Bûche de Noël, the classic Yule Log cake, is one of my favorite festive desserts. This elegant French Christmas pastry looks impressive but is surprisingly straightforward to prepare. A triple chocolate version—chocolate sponge, light chocolate filling, and rich ganache—makes it especially irresistible.
I’d made Bûche de Noël before, but never with meringue mushrooms. I tried them this time and they’re worth the extra step — they add a delightful, whimsical touch to the finished cake.
For garnish I added meringue mushrooms, a few washed fir sprigs for a woodland look, and some pomegranate seeds for color. The mushrooms take time to dry, so plan ahead and make them 12–24 hours before serving. You can prepare the mushrooms, cake, filling, and ganache a day or more in advance and assemble the log the day you want to serve it.
How to Make Bûche de Noël – French Christmas Cake
Below are the steps to create the cake, with tips to keep each element working smoothly so the finished log looks as lovely as it tastes.
Step 1: Make Meringue Mushrooms
Meringue mushrooms are easier to make than they look. Separate 3 eggs and let the whites come to room temperature. Beat the whites on low until they form soft peaks, then increase to high and add sugar slowly. When the meringue is glossy and forms stiff peaks, it’s ready.
Fill a pastry bag (or a zip-top bag with a corner snipped) and pipe mushroom tops and stems onto parchment-lined baking sheets. Pipe straight down and lift slowly for tops; pipe more quickly for thinner stems. If tops look pointy, dip a finger in water and smooth them down.
Make a few extra—meringues are fragile and some can break. Bake at 200°F for about 1¼–1½ hours, until pieces lift easily from the parchment. Turn off the oven, crack the door, and let the meringues dry in the cooling oven for several hours or overnight.
Step 2: Make the Chocolate Ganache
Chocolate ganache serves as both the log’s frosting and the adhesive for the mushroom pieces. Place 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate in a bowl. Heat 1 cup heavy cream until it begins to bubble around the edges, remove from heat, let cool briefly, then pour over the chocolate and stir until smooth. Chill until spreadable.
Step 3: Make the Cake
Beat 4 eggs with 1/2 cup sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Sift together 2/3 cup flour, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, and 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder. Fold the dry ingredients into the beaten eggs gently with a spatula.
Line a 10 x 15-inch jelly roll pan with parchment and spread the batter evenly. Bake at 400°F for about 10 minutes, until the cake springs back when touched. Sprinkle a clean towel with powdered sugar, invert the cake onto the towel (sugared side down), remove the pan, and peel off the parchment carefully. Dust with more powdered sugar and roll the cake in the towel. Let cool 30 minutes to set the shape.
Step 4: Make the Filling
Beat 2 cups heavy cream with 1 tsp vanilla extract, 1/2 cup powdered sugar, and 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder to stiff peaks. For a vanilla filling, omit the cocoa. Cover and chill until ready to spread.
Step 5: Assemble the Mushrooms
Using a paring knife, scoop a small hole in the underside of each meringue top. Add a dab of chocolate ganache into the hole and press a stem into place. Lay assembled mushrooms top-side down on parchment until the ganache sets. Dust the mushroom tops lightly with cocoa powder for a realistic effect.
Step 6: Assemble and Decorate the Cake
Unroll the cooled cake, spread the whipped filling evenly leaving a small border, then re-roll gently and transfer to a serving plate. Trim one end at a diagonal and save that piece to attach later as a “knot.”
Frost the log with the chilled ganache. Aim for a textured, bark-like finish rather than a perfectly smooth coat. Attach the diagonal piece to form a branch knot and frost it as well. Arrange the meringue mushrooms around the base and top of the log. Finish with a light dusting of powdered sugar and a little extra cocoa, then add any final decorations—washed fir sprigs and pomegranate seeds make a festive garnish.
The finished Bûche de Noël is rich, chocolaty, and perfect for holiday celebrations. Slice and serve, then enjoy the pleased reactions from your guests.
Bûche de Noël
A French Christmas cake that looks impressive but is simple to make when broken into steps.
Ingredients
Chocolate Ganache
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate pieces
Meringue mushrooms
- 3 egg whites
- 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
- 3/4 cup superfine sugar
- chocolate ganache (for assembly)
Cake
- 4 eggs
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2/3 cup flour
- 1 tbsp corn starch
- 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
Filling
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (omit for vanilla filling)
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
Make Chocolate Ganache
- Place chocolate in a bowl. Heat cream until it bubbles at the edges, remove from heat, let cool a minute, then pour over chocolate and stir until smooth. Chill until spreadable.
Make Meringue Mushrooms
- Preheat oven to 200°F. Let egg whites come to room temperature.
- Beat egg whites with cream of tartar on low to soft peaks, then increase speed and add sugar gradually until stiff, glossy peaks form.
- Pipe mushroom tops and stems onto parchment, smooth tops with a damp finger if needed. Bake 1¼–1½ hours, then turn off oven and let meringues dry in the cooling oven for several hours or overnight.
- Hollow a small hole under each top, fill with ganache, attach stem, and dust tops with cocoa powder once set.
Make the Cake
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a 10 x 15-inch jelly roll pan with parchment.
- Beat eggs and 1/2 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Sift flour, cornstarch, and cocoa, then fold into eggs. Spread batter in pan and bake about 10 minutes.
- Sprinkle powdered sugar on a clean towel, invert the cake onto the towel (sugared side down), remove the pan and parchment, dust with more powdered sugar, and roll the cake in the towel. Cool 30 minutes.
Make the Filling
- Beat heavy cream with vanilla, powdered sugar, and cocoa to stiff peaks. Chill until ready to use.
Assemble the Bûche de Noël
- Unroll the cake, spread the filling leaving a small border, then re-roll and place on a serving plate. Trim a diagonal piece from one end and save for a knot.
- Frost the log with ganache, attach the knot piece, and texture the ganache to resemble bark.
- Arrange meringue mushrooms around the log, dust with powdered sugar and cocoa, and add any final decorations such as washed fir sprigs or pomegranate seeds.
