Festive Yule Log Cake Recipes

Steps:

• Whip powdered sugar, butter, cocoa powder, salt, and coffee liqueur together in the bowl of a stand mixer on high speed. Transfer buttercream into a separate bowl and add mascarpone cheese. Mix until combined; set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Brush a little melted butter over a 13x18-inch rimmed sheet pan. Line pan with parchment paper and brush remaining melted butter on top.
• Combine cocoa powder, salt, and flour together in a bowl; whisk or sift to break up clumps.
• Place eggs in the clean bowl of your stand mixer. Add sugar and whip until fluffy, thick, and very light in color. Add 1/2 of the cocoa powder mixture and vanilla extract; mix on low speed for a few seconds. Beat in remaining cocoa mixture on low for a few seconds. Switch to high speed; stop once mixture is moistened but not fully blended. Pull off the whisk attachment and whisk batter with it until evenly blended.
• Pour batter onto the prepared sheet pan and spread out with a spatula, leaving some room around the edges. Tap pan on the counter to knock out the large bubbles.
• Bake in the preheated oven until top is dry and edges start to pull away from the sides, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Dust a clean kitchen towel with enough powdered sugar to cover an area slightly larger than the sponge cake. Remove cake from the oven. Run a knife around the edges of the pan. Sprinkle some powdered sugar over the top. Run a spatula under the parchment paper to make sure it's not stuck to the pan.
• Quickly flip pan on top of the sugared area to invert the cake. Remove parchment paper and dust cake with more powdered sugar. Gently roll cake up inside the towel; allow to cool for 15 minutes.
• Unroll cake and dollop buttercream on top, reserving some for later. Spread frosting to the edges. Roll cake up over the frosting, using the towel to lift it if needed. Sprinkle more powdered sugar on top. Wrap log in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours.
• Combine chocolate chips and hot cream in a bowl. Let sit for 1 minute. Whisk until chocolate melts.
• Make an angled cut 3 inches from one end of the log. Place log on a parchment-lined sheet pan. Apply some buttercream to the angled slice and attach it to one side. Spread a layer of ganache all over the cake, except for the swirls. Refrigerate for 15 minutes to firm up ganache.
• Carve lines into the ganache using the tip of a knife to create the appearance of tree bark. Refrigerate until completely chilled before serving. Dust with cocoa powder and powdered sugar.

Steps:

• 1. PREHEAT oven to 375° F. Grease 15 1/2 x 10 1/2 x 1-inch jelly-roll pan; line with parchment or wax paper. Grease and flour wax paper. Sprinkle thin, cotton kitchen towel with powdered sugar.
• 2. BEAT egg whites in small mixer bowl until foamy. Add cream of tartar and beat until soft peaks form. Gradually beat 1/3 cup granulated sugar until stiff, shiny peaks form. Set aside.
• 3. BEAT egg yolks and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl for about 5 minutes or until thick and pale. Gradually beat in remaining 1/3 cup granulated sugar. Fold in flour and baking cocoa.
• 4. FOLD about one-third of the whipped egg whites into the chocolate mixture to lighten, then turn the chocolate mixture into the whites and fold it in gently but thoroughly. Spread evenly into prepared pan.
• 5. BAKE for 12 minutes or until cake springs back when touched. Immediately turn cake onto prepared towel. Carefully peel off paper. Roll up cake and towel together, starting with narrow end. Cool completely, seam-side-down, on wire rack.P.S. this is a great technique for almost any rolled cake
• 6. FOR CHOCOLATE CREAM: BEAT whipping cream, granulated sugar, baking cocoa and liqueur in large mixer bowl until firm. If desired, fold in ground nuts. Carefully unroll cake. Spread cream mixture evenly over cake, reserving 2 tablespoons. Re-roll cake carefully.
• 7. CUT a 1-inch-thick diagonal slice from one end of the cake roll. Place cake roll on serving platter, seam-side-down. Use the reserved cream mixture to attach the cut piece against the side of the cake roll to resemble a knot. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until serving time.
• 8. AT SERVING TIME, dust the cake with 1/4 cup powdered sugar to resemble snow.
• 9. TIP: The filled cake can be kept in the refrigerator overnight or wrapped airtight and frozen for 2 weeks. Keep wrapped and thaw in the refrigerator

Steps:

• Place egg whites in large bowl; let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Line a greased 15x10x1-in. baking pan with waxed paper; grease the paper and set aside. , Preheat oven to 375°. In a large bowl, beat egg yolks on high speed for 5 minutes or until thick and lemon-colored. Gradually beat in 1/3 cup sugar. Sift flour, baking cocoa, baking powder and salt together twice; gradually add to yolk mixture and mix well (batter will be very thick). , With clean beaters, beat egg whites on medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in remaining sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, on high until stiff peaks form. Gradually fold into batter. Spread evenly into prepared pan. , Bake until cake springs back when lightly touched, 10-12 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes. Turn cake onto a kitchen towel dusted with cocoa powder. Gently peel off waxed paper. Roll up cake in towel, jelly-roll style, starting with a short side; cool completely on a wire rack., Meanwhile, for the filling, beat cream in a large bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar and almond extract, beating until stiff peaks form. Unroll cake; spread filling to within 1 in. of edges. Roll up again. , In a large bowl, cream butter and confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in chocolate, milk and vanilla until smooth. Frost the cake, using a metal spatula to create a bark-like effect.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 355 degrees F (180 degrees C). Grease a jelly roll pan. Line it with parchment paper, and grease the paper.
• Beat 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar and egg yolks until light and fluffy. Add 3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoons flour, butter, lukewarm water, and baking powder; beat until well combined.
• Beat egg whites and salt in a glass, metal, or ceramic bowl until stiff. Transfer 1/3 of the whites to the cake batter and gently fold in. Repeat with remaining whites. Spoon batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly.
• Bake in the preheated oven until it springs back when pressed gently in the middle, about 12 minutes. Remove from the oven and let sit in the pan for 3 minutes, before carefully turning the cake out onto a large piece of parchment paper. Roll the parchment and cake from one short end to the other and let cool.
• While the cake is cooling, place chocolate for buttercream in the top of a double boiler over simmering water. Stir frequently, scraping down the sides with a rubber spatula to avoid scorching, until chocolate is melted, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.
• Beat softened butter in a bowl until light and creamy. Add powdered sugar in small increments, beating between each addition. Add melted chocolate and beat until well combined.
• Carefully unroll the cooled sponge cake. Spread a thin layer of buttercream across the top to the edges. Firmly roll back up, using parchment to help you, into a tight roll.
• At one end of the roll, cut off a diagonal slice to represent a branch, about 2 inches in length at the longest side. Frost the entire roll with buttercream. Use a palette knife to create uneven ridges to represent tree bark. Position the branch somewhere near the center of the log and cover with buttercream.
• Drag the tines of a fork lengthwise across the buttercream to create an extra bark effect. Dust the entire log with cocoa powder.

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Butter and line a 23 x 32cm Swiss roll tin with baking parchment. Beat the eggs and golden caster sugar together with an electric whisk for about 8 mins until thick and creamy.
• Mix the flour, cocoa powder and baking powder together, then sift onto the egg mixture. Fold in very carefully, then pour into the tin. Tip the tin from side to side to spread the mixture into the corners. Bake for 10 mins.
• Lay a sheet of baking parchment on a work surface. When the cake is ready, tip it onto the parchment, peel off the lining paper, then roll the cake up from its longest edge with the paper inside. Leave to cool.
• To make the icing, melt the butter and dark chocolate together in a bowl over a pan of hot water. Take from the heat and stir in the golden syrup and 5 tbsp double cream. Beat in the icing sugar until smooth.
• Whisk the remaining double cream until it holds its shape. Unravel the cake, spread the cream over the top, scatter over the crushed extra strong mints, if using, then carefully roll up again into a log.
• Cut a thick diagonal slice from one end of the log. Lift the log on to a plate, then arrange the slice on the side with the diagonal cut against the cake to make a branch. Spread the icing over the log and branch (don't cover the ends), then use a fork to mark the icing to give the effect of tree bark. Scatter with unsifted icing sugar to resemble snow, and decorate with holly.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F.
• Line greased 15x10x1-inch pan with parchment or waxed paper. Grease and flour paper; set aside. Beat first 4 ingredients in large bowl with mixer until well blended. Spread 3 cups batter into pan; tap pan gently on counter to remove any air bubbles. Pour remaining batter into 4 to 6 paper-lined muffin cups. Bake cake and cupcakes 15 min. or until toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean.
• Meanwhile, place large sheet of parchment paper on top of clean kitchen towel; sprinkle evenly with 3 Tbsp. powdered sugar. Invert cake onto towel; remove pan and top sheet of parchment paper. Starting at 1 of the short ends, roll up cake with parchment paper and towel. Cool on wire rack 30 min. Remove cupcakes from pan to wire rack; cool completely. Set cupcakes aside for another use.
• Grate enough chocolate to measure 1 Tbsp. grated chocolate; set aside. Microwave remaining chocolate in small microwaveable bowl on HIGH 1 min. or until partially melted. Stir until completely melted. Beat 1/2 cup powdered sugar and cream cheese spread in small bowl with mixer until well blended. Stir in melted chocolate.
• Unroll cake; remove paper and towel. Spread cake with cream cheese mixture; roll up. Refrigerate 30 min.; place on serving plate. Stir instant coffee granules into COOL WHIP; spread over log. Refrigerate at least 2 hours. Cut into 20 (1/2-inch-thick) slices to serve. Sprinkle with reserved grated chocolate.

Steps:

• Pipe small amount of semi-sweet chocolate into spiral design on wafers; refrigerate until ready to use. Beat cream cheese and butter in large bowl with mixer until well blended. Add remaining melted chocolate; mix well. Gradually beat in sugar until light and fluffy.
• Beat pudding mix and milk in medium bowl with whisk 2 min. Stir in COOL WHIP. Spread 1 rounded Tbsp. pudding mixture onto 1 graham square; cover with second graham square. Spread top with 1 rounded Tbsp. pudding mixture. Repeat with remaining graham squares and pudding mixture to form 12-inch loaf. Stand on edge on platter; frost with cream cheese mixture to resemble log.
• Run tines of fork over dessert to resemble tree bark. Refrigerate overnight. Meanwhile, make curls from white chocolate (see Tip); refrigerate until ready to use. Decorate with wafers, chocolate curls and raspberries. Cut into diagonal slices to serve.