This chocolate orange yule log (or bûche de Noël in French) is a traditional Christmas dessert in France. It consists of a light sponge cake, subtly flavored with orange, and a generous chocolate ganache.

This chocolate orange yule log (or bûche de Noël in French) is a traditional Christmas dessert in France. It consists of a light sponge cake, subtly flavored with orange, and a generous chocolate ganache.

Bûche de Noël makes a wonderful centerpiece on your Christmas dessert table. This rolled cake, sometimes called Swiss Roll or Cake Roll, is essentially made of a light sponge cake that is filled with various filling options and then covered with icing and decorated. Considered as a Christmas dessert in France, this cake roll can be served on many other occasions year-round. After all, there is never a bad time to serve cake!

This chocolate orange yule log (or bûche de Noël in French) is a traditional Christmas dessert in France. It consists of a light sponge cake, subtly flavored with orange, and a generous chocolate ganache.

Being French, I have baked many yule logs in my life. As a result, the concept of a rolled cake is no secret for me anymore, and I’m happy to guide you through it to help you gain confidence. You will see, it’s easier than you think! Also, among all the recipes, this yule log is probably one of the easiest you can find, and the most delicious too. It uses the same chocolate ganache for both the filling and topping, and features some caramelized nuts on top for a crunchy bite. Every slice is very festive and highly addictive!

Chocolate orange yule log in short

  • A very festive Christmas dessert
  • Perfect chocolate-citrus flavor combo
  • A light and moist sponge cake
  • Creamy, luscious chocolate ganache
  • A crispy bite with caramelized nuts
This chocolate orange yule log (or bûche de Noël in French) is a traditional Christmas dessert in France. It consists of a light sponge cake, subtly flavored with orange, and a generous chocolate ganache.

What goes into this chocolate yule log

This swiss roll recipe comes in 3 parts: the sponge cake, the chocolate ganache, and the caramelized nuts.

For the sponge cake, you need some basic ingredients: eggs (whites and yolks apart), sugar, all-purpose flour, and orange zest. There is no need for baking powder in this recipe; the lifting effect is here replaced with the use of beaten egg whites.

The chocolate ganache, that is used both for the filling and the topping, consists of baking chocolate, softened butter (not melted) and confectioners’ sugar. Make sure you use high quality baking chocolate for best results, ideally within a 55%-60% cocoa. I find that using 70% chocolate makes the texture less supple and a bit more difficult to work.

The caramelized nuts consists essentially of chopped almonds and hazelnuts, glued together with honey and sugar, and paired with orange peel for citrusy flavors.. The choice of nuts is up to you, and you could for instance add some pecans, cashews or macadamias.

This chocolate orange yule log (or bûche de Noël in French) is a traditional Christmas dessert in France. It consists of a light sponge cake, subtly flavored with orange, and a generous chocolate ganache.

How to assemble this chocolate yule log

Instead of explaining every single step of the recipe (described in the recipe card below), let’s focus on how to assemble this chocolate orange yule log. Keep in mind that this applies to any cake roll recipe, so once you master it, you can create many different variations.

  • Spread the cake batter onto a 14×10 inch (35×25 cm) baking sheet lined with parchment paper, smoothing out the top. If you are using a larger baking sheet, try to ensure the batter is respecting the desired dimensions and has a rectangular shape.
  • Baking and post-baking. Keep an eye on your oven while baking and make sure you do not overbake the sponge; it should remain supple. When you remove it from the oven, you should act quickly: first, check if you need to trim the edges slightly in order to create a perfect rectangular (especially if it spread out a little while baking), then roll up the cake tightly and cover with a damp towel. This will keep the sponge moist and avoid any cracks when you unroll it later on.
  • Spread the chocolate ganache over the unrolled cake, leaving a ½ inch (1 cm) border all around to prevent filling from oozing out when assembling. You should use approximately half to two thirds of the ganache here.
  • Roll up the yule log tightly, making sure the chocolate filling doesn’t ooze out, then cover with the remaining chocolate ganache all over. Decorate with the caramelized nuts, and place in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Pro tips for success

Yule log or any swiss roll recipe can be particularly tricky when it comes to the rolling part. But with a little bit of attention and experience, you can make this yule log recipe a success and impress your guests altogether. Read carefully my pro tips for success below:

  • Choosing the right baking sheet for yule log. I recommend using a 14×10 inch (35×25 cm) baking sheet for best results, but it doesn’t have to be the exact measurements. It can be a bit longer on one side and shorter on the other. As long as you stay within a reasonable margin around this 14×10, you should be fine.
  • Always work the sponge cake with care. Every step should be handled with care, in particular when you fold in the beaten egg whites, but also when you roll/enroll the cake. This will help achieve a light, airy texture and avoids cracks when assembling.
  • Trim the extremities of the rolled cake. The sides of the sponge cake can dry out a little while baking, which can results in cracks when rolling up and out the cake. To prevent this, simply trim the extremities of each side of the sponge cake right out from the oven, using a large knife. Don’t trim too much, usually ½ inch (1 cm) is fine.
  • Use a damp towel to cover the roulade almost immediately after you removed it from the oven. This will avoid the cake to crack when unrolling later on.
  • Roll up tightly with the filling inside, so the yule log doesn’t become loose.
This chocolate orange yule log (or bûche de Noël in French) is a traditional Christmas dessert in France. It consists of a light sponge cake, subtly flavored with orange, and a generous chocolate ganache.

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This chocolate orange yule log (or bûche de Noël in French) is a traditional Christmas dessert in France. It consists of a light sponge cake, subtly flavored with orange, and a generous chocolate ganache.
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Chocolate Orange Yule Log

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This chocolate orange yule log (or bûche de Noël in French) is a traditional Christmas dessert in France. It consists of a light sponge cake, subtly flavored with orange, and a generous chocolate ganache.
  • Author: Delphine Fortin
  • Prep Time: 40 mins
  • Cook Time: 20 mins
  • Total Time: 1 hour
  • Yield: 8 servings 1x
  • Category: Cakes
  • Cuisine: French

This chocolate orange yule log (or bûche de Noël in French) is a traditional Christmas dessert in France. It consists of a light sponge cake, subtly flavored with orange, and a generous chocolate ganache.

Ingredients

Scale

For the sponge cake:

  • 4 large eggs, whites and yolks apart
  •  cup (125g) granulated sugar
  • 1 medium orange (zests)
  • 1 cup (125g) all-purpose flour, sifted

For the chocolate filling and topping:

  • 8 ounces (225g) baking chocolate*, chopped
  • ¾ cup (180g) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
  • 1 ½ cup (180g) confectioner’s sugar

For the caramelized nuts:

  • 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
  • ½ cup (40g) almonds, chopped
  • ½ cup (40g) hazelnuts, chopped
  • 1 Tablespoon sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon honey
  • ½ orange peel
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Instructions

For the sponge cake:

  1. Preheat the oven to 320°F (160°C). Line a 14×10 inch (35×25 cm) baking sheet with parchment paper. 
  2. Whisk together the yolks and sugar in a mixing bowl, until pale and fluffy. Add in the orange zests and sift in the flour over the mixture. Whisk until incorporated.
  3. In a separate bowl, beat the whites with a pinch of salt, until stiff peaks form. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in the egg whites until completely combined. Avoid over-mixing and deflating those whites. Batter will be very light.
  4. Spread the batter into the prepared pan, flattening the top with a rubber spatula. Bake for 20 minutes or until baked through. Do NOT over-bake.
  5. Peel off the parchment paper underneath the cake. If needed, you can trim the edges with a large knife for a neat cut on all four sides of the sponge cake.** Then, immediately roll up the cake tightly starting on the narrow end, and cover tightly with a damp towel to prevent from drying out, so it doesn’t crack.

For the chocolate filling:

  1. Place the softened butter (not melted!) in a mixing bowl and stir.
  2. Melt the chocolate in a water bath (preferred method) or in a small saucepan placed over very low heat. Stir until smooth, and cool off for a few minutes. Add the softened butter, confectioners’ sugar, and combine until smooth. Place in the refrigerator for 15 minutes or longer (the chocolate ganache should be thick enough to spread over the cake, but not too thick either).
  3. Remove the damp towel, then slowly and gently unroll the cake. Spread about half of the chocolate ganache on top, leaving a ½ inch (1 cm) border all around. Gently and tightly roll the cake back up with the filling inside.
  4. Transfer to a serving dish. Spread the remaining ganache all over the cake, using a rubber spatula or an offset spatula.

For the caramelized nuts:

  1. Melt butter in a small sauté pan placed over medium heat. Add in the chopped nuts (hazelnuts and almonds), then toast them together with sugar and honey, about 1-2 minutes, stirring regularly. Add the orange peels in the end, sprinkle some cinnamon and stir well.
  2. Top the yule log with the crispy caramelized nuts and cool in the refrigerator for about 1 hour. Remove 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

Notes

* Choose high quality baking chocolate, ideally around 55% to 60% cocoa, not more.

** You may need to trim the extremities if using a free size baking sheet, but it should not be necessary if you go for a 14×10 inch (35×25 cm) baking sheet with edges. Use a large knife to make a neat cut of all four sides.

Recipe by Del’s cooking twist | Photography by Athina Canevet Studio

Did you make this recipe?

Lastly, if you make this Chocolate Orange Yule Log, be sure to leave a comment and give this recipe a rating, letting me know how you liked it. And of course, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Thank you and enjoy!