A light and airy maple sponge cake rolled with a maple walnut cocoa cream filling and topped with a chocolate ganache layer. Garnish with powdered sugar and mushroom-shaped meringues for a maple walnut bûche de Noël that truly resembles a snowy wintry forest!
Origins of the Yule Log Cake, or “Bûche de Noël”
The Yule Log Cake date back to 19th-century France where a baker in Paris created this cake to resemble fireplace logs that were lit during the holiday Yule season. In those days yule log cakes were made with a sponge cake layer and a buttercream filling, but today you can find all sorts of variations on the bûche de Noël. One of my favorite things to do every holiday season is to see what type of yule log cakes the leading pastry chefs in France are making (trust me, they are stunning!).
My maple bûche de Noël does take a few steps, but with proper planning this cake can come together in just under three hours. It’s also a fun project to do with family, especially the mushroom meringues!
Key Components:
1) Sponge Cake
Bûches de Noël are typically made with a sponge cake to ensure a pliable and springy cake layer. I use a fatless sponge cake recipe (that’s right, just eggs, sugar and flour!) that’s enhanced by maple syrup. The result is a truly airy and flexible cake layer.
How to Make a Light-as-air Sponge Cake
The key is vigorously whisking the eggs at two key intervals and then gently folding in the sifted flour.
- You’ll need two whole eggs and an additional two eggs that are separated. In a large bowl whisk the two eggs and the two egg yolks together with the sugar until it thickens and gets paler in color, which should take about 5-7 minutes. I use a handheld mixer, but you can also use a stand mixer. You could technically achieve this consistency by whisking by hand, but I HIGHLY recommend using at least a handheld mixer!
- In a separate bowl you’ll want to whip the remaining egg whites until they form soft peaks, about 3-4 minutes. A good trick to see if your whites are done is tipping the bowl upside down. They shouldn’t move at all if they’re done!
- Switching to a spatula, fold in the egg whites to the egg/sugar bowl and fold until combined. Add in the sifted flour (it’s important to sift it so that you don’t get big flour bubbles in the batter), and gently fold it in using a spatula until just combined.
- Butter the eighth sheet pan (bottom and all the way up the sides), and place a piece of parchment paper on the bottom. Spread the cake batter on top and smooth it out with a knife or an offset spatula to ensure an even surface.
- Bake at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes until slightly golden in color. One way to check if it’s done is to gently press down on the cake with your finger– it should spring right back up when done.
2) Maple Walnut Cocoa Cream Filling
I opted for a whipped cream filling to make the cake even airier and lighter. Another bonus of using a whip cream filling? It uses very few ingredients and comes together in no time!
- Start by pouring the cream filling ingredients in to a large bowl (except for the chopped walnuts) and whisk on medium high with a handheld mixer until soft peaks start to form. Fold in the chopped walnuts and that’s it! You’re ready to assemble the cake!
Assembly
Once you’ve baked the sponge layer and prepared the cream filling, you’re ready to roll (pun intended). Using an offset spatula or a knife, spread the cream filling all over the cake layer. Next, gently roll up the cake starting at the bottom end (the shorter side). Once you reach the top, gently lift the cake to ensure it sits on the bottom edge.
*Don’t worry about cracks when you roll– the ganache will cover all of that up!
At this juncture you can top the log with either a ganache-style layer or a whipped cream. I opted for the ganache layer because it allowed me to make a cool tree bark-like design on the cake.
Ganache
Like the cream filling, this layer is also very simple to put together. Simply melt the chocolate and add in the heavy cream. You can enhance the flavor with some vanilla or rum, if you like. Set it aside for 5 minutes (not longer to ensure it doesn’t harden), then use a knife or spoon to spread it on the cake. Immediately after layering it on, drag a fork across it lengthwise so that you get a neat bark-like design. Top with powdered sugar and some optional mushroom meringues!
Decorations: Mushroom Meringues
These cute little mushroom meringues are surprisingly easy to make. They just require four ingredients (egg whites, sugar, powdered sugar, and cocoa powder) and don’t take too much work. Just make sure you give yourself at least 2 hours to make them as they will need about 90 minutes in the oven (at 200 degrees).
You can store the yule log cake covered in plastic wrap for about 3 days in the fridge. I’ve found that it actually tastes even better the day after making it!
Maple Walnut Bûche de Noël
Equipment
- 1 eighth sheet pan
Ingredients
Maple Sponge Cake
- 4 eggs total (2 whole eggs+ 2 egg yolks, 2 egg whites), room temp
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- ½ cup flour
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Maple Walnut Cocoa Cream Filling
- 1 cup heavy cream, cold
- 1 tbsp bourbon or rum, optional
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tbsp cocoa powder, sifted
- 3 tbsp powdered sugar, sifted
- ½ cup finely chopped walnuts
Ganache Bourbon Topping
- 1 cup chocolate, melted
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- 1 tbsp bourbon, optional
Mushroom Meringues (optional)
- 2 egg whites
- ¼ cup sifted powdered sugar
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 tbsp cocoa powder
Instructions
Maple Sponge Cake
- Preheat oven to 350°. Butter the jelly roll pan (bottom and all the way up the sides), and place a piece of parchment paper on the bottom.
- In a large bowl whisk the two eggs and the two egg yolks together with the sugar until it thickens and gets paler in color, which should take about 5-7 minutes. I use a handheld mixer, but you can also use a stand mixer.
- In a separate bowl, whip the remaining egg whites until they form soft peaks, about 3-4 minutes. A good trick to see if your whites are done is tipping the bowl upside down. They shouldn't move at all if they're done!
- Switching to a spatula, fold in the egg whites to the egg/sugar bowl and fold until combined.
- Add in the sifted flour (it's important to sift it so that you don't get big flour bubbles in the batter), and gently fold it in using a spatula until just combined.
- Spread the cake batter on top and smooth it out with a knife or an offset spatula to ensure an even surface. Bake for 15 minutes until slightly golden in color. One way to check if it's done is to gently press down on the cake with your finger– it should spring right back up when done.
- Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Then, cover the top with a kitchen towel and place a cooling rack over it. Using oven mitts (careful! the tray will be very hot!), gently flip the tray over so that the cooling rack is on the bottom. Remove the pan and gently peel off the parchment paper. Let sit until completely cool.
Maple Walnut Cream Filling
- Pour all the filling ingredients into a large bowl (except for the chopped walnuts) and whisk on medium high with a handheld mixer until soft peaks start to form.
- Fold in the chopped walnuts and that's it! You're ready to assemble the cake!
Ganache Layer
- Melt the chocolate (you can do this in a small microwavable bowl in the microwave in increments of 20 seconds, stirring at every interval) and add in the heavy cream. You can enhance the flavor with some vanilla or rum, if you like. Set it aside for 5 minutes (not longer to ensure it doesn't harden),
Assembly
- Using an offset spatula or a knife, spread the cream filling all over the cake layer. Next, gently roll up the cake starting at the bottom end (the shorter side). Once you reach the top, gently lift the cake to ensure it sits on the bottom edge.
- Cut 1.5 inch piece of the cake from one end at a diagonal. Using leftover cream filling, 'glue' it to the side of the cake log to resemble a branch.
- Use a knife or spoon to spread the ganache on top. Immediately after layering it on, drag a fork across it lengthwise so that you get a neat bark-like design. Top with powdered sugar and some optional mushroom meringues!
Mushroom Meringues
- Preheat oven to 200°. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
- Whip the egg whites until frothy. Add in the granulated sugar, a tablespoon at a time, whisking at every interval. It should start to thicken and turn snowy white. Once you have stiff peaks, add in the sifted powdered sugar and fold gently using a spatula until just combined.
- Using a piping bag or a ziplock bag with a corner slightly cut off, pipe two types of shapes on the tray: roughly 2 inch circles to act as the mushroom caps and the other shapes will be smaller, roughly half an inch in size, but slightly taller. Sprinkle with some sifted cocoa powder and bake in oven for 90 minutes.
- Use some of the leftover ganache to stick the mushroom caps on their stems and to stick them to the cake.