Christmas Yule Log Cake

This is my first time making a cocoa cake roll, and it's quite tasty. I even made two little Santas out of strawberries and placed them on top of the Yule log. Happy holidays to everyone!

I sprinkled a bit of icing sugar on top—doesn't it create a festive vibe?

You can also make this cake roll on regular days without so many elaborate decorations—just focus on the cake roll and filling parts.

Now, onto the detailed instructions~

First, gather all the ingredients. *Once you separate the egg whites, store the unused ones in the fridge to keep them cold.

If you're not using chocolate chips, chop the chocolate into small pieces in advance.

Line your baking pan with aluminum foil.

Start with the chocolate ganache needed for the filling. This needs to cool down before use, so prepare it first. Heat 60g of whipped cream in a small pot until boiling, then add 60g of dark chocolate chips.

Once the chocolate melts, stir the mixture well until combined, and set aside to cool.

Mix 40g of water with 10g of icing sugar using a whisk until the sugar dissolves.

Add 40g of corn oil.

Mix until the water and oil are fully emulsified, resembling a milky consistency.

Add sifted low-gluten flour. The original recipe suggested sifting it three times, but I only sifted it once using a 60-mesh sieve. The flour was fine and smooth, making it easy to blend without lumps.

Next, sift in the cocoa powder. If you're concerned about lumps, you can sift it multiple times beforehand.

Use a whisk to gently combine the flour mixture and the water-oil mixture until the flour is just moistened. Avoid overmixing.

Add the egg yolks and mix until fully incorporated. Set the batter aside for now.

Take out the chilled egg whites and beat them with an electric mixer until they form large bubbles.

Gradually add 30g of icing sugar in three parts, and beat until the egg whites reach a soft-peak stage.

The beaten meringue should form a small, bent peak as shown in the picture.

Take a third of the meringue and fold it into the cocoa egg yolk batter to lighten it. *Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 140°C with both upper and lower heat.

Pour the lightened batter back into the remaining meringue.

Carefully fold the mixture until fully combined. Folding technique: Place the silicone spatula against the side of the bowl, scrape through the batter from the 2 o'clock position to the 8 o'clock position, then lift at 9 o'clock. Turn the bowl counterclockwise slightly with your other hand, repeating the folding motion without stirring as you turn to avoid deflating the batter.

Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan from a height. Tap the pan twice to release large air bubbles.

Bake in the preheated oven at 160°C for 20 minutes. *Adjust the temperature and baking time based on your oven. The cake is ready when it springs back when lightly pressed and the surface is not sticky.

Immediately remove the cake from the oven and transfer it to a wire rack. Peel off the aluminum foil and let it cool.

While the cake cools, prepare the filling. Whip 120g of whipped cream with 12g of icing sugar until stiff peaks form.

Add the pre-made chocolate ganache into the whipped cream and mix on low speed until combined.

Spread the chocolate cream filling evenly onto the cooled cake roll. Spread thicker at the start and thinner at the end. *I rolled the cake with the rough side out; the smooth side rolled inward resulted in some cracking.

Roll the cake tightly, wrap it in parchment paper to secure its shape, and refrigerate it for 10 minutes.

Now, prepare the ganache glaze. Heat 100g of whipping cream in a small pot and add 120g of dark chocolate chips. Stir until melted and combine well. Let it cool to room temperature before use.

Take the cake roll out of the fridge, cut it into one long and one short piece, and arrange them like in the picture. Pour the chocolate ganache over the cake to coat it completely. *I placed the cake roll on a wire rack with a baking tray underneath to catch the dripping ganache for reuse. I also used lollipop sticks to secure the two sections together, removing them after glazing.

Once the glaze slightly solidifies, use a serrated scraper or a fork to create random wood grain patterns. Then, transfer the cake onto a cardboard base with a scraper's help. Decorate the surrounding area with your favorite items.

I also made two strawberry Santas to decorate the Yule log cake—they look adorable, don’t you think?

For the Santas: Whip some cream with icing sugar at a 10:1 ratio until stiff. Slice strawberries in half, spread whipped cream on the bottom piece, place the top piece, and use black sesame seeds as eyes. Add a dollop of whipped cream on top to resemble a Santa hat.

To serve, slice with a serrated knife. We sliced a few pieces to enjoy at night. The next morning, we decorated the cross-sections again and enjoyed it as breakfast. The cake tasted even better after resting overnight as the cream seeped into the cake, making it even more delicious~