As a Christmas pudding/cake hater I'm all about the chocolate yule log, it's my favourite Christmas dessert! If you're a regular around here, you'll know that chocolate orange is a popular flavour in my baking too. So I just had to create this Chocolate Orange Yule Log to mix this festive treat with Terry's Chocolate Orange! Also known as a Bûche De Noël, this yule log is made up of a light chocolate orange sponge, filled with an orange buttercream and generously smothered in a dark chocolate ganache. And of course there's plenty of chocolate orange on top too! This would be a perfect dessert for any festive occassion!
Ingredient Tips & Equipment Information
- Make sure the eggs are at room temperature before you start baking.
- You need to use double cream for the ganache, single cream will not work.
- For the best orange colour for the buttercream, use a professional food colouring. I used Sugarflair for this recipe, but I also like Pro Gel. Colour Mill and Americolor are also good brands.
- You can fill the yule log with whipped cream if you prefer, check my Chocolate Yule Log recipe for details.
- Although I provide cup measurements, I highly recommend weighing your ingredients out using digital kitchen scales*. It is the most accurate way to measure ingredients and will ensure the best results. Digital scales are very low cost and can be purchased for around £12 ($16.50) .
- For teaspoon (tsp) and tablespoon (tbsp) measurements, please use measuring spoons* and not the type of spoons you eat with. Again this will ensure accuracy and provide the best results.
For the full recipe with measurements, head to the recipe card at the end of this post.
How to make Chocolate Orange Yule Log
Start by making the ganache because it has to cool down for a few hours. Heat the double cream and butter together on a low heat, then add the dark chocolate and mix until it is smooth and glossy. Set aside to cool. For the sponge, use an electric mixer to whisk up the eggs and caster sugar for 8 minutes until light and foamy. Then mix in the orange zest.
Sift in the plain flour and cocoa powder, then fold it into the egg mixture gently so as not to lose the volume. Pour the mixture into a lined baking tray with a lip and bake for 10 minutes. Whilst it is baking, prepare a clean sheet of baking paper. When it is done, tip the sponge out onto it straight away.
Peel off the baking paper it was baked in and roll the sponge up tightly, taking the fresh baking paper with it. Leave it to cool fully still wrapped in the paper. Once the sponge is cool, make the buttercream by mixing butter, icing sugar, milk, orange extract and orange food colouring together. Unroll the sponge and spread out the buttercream onto it using a palette knife. Then roll it back up again. Cover the whole yule log with the chocolate ganache, then use a fork to create texture. Add chocolate orange pieces and sprinkles on top.
For the full recipe with measurements, head to the recipe card at the end of this post.
How long does the yule log last for and can it be frozen?
The yule log will last for 2-3 days stored in an airtight container in a cool place. You can freeze the undecorated sponge. Wrap it well in cling film and freeze for up to 3 months. Or you can freeze the sponge fully decorated. Let it freeze solid on a plate or cake board first, then wrap it in cling film, freeze for up to 1 month. When you defrost it, remove the cling film, as otherwise it could damage the appearance of the ganache.
Can the yule log be made gluten or dairy free?
Yes! For gluten free you can replace the plain flour with a gluten free plain flour blend. You may also like to add ⅛ tsp Xantham Gum for better texture. For a dairy free version, mak the buttercream with dairy free butter and dairy free milk, and make the ganache with dairy free cream, dairy free butter and dairy free chocolate. Terry's Chocolate Orange is not gluten or dairy free, so you will need to decorate the yule log with an alternative option. Please do check the labels for everything you use to make the cupcakes if you are serving it to someone with an allergy or intolerance.
What size tin do you need to make the yule log?
I used a Salter tin which is 38.5 cm x 25.5 cm x 2.2 cm. If you have a tin that is slightly bigger or slightly smaller this will be ok, just don't use a tin that is dramatically bigger or smaller. Remember that using a bigger tin will mean the yule log needs slightly less time to bake, and a smaller tin will mean it needs slightly more time to bake. The thickness of the sponge will also differ.
Do you need an electric mixer to make this recipe?
Yes, because you have to whisk so much air into the egg and sugar mixture, it would be impossible to do by hand. You can use either an electric hand mixer or a stand mixer, however I do recommend using a stand mixer if you have one as you want to leave it running for at least 8 minutes, on high speed, which can feel like a long time when you're stood whisking with an electric hand mixer!
How many people does the yule log serve?
It completely depends how thick your slices are when you cut it up, but I would say this yule log can safely be divided into 10 pieces and everyone gets a good sized slice. (Well, apart from the two lucky people that get the end pieces!)
How do you roll the yule log up neatly?
- Don’t overfill it. Being overly generous with the filling means you won’t get a nice tight roll
- Don’t cut or score it to “start the roll off”, this can too easily go wrong and the whole section will break off
- Start the roll off as tight as you can and the rest will follow.
- Don't worry if it cracks as the ganache will hide it!
More tips for making the Chocolate Orange Yule Log:
- When folding the flour in, be gentle and go slowly to avoid losing volume. I like to add it in three stages and fold gently between each addition.
- I decorated the yule log with milk chocolate orange, but you could also use white or dark chocolate orange too.
- You could also melt some chocolate orange and drizzle it all over the yule log.
Troubleshooting
If you have any questions about this recipe, or if something went wrong and you need help, please use the comment form below and I will get back to you. You can also get in touch with me on my Twitter, Instagram or Facebook. I'd love to hear from you!
Recommended equipment & ingredients*
- Swiss Roll tin
- Mixing bowls
- Stand mixer
- Electric hand mixer
- Kitchen scales
- Cooling rack
- Piping bags
- Measuring spoons
- Dark chocolate
- Orange extract
- Terry's Chocolate Orange
- Zester
*I earn a small amount of money if you buy the products after clicking on the links. You will not be charged anything extra for this. Thank you for supporting The Baking Explorer!
More yule log recipes...
Chocolate Orange Yule Log
Ingredients
For the chocolate ganache
- 200 g Dark chocolate
- 200 ml Double cream
- 20 g Butter unsalted
For the sponge
- 3 Eggs large
- 75 g Caster sugar
- 50 g Plain flour sieved
- 25 g Cocoa powder sieved
- 1 Orange, zest only optional
For the orange buttercream
- 75 g Butter unsalted, softened
- 150 g Icing sugar
- 1 tsp Orange extract
- 1 tbsp Milk
- Orange food colouring I used Sugarflair
For decoration
- 10 segments Terry's Chocolate Orange
- Sprinkles optional
Instructions
- Make the ganache first as it needs time to cool. Heat the double cream and butter in a pan on a low heat until the butter melts and it starts to steam, you want to to be warm but not so hot you couldn't hold your finger in it
- Take it off the heat and add the dark chocolate broken into pieces. Leave for a few minutes, then stir and the chocolate should melt, keep stirring until it does. Set aside to cool
- Pre-heat your oven to 160C Fan/180C/400F/Gas Mark 6, line a large swiss roll tin or a baking tray with a lip, with baking paper. I used a Salter tray measuring 38.5 cm x 25.5 cm x 2.2 cm
- For the sponge, whisk the eggs and sugar together with an electric hand whisk or in a stand mixer for 8 minutes until it reaches 'ribbon stage' - this is when you can drizzle some the mix into itself in a figure 8 and it doesn't sink back immediately. Add the orange zest and mix in briefly
- Gently fold in the flour and cocoa powder in three stages, folding gently and trying not to lose too much of the volume
- Pour into the tin, and spread the mixture around using a palette knife. Bake for 10 minutes, if you lightly press it in the middle with your finger tip it should spring back
- Remove from the oven and tip onto a clean sheet of baking paper
- Remove the baking paper the sponge was baked with, then roll up the sponge, taking the clean baking paper with it, then leave to cool completely
- To make the buttercream, mix the butter, icing sugar, orange extract, milk and orange food colouring together until smooth, ideally using an electric mixer
- Gently unroll the sponge and spread the buttercream all over it in an even layer
- Re-roll the sponge and place onto your serving plate
- The ganache should be thick by now, but it if is too stiff, microwave it for 15-30 seconds and stir well to loosen it up again. Pipe or spread the ganache all over the sponge. If piping, use a star nozzle to create texture. If spreading, use a fork to create texture
- Dust with icing sugar and decorate with sprinkles and Terry's Chocolate Orange segments
- Serve immediately, store any leftovers in an airtight container in a cool place for 2-3 days
Video
Notes
- Make sure the eggs are at room temperature before you start baking.
- You need to use double cream for the ganache, single cream will not work.
- For the best orange colour for the buttercream, use a professional food colouring. I used Sugarflair for this recipe, but I also like Pro Gel. Colour Mill and Americolor are also good brands.
- Although I provide cup measurements, I highly recommend weighing your ingredients out using digital kitchen scales*. It is the most accurate way to measure ingredients and will ensure the best results. Digital scales are very low cost and can be purchased for around £12 ($16.50) .
- For teaspoon (tsp) and tablespoon (tbsp) measurements, please use measuring spoons* and not the type of spoons you eat with. Again this will ensure accuracy and provide the best results.
Jaina
Really easy to follow recipe and yummy as always!