Skip to Content
Menu

Yule Log Cake

  • Save Recipe
New Personalized Recipes Just for You - Take the Quiz Now
  • Prep 35 min
  • Total 2 hr 5 min
  • Servings 12
  • Save
  • Print
  • Pinterest
  • Facebook
  • Email
Ready to Make?
  • Save
  • Shop
  • Share
  • Keep Screen On
A delicious cake made to look like a wooden yule log, this is an old-school holiday dessert that never fails to get some “ooohs” and “ahhhs”—not to mention “mmms!” Also known as Bûche de Noël, our Yule Log Cake is the perfect centerpiece for any holiday table. Made with Betty Crocker™ Super Moist™ Cake Mix and Betty Crocker™ Whipped Frosting, this yule log cake recipe is more than a delicious dessert, it’s a fun activity and may even become your family’s new favorite holiday tradition.
By Betty Crocker Kitchens
Updated Apr 13, 2023

Ingredients

Cake

Rich Chocolate Frosting

  • 1/2 cup whipping cream
  • 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips (6 oz)
  • 1 tablespoon corn syrup
  • 1/4 teaspoon vanilla

Filling

Steps

  • 1
    Heat oven to 375°F (350°F for dark or nonstick pan). Line bottom only of 15x10x1-inch pan with cooking parchment paper; spray with baking spray with flour. Place paper baking cup in each of 8 regular-size muffin cups.
  • 2
    In large bowl, beat eggs with electric mixer on high speed 6 minutes or until thick and lemon colored. Add cake mix, water and oil; beat on low speed 30 seconds, then on medium speed 1 minute, scraping bowl occasionally. Pour 3 1/2 cups batter into pan. Divide remaining batter among muffin cups.
  • 3
    Bake 14 to 16 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched in center and cupcakes test done when toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. If necessary, run knife around edges of pan to loosen cake. Turn cake upside down onto clean kitchen towel sprinkled with 1 tablespoon powdered sugar; carefully remove foil. While hot, carefully roll up cake and towel from narrow end. Cool completely on cooling rack, about 1 hour. Cool cupcakes 10 minutes. Remove from pan; cool completely, about 30 minutes. Save cupcakes for another use.
  • 4
    Meanwhile, in medium microwavable bowl, microwave whipping cream uncovered on High 1 minute to 1 minute 30 seconds or until it just starts to boil. Stir in chocolate chips and corn syrup; let stand 3 minutes. Beat gently with wire whisk until smooth. Beat in vanilla. Refrigerate about 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes, until spreading consistency.
  • 5
    Unroll cake carefully, and remove towel. Spread filling evenly over cake; roll up cake. Place cooling rack on sheet of waxed paper. Place cake roll on cooling rack; frost cake. Using fork, drag tines through frosting to look like log. Let stand 15 minutes. Transfer cake to serving platter. Store loosely covered in refrigerator. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes before serving.

Tips from the Betty Crocker Kitchens

  • tip 1
    The right pan for making a cake roll is a rimmed 15x10x1-inch baking pan—sometimes called a “jelly roll” pan. Double-check the dimensions of what you have before making the cake batter. If your pan is a little smaller, you’ll end up overfilling it and your cake will overflow in the oven. If your pan is larger, the cake will bake up too thin.
  • tip 2
    It’s important to prepare the pan so it will be easy work to remove the warm baked cake. Using cooking parchment paper and spraying with baking spray with flour, will ensure cake will easily peel off the bottom of the cake once you’ve turned it out onto the kitchen towel.
  • tip 3
    Different brands of electric mixers can beat at different rates of high speed. Make sure to beat the eggs for the full 6 minutes or until thick and lemon colored. This will help ensure a spongy cake texture and keep your Yule Log Cake from breaking when you roll it.
  • tip 4
    Test the doneness of the cake by lightly touching the surface with your fingertip. When it springs back, it’s done and should be removed from the oven. If the cake overbakes past this point, it won’t easily roll.
  • tip 5
    Use a lint-free tea towel to roll up the cake. Its flat texture, coated with a fine sifting of powdered sugar, makes rolling up the warm cake super easy and prevents any sticking or cracking once the cake is cool. The towel will also be your best friend for rerolling the cake once it’s filled.
  • tip 6
    To get the perfect consistency for the Rich Chocolate Frosting, we like to have it stand at room temperature rather than put in the refrigerator. As you stir occasionally, you can see when it is slightly thickened and still spreadable. Kitchen temperatures vary, so keep an eye on the frosting as it nears the end of the stand time.
  • tip 7
    To keep your serving platter clean while frosting the cake, place strips of waxed paper around edge of plate. Remove after frosting is complete.
  • tip 8
    For a garnish, brush cranberries with water and roll in coarse white or gold sugar. Add fresh mint leaves.
  • tip 9
    Grab an extra tub of Betty Crocker™ Whipped Vanilla Frosting to spread on cupcakes.

Nutrition

450 Calories, 22g Total Fat, 5g Protein, 58g Total Carbohydrate, 41g Sugars

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 1 Serving
Calories
450
Calories from Fat
200
Total Fat
22g
34%
Saturated Fat
9g
44%
Trans Fat
2g
Cholesterol
120mg
40%
Sodium
370mg
15%
Potassium
190mg
5%
Total Carbohydrate
58g
19%
Dietary Fiber
1g
7%
Sugars
41g
Protein
5g
% Daily Value*:
Vitamin A
6%
6%
Vitamin C
0%
0%
Calcium
10%
10%
Iron
10%
10%
Exchanges:
1 1/2 Starch; 0 Fruit; 2 1/2 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Skim Milk; 0 Low-Fat Milk; 0 Milk; 0 Vegetable; 0 Very Lean Meat; 0 Lean Meat; 0 High-Fat Meat; 4 Fat;
Carbohydrate Choice
4
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

More About This Recipe

  • The elegant chocolate yule log cake is a holiday must-have in many French-speaking parts of the world. It’s designed to resemble a yule log, which was a specially selected log that was burnt as a Christmas tradition throughout Europe. It’s one of the oldest existing Christmas traditions, in fact, since its first mention was recorded in 1184. The log cake recipe is an emblem of that tradition, and it's been baked by home cooks and professionals since the 18th century. It's traditionally served with one end cut off, and with “bark” created by pulling the tines of a fork through the chocolate yule log cake icing. You can get even more creative by adding flaked coconut or powdered sugar “snow” to the base of your yule log cake, or by including holly sprigs, fir tree branches, fresh berries or “mushrooms” made of meringue or marzipan. If you’d like to learn about even more cake recipes—from plain to fancy—check out Betty's best cake recipes.
© 2023 ®/TM General Mills All Rights Reserved