a tree. Dust the cake with a little confectioners’ sugar and decorate with sugared cranberries and sprigs of rosemary.
Notes
Pro tip: Use a kitchen scale to weigh your ingredients. Sponge cake requires exact measurements.Roll the cake when it is still warm to prevent cracks. It will cool quickly if left in the pan. Keep the cake rolled up until completely cooled (be patient!) then unroll it slowly.Sugared cranberries: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine 1/4 cup sugar and 1/2 cup water. Stir until sugar is dissolved, about 3 minutes. Add 6 ounces fresh cranberries to pot and stir until cranberries are fully coated. Use a slotted spoon to transfer cranberries to a wire rack to dry for 1 hour. Once dry and sticky, roll cranberries in more sugar. Let dry for another hour.Store cake in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Cover it loosely with plastic wrap to prevent it from drying out or absorbing other odors in the fridge.Freeze cake (frosted or unfrosted) for up to 3 months. Cover tightly in two layers of plastic wrap to prevent freezer burn. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight before bringing to room temperature.