Intro
Hi, I am Dulcia. I love holiday baking and this Fluffy Yule Log Delights recipe is one of my favorites to make when cranberries are in season. It is a cocoa sponge rolled with a Frangelico-spiked whipped cream, a scatter of hazelnuts, and finished with chocolate ganache, meringue mushrooms, and sugared cranberries. I will walk you through every step.
Origins
The yule log, or buche de Noel, is a classic French holiday cake. Mine nods to tradition with a light rolled sponge and woodland decorations. If you want background on cranberries, the Wikipedia cranberry entry is a useful primer: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cranberry. For general food safety references, the USDA site is handy: https://www.usda.gov/.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (100g) fresh cranberries (do not use frozen)
- 4-5 rosemary sprigs
- 3/4 cup (180ml) water
- 1 and 1/4 cups (250g) granulated sugar, divided
- 1 and 1/3 cups (157g) cake flour
- 2 Tablespoons (10g) unsweetened natural or dutch-process cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 6 large eggs, separated and at room temperature
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar, divided
- 2 Tablespoons (30ml) vegetable oil, canola oil, or melted coconut oil
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 3 Tablespoons (15g) unsweetened natural or dutch-process cocoa powder
- 1 large egg white, at room temperature
- less than 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar (about 1/16 teaspoon)
- pinch salt
- 2 Tablespoons (25g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon unsweetened natural or dutch-process cocoa powder (optional for dusting)
- 1 ounces (28g) semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped
- 1 and 1/2 cups (360ml) cold heavy cream
- 2 Tablespoons (30ml) Frangelico liqueur
- 1/4 cup (30g) confectioners’ sugar
- 1 Tablespoon (5g) unsweetened natural or dutch-process cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup (60g) finely chopped hazelnuts (optional)
- 6 ounces (170g) semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped
- 3/4 cup (180ml) heavy cream
If you want more cake inspiration, see my other recipes on the site: https://www.dulciarecipes.com/ and a related filling technique here: https://www.dulciarecipes.com/philadelphia-cheesecake-filling/. For a fun twist pairing, check this cinnamon roll cheesecake idea: https://www.dulciarecipes.com/cinnamon-roll-cheesecake/.
Instructions
- If decorating with sugared cranberries and rosemary, make them the night before. Place cranberries and rosemary in a large heatproof bowl and set aside.
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, bring the water and 3/4 cup (150g) sugar to a simmer, whisk until dissolved. Remove from heat and cool 5 minutes.
- Pour the syrup over cranberries and rosemary, stir, cover, and set aside for 15 minutes.
- Line a baking sheet, use a slotted spoon to transfer cranberries and rosemary, and let dry uncovered 1 hour.
- Toss cranberries and rosemary in remaining 1/2 cup (100g) sugar. Let dry at least 1 hour, then refrigerate up to 3 days.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Prepare a 12×17-inch pan with nonstick spray and parchment.
- Whisk cake flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- Beat egg whites with 1/2 cup (100g) sugar on high until stiff peaks, 4-5 minutes. Transfer to another bowl.
- In the same bowl, beat yolks with remaining sugar, oil, and vanilla on high until thick and light, 3-4 minutes.
- Fold half the whipped whites into yolks gently, then fold in remaining whites. Add half the flour mixture, fold, then the rest. Batter should be very light.
- Spread batter into pan, bang pan gently to release air, and bake 15-16 minutes until cake springs back.
- While hot, invert cake onto a larger parchment or tea towel dusted with 3 Tablespoons (15g) cocoa. Remove bottom parchment. Roll cake tightly from the narrow end in the towel. Cool completely rolled.
- Preheat oven to 200°F (93°C). Line a baking sheet.
- For meringues, beat 1 egg white, cream of tartar, and pinch salt until foamy. Slowly add 2 Tablespoons (25g) sugar with mixer on high until stiff, glossy peaks form.
- Pipe small circles and 1-inch cones. Bake 2 hours without opening oven. Turn oven off and let meringues sit 20 minutes. Cool.
- Melt 1 ounce (28g) semi-sweet chocolate and use a little to glue meringue tops to stems to form mushrooms. Let set.
- Remove rolled cake and let sit while making filling. Whip 1 and 1/2 cups (360ml) cold heavy cream with 2 Tablespoons Frangelico, 1/4 cup confectioners sugar, and 1 Tablespoon cocoa on medium-high to medium-stiff peaks.
- Gently unroll cooled cake, spread whipped cream leaving a 1/2 inch border. Sprinkle hazelnuts. Re-roll without the towel and chill 30 minutes to 2 days.
- Ganache: place 6 ounces (170g) chopped chocolate in a bowl. Heat 3/4 cup (180ml) heavy cream until just simmering, pour over chocolate, wait 2-3 minutes, then stir until smooth. Chill to thicken.
- Slice 3-4 inch piece off one end for a branch. Spread thickened ganache over cake top and sides. Decorate with meringue mushrooms, sugared cranberries, rosemary, and a dusting of confectioners sugar.
- Cover leftovers and refrigerate up to 3 days.
Sugared Cranberries Cake Roll
- Total Time: Approx. 3 hrs (plus overnight sugaring and additional chilling time)
- Yield: 8–10 servings 1x
Description
A festive chocolate cake roll filled with Frangelico whipped cream, chopped hazelnuts and ganache, finished with sugared cranberries and meringue mushrooms.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup (100g) fresh cranberries (do not use frozen)
- 4–5 rosemary sprigs
- 3/4 cup (180ml) water
- 1 and 1/4 cups (250g) granulated sugar, divided
- 1 and 1/3 cups (157g) cake flour
- 2 Tablespoons (10g) unsweetened natural or dutch-process cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 6 large eggs, separated and at room temperature
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar, divided
- 2 Tablespoons (30ml) vegetable oil, canola oil, or melted coconut oil
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 3 Tablespoons (15g) unsweetened natural or dutch-process cocoa powder
- 1 large egg white, at room temperature
- less than 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar (about 1/16 teaspoon)
- pinch salt
- 2 Tablespoons (25g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon unsweetened natural or dutch-process cocoa powder (optional for dusting)
- 1 ounces (28g) semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped
- 1 and 1/2 cups (360ml) cold heavy cream
- 2 Tablespoons (30ml) Frangelico liqueur
- 1/4 cup (30g) confectioners? sugar
- 1 Tablespoon (5g) unsweetened natural or dutch-process cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup (60g) finely chopped hazelnuts (optional)
- 6 ounces (170g) semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped
- 3/4 cup (180ml) heavy cream
Instructions
- If you want to decorate the cake with sugared cranberries and rosemary, start them the night before because they need to sit for several hours; place cranberries and rosemary in a large heatproof bowl and set aside.
- In a medium saucepan set over medium heat, bring the water and 3/4 cup (150g) of sugar to a simmer, whisking until the sugar has dissolved; remove the pan from heat and allow to cool for 5 minutes.
- Pour the sugar syrup over the cranberries and rosemary and stir; cover the bowl and set aside for 15 minutes.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat; using a slotted spoon, transfer the cranberries and rosemary from the sugar syrup and place them on the prepared baking sheet; allow to dry, uncovered, for 1 hour.
- Pour remaining 1/2 cup (100g) sugar into a large bowl; toss the cranberries and rosemary in the sugar, coating them all the way around; place on a parchment paper?or silicone baking mat-lined baking sheet and let them dry uncovered for at least 1 hour at room temperature or in the refrigerator; cover tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- For decorating ideas, see how to make sugared cranberries.
- Preheat oven to 350?F (177?C); spray a 12?17-inch baking pan with nonstick spray or grease with butter so the parchment paper sticks, then line it with parchment paper so the cake seamlessly releases and spray or grease the parchment paper too.
- Whisk the cake flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl and set aside.
- Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, beat the egg whites and 1/2 cup (100g) sugar together on high speed for 4-5 minutes or until stiff peaks form; transfer to another bowl.
- Using the same mixing bowl you just had the egg whites in, add the egg yolks, remaining sugar, oil, and vanilla extract; beat together on high speed for 3-4 minutes or until thickened and light in color.
- Add half of the whipped egg whites into the egg yolk mixture and beat on low speed for 10 seconds; repeat with remaining egg whites and beat on low for 10 seconds.
- Add half of the flour mixture and beat on low or fold with a silicone spatula until combined; repeat with remaining flour mixture, avoiding over-mixing and deflating the egg whites; batter will be very light.
- Spread batter evenly into prepared pan, gently bang the pan on the counter a couple times to pop any air bubbles, and bake for 15-16 minutes or until the cake springs back when lightly poked with your finger.
- As the cake bakes, place a piece of parchment paper (larger than the cake) or a thin kitchen/tea towel flat on the counter and dust parchment/towel with 3 Tablespoons (15g) of cocoa powder; once the cake comes out of the oven, quickly run a knife around the edges to loosen it and immediately invert it onto the parchment/towel; peel off the parchment paper that was on the bottom of the cake as it baked and starting with the narrow end, begin tightly rolling the hot cake up with the parchment/towel; allow the cake to cool completely rolled up in the parchment-towel.
- Preheat oven to 200?F (93?C) and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- In a clean residue-free large glass or metal mixing bowl, beat the egg white, cream of tartar, and salt together on high speed until foamy.
- With the mixer running on high speed, slowly add the sugar and beat until stiff glossy peaks form.
- Snip off the end of a plastic bag or fit a round piping tip in a piping bag and pipe quarter-sized circles and 1-inch tall cones; bake for 2 hours and do not open the oven.
- Turn off the oven and let the meringues sit inside the cooling oven for 20 minutes; remove and cool completely.
- Melt the remaining chocolate and set aside to cool slightly.
- Once meringues are cool, attach using a bit of melted chocolate to form mushrooms and let set.
- Remove the cake roll from the refrigerator and allow to sit on the counter for a few minutes to warm up as you prepare the whipped cream.
- Whip the heavy cream, Frangelico, confectioners? sugar, and cocoa powder on medium-high speed until medium to stiff peaks form.
- Gently unroll the cake, spread whipped cream evenly on top leaving a 1/2 inch border, and sprinkle chopped hazelnuts on top; re-roll the cake with the parchment/towel removed and place on a cutting board.
- If the exterior looks moist, dust with cocoa powder; cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 2 days before shaping and topping with ganache.
- Ganache: place chopped chocolate in a medium bowl, heat the cream until just simmering, then pour over chocolate and let sit 2-3 minutes; stir until smooth and refrigerate to thicken.
- Remove rolled cake from the refrigerator, slice a 3-4 inch section off one end to create a branch, and spread thickened ganache over the top and sides.
- Decorate with meringue mushrooms, sugared cranberries and rosemary, and a dusting of confectioners? sugar just before serving.
- Cover leftovers and refrigerate up to 3 days.
- Prep Time: 30 mins active (plus chilling, meringue baking ~2 hrs, and overnight sugaring)
- Cook Time: Approx. 2 hrs 30 mins (includes meringue baking and ganache prep)
Tips
- Use fresh cranberries, not frozen, for the sugared decoration. Frozen berries release water and will not candy well.
- Room temperature eggs give the sponge a lighter rise. Separate them carefully to avoid yolk in the whites.
- Avoid over-mixing once the flour is added. Fold gently to keep the batter airy.
- If ganache is too runny, chill briefly and stir until spreadable. If too thick, warm gently.
Variations
- Chocolate-hazelnut twist: fold 2 Tablespoons of Nutella into the whipped cream for extra richness.
- Alcohol-free: omit Frangelico and replace with 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract.
- Citrus note: add 1 teaspoon orange zest to the whipped cream for brightness.
FAQ
Q: Can I make components ahead of time?
A: Yes. Sugared cranberries can be made 2-3 days ahead and refrigerated. The sponge can be stored rolled and chilled up to 2 days. Meringue mushrooms keep for several days if stored in an airtight container.
Q: Can I freeze this cake?
A: I do not recommend freezing once filled and decorated. You can freeze the plain sponge wrapped well for up to 1 month, then thaw and fill.
Q: What pan size is required?
A: A 12×17-inch jelly roll or rimmed baking sheet works best for this recipe.
Conclusion
This Fluffy Yule Log Delights recipe is a crowd pleaser for the holidays. I hope my step-by-step tips make the process manageable and enjoyable. If you try it, tag a photo and share on social, or visit my site for more recipes: https://www.dulciarecipes.com/. Happy baking!