Vegan Yule Log Recipe (Bûche de Noël or Chocolate Roll Cake) (2024)

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By Alisa Fleming on Dairy Free Desserts, Dairy-Free Recipes

A traditional French Yule Log, or Bûche de Noël, is rich with dairy and eggs. But this vegan yule log is dairy-free and egg-free, and it can even be made nut-free and soy-free! It’s a delicious sample recipe from the cookbook Vegan Holiday Cooking by Kirsten Kaminski.

Vegan Yule Log Recipe (Bûche de Noël or Chocolate Roll Cake) (1)

This Vegan Yule Log Cake will Make Christmas Complete

This decadent chocolate roll cake is the ultimate festive dessert. You can actually serve it for just about any occasion. But spreading the chocolate ganache in rustic lines, like tree bark, is what makes this a classic
Bûche de Noël, or Christmas Log.

Vegan Yule Log Recipe (Bûche de Noël or Chocolate Roll Cake) (2)Vegan Holiday Cooking is all about Christmas, Thanksgiving, and Easter. It’s filled with mains, sides, and sweets to make the perfect feast. The recipes have an air of tradition, but boast some of Kirsten’s special twists.

The vegan Yule Log recipe below is just one of the enticing dishes that you will find in Vegan Holiday Cooking, but I think it’s an excellent example. Kirsten doesn’t shy away from indulgence, especially around the holidays. Nevertheless, she interjects healthier ingredients when they work. You might have noticed that the cake and cream filling use unrefined sweeteners, but she recognizes that powdered sugar is best for the chocolate ganache.

Substitution Tips

For those of you with additional diet concerns, I have a few suggestions for Kirsten’s vegan yule log recipe.

  • Starch Options: If you aren’t a fan of cornstarch or need corn-free, then you can substitute another starch, like arrowroot or tapioca starch.
  • Milk Beverage Options: Kirsten uses almond or soymilk, but you can substitute your favorite dairy-free milk beverage. Most will work without notable changes to the finished cake.
  • Vinegar Option: Kirsten uses just a little bit of vinegar to help in the cake texture and rise. If you don’t keep apple cider vinegar on hand, you don’t need to run out and buy it for such a small amount. You can substitute plain white vinegar.
  • Sweetener Options: If you don’t have coconut sugar on hand, you can substitute another granulated sweetener. If you need lower sugar, there are sugar-free powdered sugar substitutes like Swerve Confectioners’.

Editor’s Notes (Modifications and Tips)

Some of you had difficulty with the cake (or found it lacking in flavor) and filling, so we tested this recipe in our Go Dairy Free kitchen. Rather than directly modifying Kirsten’s original recipe, which some of you like, we’re adding our preferred modifications here for adding more flavor to the cake and ensuring your cream filling works.

Chocolate Cake – For a more flavorful chocolate cake, we used 1/2 cup white sugar in place of the coconut sugar, increased the cocoa powder to 3 tablespoons, increased the salt to 1/4 teaspoon, and added 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract with the wet ingredients. This made a lightly sweet cake with a slightly deeper chocolaty flavor. We did find the baking time to be accurate. The cake does have a slight gummy texture, to keep it more pliable and cohesive for making the roll cake. When fully assembled, it works well. Make sure to follow the directions on removing it from the pan after just 2 minutes, but unroll it while still a little warm. If it is completely cold, it will be more brittle.

Cream Filling – See our Dairy-Free Whipped Cream Recipe for foolproof tips, which will help to make the cream filling in this recipe correctly.

“Just” Dairy-Free Option – If you do eat eggs, and don’t need a vegan yule log cake specifically, try my Dairy-Free Yule Log Cake Recipe. It’s also made without nuts and soy, and is naturally gluten-free.

Vegan Yule Log Recipe (Bûche de Noël or Chocolate Roll Cake) (3)

Special Diet Notes: Vegan Yule Log / Bûche de Noël

By ingredients this recipe is dairy-free / non-dairy, egg-free, optionally nut-free, peanut-free, optionally soy-free, vegan, and vegetarian.

For a gluten-free, dairy-free buche de noel, try my flourless Dairy-Free Yule Log Recipe.

3.5 from 2 reviews

Vegan Yule Log (Bûche de Noël)

Vegan Yule Log Recipe (Bûche de Noël or Chocolate Roll Cake) (4)

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Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without a proper Yule log. This recipe creates a perfectly decadent, spongy vegan Yule log filled with a silky smooth cream and coated in a scrumptious chocolate ganache. Are you drooling yet? (Please note that the Prep time is estimated hands-on time. Allow about 1 hour for refrigeration times. Also, please see Editor's Notes in the post above for our suggested modifications and tips for this recipe.)

Author: Kirsten Kaminski

Recipe type: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Serves: 10 servings

Ingredients

Chocolate Sponge Cake (see Editor's Notes in the Post Above)

  • 1 1⁄2 cups (180 g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon (8 g) cornstarch
  • 1⁄4 cup (48 g) coconut sugar
  • 2 tablespoon (14 g) cocoa powder
  • 1⁄2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1⁄2 teaspoon baking soda
  • Pinch salt
  • 1 cup + 2 tablespoons (270 ml) almond or soy milk beverage
  • 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons (30 ml) melted coconut oil
  • 2 tablespoons (30 g) unsweetened applesauce

Cream Filling (see Editor's Notes in the Post Above)

  • 1 (14-oz [420-ml]) can full-fat coconut cream, refrigerated overnight
  • 1 tablespoon (15 ml) maple syrup
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Chocolate Ganache

  • ⅓ cup (75 g) dairy-free buttery spread or sticks
  • 1⁄2 cup (56 g) cocoa powder
  • 1 cup (130 g) powdered sugar, plus more as needed
  • 1 tablespoon (15 ml) almond or soy milk beverage

Instructions

  1. To make the chocolate sponge cake, preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a rimmed 9 1⁄2 x 12 1⁄2–inch (24 x 31.75–cm) baking sheet with parchment paper, making sure the edges are completely covered. (Note that it’s important to use a baking sheet that’s close to these dimensions, or the cake will be too thick or thin to roll.)
  2. In large bowl, combine the flour, cornstarch, coconut sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a medium bowl, combine the milk beverage, vinegar, oil and applesauce. Pour the milk mixture into the flour mixture and stir until just combined. The batter should be thick and pourable.
  3. Transfer the batter to the prepared baking sheet and spread it into an even layer about a 1⁄2 inch (13 mm) thick. Bake the cake for 10 to 14 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool for 2 minutes.
  4. Gently roll the cake from short end to short end, rolling the parchment paper up inside the cake and using it as a guide. Be very careful during this step so as not to break the cake—try to handle it as little as possible. Let the rolled cake cool to room temperature (otherwise the filling will melt).
  5. While the cake is cooling, make the cream filling. Scoop only the solid portion of the chilled coconut cream into a medium bowl, then add the maple syrup and vanilla. Whip the cream filling using a hand mixer until it is light and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes (editor note: coconut cream does not get voluminous like heavy cream. What you see to start is what you will get, so make sure the coconut cream you have is very thick, dense, and spoonable). Place the cream filling in the fridge for 30 minutes.
  6. To make the chocolate ganache, combine the butter, cocoa powder, powdered sugar and milk beverage in a medium bowl. Whip the ganache using a hand mixer until it is smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Place the ganache in the fridge for 30 minutes.
  7. Once the cake has cooled to room temperature, carefully unroll it and top it with all of the cream filling. Spread the filling evenly over the cake, leaving a 1⁄2-inch (13-mm) border along the edges. Begin rolling the cake back up the same way it was unrolled, from short end to short end, removing the parchment paper as you go. Continue rolling, using the parchment paper as a guide, until the cake is seam-side down. Wipe away any excess filling that may have spilled over.
  8. Gently wrap the cake in parchment paper and carefully transfer it to a cutting board. Place the cutting board in the refrigerator until the cake is completely chilled and firm enough to handle easily, 30 to 60 minutes. Carefully unroll it from the parchment wrap and place it on a serving platter.
  9. Spread the chocolate ganache on top of the cake and use a frosting knife to shape the cake like a wooden log. Leave the vegan Yule log as is or dust it with a bit of powdered sugar. Use a clean knife to carefully slice the log into pieces. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.

Notes

This recipe is reprinted with permission from Vegan Holiday Cooking by Kirsten Kaminski, Page Street Publishing Co. 2019. Photo credit: Kirsten Kaminski.

Vegan Yule Log Recipe (Bûche de Noël or Chocolate Roll Cake) (2024)

FAQs

What's the difference between a Yule log and a chocolate roulade? ›

In other houses, it went by the name of yule log, or chocolate sponge roll. If you were being really posh, you might also call it chocolate roulade. Actually a chocolate roulade is not technically the same thing as a sponge roll. It is not a sponge mixture, but instead is a whipped egg and cocoa mixture, with no flour.

What is the difference between a Yule log and a Swiss roll? ›

While both desserts feature a thin layer of cake and fluffy filling rolled into a log, the difference between a yule log and a Swiss roll is how the two are decorated. Swiss rolls are typically kept plain while yule logs are cut, frosted, and adorned to look like, well, logs!

What is the Yule Log cake made of? ›

Yule log (cake)
A traditional Yule log (bûche de Noël) made with chocolate filled with raspberry jam
Alternative namesBûche de Noël
Serving temperatureCold
Main ingredientsGenoise or other sponge cake, chocolate buttercream, or other icing
Media: Yule log
2 more rows

What is Buche de Noel made of? ›

Bûche de Noël is the French name for a Christmas cake shaped like a log. This one is a heavenly flourless chocolate cake rolled with chocolate whipped cream and decorated with confectioners' sugar to resemble snow on a yule log. It doesn't just look beautiful — it tastes wonderful, too!

What is in a traditional yule log? ›

Traditional Yule Log Recipe

Made from a heavenly mix of light chocolate sponge, filled with chocolate cream and covered with a thick coating of chocolate buttercream icing, especially scrolled to resemble the patterns of tree bark, then often dusted with icing sugar for a snowy effect.

Why do the French eat yule log at Christmas? ›

As a dessert, the bûche de Noël has a relatively short history, but its namesake dates back much further. The original yule log was just that — a large, heavy piece of wood that was burned during the festive season. It was lit on Christmas Eve and rekindled each day until Twelfth Night was reached.

What is the Nordic Yule log tradition? ›

It is thought that the original Yule log was a large log that burned throughout the entire multiday festival, for as many as 12 days. A popular modern take on the Yule log is a roulade-style cake decorated to look like a log. Another remaining tradition is that of the Yule goat.

What nationality is a Yule log? ›

The Dessert

Similar to a Swiss roll, the Yule log cake is made of a soft sponge cake and is believed to have originated in France around the 19th century and was known as Bûche de Noël.

What is so special about Ashes of a Yule log? ›

The ashes were saved and used to fertilize their crops in the spring (this is still a great idea, as long as there is only wood ash in your fire), and if there was any Yule log leftover, then it could be saved for good luck in the next year.

How to make a real Yule log? ›

To make a basic Yule log, you will need the following:
  1. A log about 14 – 18” long.
  2. Pine cones.
  3. Dried berries, such as cranberries.
  4. Cuttings of mistletoe, holly, pine needles, and ivy.
  5. Feathers and cinnamon sticks.
  6. Some festive ribbon – use paper or cloth ribbon, not the synthetic or wire-lined type.
  7. A hot glue gun.
Oct 14, 2019

What is the pagan Yule log cake? ›

Yule log cake, or bûche de Noël, is a Christmas cake with a ritualistic past. Cleverly shaped and decorated to look like a 3-D log, the cake represents a melding of ancient midwinter traditions: one that celebrated the end of winter, and another honoring the Norse god Thor.

How do you keep a Yule log cake from cracking? ›

Rolling the cake (without cracking!)

But alas, that's what I had to do: The secret to making a roll cake that doesn't crack is to roll it up, unfilled, while it's still warm from the oven and at its most pliable. Then let it cool, unroll and fill, and roll right back up.

What is the difference between a Swiss roll and a buche de Noel? ›

Is this the same as a swiss roll? The main difference between the two cakes is the way the cakes are decorated. The Yule log cake, or buche de noel, is made to look like the logs burned on Christmas eve, whereas the exterior of a swiss roll is decorated much more simply, such as with whipped cream and fresh fruit.

Why is it called a roulade? ›

A roulade (/ruːˈlɑːd/) is a dish of filled rolled meat or pastry. Roulade can be savory or sweet. Swiss roll is an example of a sweet roulade. Traditionally found in various European cuisines, the term roulade originates from the French word rouler, meaning "to roll".

Is a roulade the same as a Swiss roll? ›

A roulade and swiss roll look very similar - but a swiss roll is simply a type of roulade and not all roulades are swiss rolls. A swiss roll is always made up of cake being rolled with a filing, whereas a roulade can be rolled using other pastries or can even be savoury with a meat filling.

What is chocolate roulade made of? ›

Ingredients
175g (6oz)plain chocolate, broken into pieces
175g (6oz)caster sugar
6eggs, separated
2 tbspcocoa powder, sifted
300 ml (10fl oz)double cream
1 more row

What are the different names for the yule log? ›

The Yule log had other names, including the Christmas log, clog log, block log, Gule block or stock of the mock. Different types of wood were preferred in different countries. The British selected oak as their Yule log, while the Scottish liked birch.

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