Dark Chocolate Peppermint Yule Log

Yule logs are a time-honored tradition during Christmas. Celebrate the season with this surprisingly simple and decadently delicious Dark Chocolate Peppermint Yule Log that is sure to impress family and friends!


I don’t know about you, but the holidays start the minute November 12th hits. My wreath makes its way out of the dusty cardboard box, the Nutcracker stands tall on my bookcase, and it also means carols, ornaments, twinkly lights; the works. I wait all year for the winter holidays. It’s not (just) the presents. It’s the feeling of it all: the decorations, spirits, togetherness.

The best way to prepare for all of the festivities is to make a giant Swiss roll in holiday fashion. I remember the days of Little Debbie Swiss roll cakes, guiltily sneaking a second pack of two. I have to say, the real thing is more fun.

Tip: I want to say this early in the post so no one sets out to make this Dark Chocolate Peppermint Yule Log without everything they’ll need! Rolling the cake is the hardest part of this whole process. Before you decide to make this, make sure you have either good quality parchment paper (trust me there’s “bad” parchment paper out there) or a silicone mat on hand. Make sure you have a clean tea towel as well.

I’ve always disliked heavily filled desserts – this Yule log is lightly filled because peppermint needs no belligerent spotlights. The subtle filling is the perfect balance between rich chocolate and cool peppermint. Lightly filled is the way to go.

How exactly did the Yule log come to be? It was actually a Nordic tradition. The word “Yule” was the word that Scandinavians used for their Winter Solstice festivals. The Yule log was originally a “Yule Tree”. An entire tree would be burned from one end in the fireplace, ceremoniously lit with the remains of the previous year’s Yule Log. So where does the cake come in? In the image of the Yule Log tradition, the dessert, often called “Bûche de Noël” is now a popular way to celebrate this tradition (since burning a tree may not work for everyone).

Fun Fact: Nowadays, people make tree stump cakes which are upturned versions of yule logs!

Things that can potentially go wrong with the Yule Log (and how to fix them):

1. The cake is cracking as I’m rolling it – Make sure that you let the cake cool in the pan for only about one to three minutes before rolling.
2. The filling is getting pushed up to the edge as I’m rolling and seeping out – Your filling isn’t thick enough, make sure to whip your filling to the consistency of thick frosting before spreading on the cake roll.
3. The filling is melting as I put it onto the roll – Make sure the roll is completely cool before filling it.
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   Chocolate + Peppermint Yule Log

   Ingredients

   For the cake:
   • 4 eggs, separated
   • 1/2 cup sugar
   • 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
   • 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
   • 1 tsp baking powder
   • 1/4 tsp salt
   For the filling and frosting:
   • 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
   • 1/3 cup powdered sugar (or less to taste), plus more for dusting
   • 1/4 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
   • 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
   • 1 cup of dark chocolate frosting, store bought or homemade

   Instructions

   1. Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper. Trim the edges of the parchment paper (if using) to ensure that the paper is lying flat on the baking sheet. Preheat your oven to 425ºF.
   2. In a stand mixer, whip the egg whites until they form slightly stiff peaks (not quite as stiff as when you whip for meringue). Set them aside.
   3. In a separate large bowl, whip the egg yolks and sugar together, then add in the vanilla bean paste. Add in cocoa powder, flour, baking powder, and salt. Use a rubber spatula to combine all the ingredients.
   4. Add in the egg whites and combine into the batter carefully and slowly with long strokes.
   5. Pour batter into the prepared pan and smooth with a spoon or spatula to even thickness. Do not remove air bubbles by tapping.
   6. Bake in preheated oven for 7 minutes. Cool the cake for only THREE minutes before unrolling.
   7. Lay a clean kitchen towel on the counter and dust with powdered sugar. Flip the cake out onto the tea towel and roll the short ends together while peeling the parchment paper off the cake. The cake will be warm, so continue to roll carefully and lay the rolled roll on the seam of the kitchen towel. Set aside for 5 minutes to cool more. At this point, put the roll onto the fridge while preparing the filling.
   8. In a clean stand mixer, whip all the ingredients for the filling until it is very stiff like a heavy frosting.
   9. Remove the cooled cake roll from the fridge and carefully unroll it. Spread the filling on lightly, leaving ample room on the edges. Roll the cake carefully with the seam down. With a sharp knife, slice off the ends to ensure a clean and straight edge. Place in the fridge.
   10. Use the remainder of the filling and mix with the store bought dark chocolate frosting. On a cooling rack, layer on the dark chocolate/peppermint frosting and smooth onto the cake roll. Use a skewer to make designs in the log.

   Notes

   Home Chef Tip: Rolling the cake is the hardest part of this whole process. Before you decide to make this, make sure you have either good quality parchment paper or a silicone mat on hand.

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   We hope you love this Dark Chocolate Peppermint Yule Log recipe from SoFabFood Home Chef, Ritika from R&M Cooks, as much as we do. If you enjoyed this delightful recipe, be sure to stop by our Desserts section to find more like it. For daily recipe inspiration, like us on Facebook and follow us on Pinterest. Enjoy!

   Ritika Gann

   Ritika is a food writer for R&M Cooks (est. 2016), food stylist & photographer, and a cookbook author. Her cookbook “Coconut Oil: 65 Recipes for Cooking Clean” will be hitting book stores in December 2017.