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Bûche de Noël with Buttercream Frosting

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  • Prep 40 min
  • Total 1 hr 25 min
  • Servings 10
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A yule log may make you think of a cozy crackling fire (as seen on TV for a lot of us), but it’s also a classic holiday cake. Our show-stopping Bûche de Noël recipe, also known as yule log cake, is a must-make for the holiday season. A delicious sheet cake spread with fluffy, coffee-tinted filling for the tree rings, and covered in rich, chocolate buttercream frosting for the bark, this traditional Bûche de Noël cake is as delicious as it is photo-worthy. For extra decorating points, use a fork to give your bark some texture or even add a meringue mushroom. Whatever you can come up with, let your imagination guide you and get your whole family in on the fun. Decorating this eye-catching cake could be your new favorite Christmas tradition.
Updated Nov 26, 2020
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Ingredients

Cake

  • 3 eggs
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/3 cup water
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 3/4 cup Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Filling

  • 1 cup whipping cream
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons instant coffee granules or crystals

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

  • 1/3 cup unsweetened baking cocoa
  • 1/3 cup butter or margarine, softened
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons hot water

Garnish

  • 1/2 cup chopped green pistachio nuts
Make With
Gold Medal Flour

Steps

  • 1
    Heat oven to 375°F. Line 15x10x1-inch pan with foil or cooking parchment paper; grease with shortening or spray with cooking spray. In small bowl, beat eggs with electric mixer on high speed about 5 minutes or until very thick and lemon colored. Pour eggs into large bowl; gradually beat in 1 cup granulated sugar. Beat in 1/3 cup water and the vanilla on low speed. Gradually add flour, baking powder and salt, beating just until batter is smooth. Pour into pan, spreading batter to corners.
  • 2
    Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Immediately loosen cake from edges of pan; invert onto towel generously sprinkled with powdered sugar. Carefully remove foil. Trim off stiff edges of cake if necessary. While hot, carefully roll cake and towel from narrow end. Cool on cooling rack at least 30 minutes.
  • 3
    In chilled medium bowl, beat all filling ingredients on high speed until stiff. Unroll cake; remove towel. Spread filling over cake. Roll up cake.
  • 4
    In medium bowl, beat cocoa and butter on low speed until thoroughly mixed. Beat in powdered sugar until mixed. Beat in vanilla and enough of the hot water until frosting is smooth and spreadable.
  • 5
    For tree stump, cut off a 2-inch diagonal slice from one end of cake. Attach stump to one long side using 1 tablespoon frosting. Frost cake with remaining frosting. With tines of fork, make strokes in frosting to look like tree bark. Garnish with nuts.

Tips from the Betty Crocker Kitchens

  • tip 1
    The chopped pistachio nuts give your cake “log” a natural moss-covered appearance. Other edible natural-looking adornments include chocolate leaves, meringue mushrooms, mint gumdrop leaves and red cinnamon candies.
  • tip 2
    Rise to the occasion! If using self-rising flour, there is no need to add baking powder and salt.
  • tip 3
    Lightly dust your Bûche de Noël with powdered sugar for a “fresh snow” look. For the perfect, light snow shower, use a mesh strainer and hold high over the cake.
  • tip 4
    This cake is shaped to look like its namesake, the Yule log. A Yule log, also known as a Christmas block, is a log that is burned on a hearth during the Christmas season. The traditional burning of this log began in Germany but has gained popularity in many other regions over time.

Nutrition

420 Calories, 18g Total Fat, 5g Protein, 58g Total Carbohydrate, 47g Sugars

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 1 Serving
Calories
420
Calories from Fat
170
Total Fat
18g
28%
Saturated Fat
10g
48%
Trans Fat
1/2g
Cholesterol
105mg
35%
Sodium
180mg
7%
Potassium
170mg
5%
Total Carbohydrate
58g
19%
Dietary Fiber
2g
7%
Sugars
47g
Protein
5g
% Daily Value*:
Vitamin A
10%
10%
Vitamin C
0%
0%
Calcium
6%
6%
Iron
8%
8%
Exchanges:
1 Starch; 0 Fruit; 3 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Skim Milk; 0 Low-Fat Milk; 0 Milk; 0 Vegetable; 0 Very Lean Meat; 0 Lean Meat; 0 High-Fat Meat; 3 1/2 Fat;
Carbohydrate Choice
4
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
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