Bûche de Noël: A Classic French Yule Log or Roll Cake for the Holiday Season
A Bûche de Noël is the most iconic traditional French dessert of the holiday season. I have made my Dark Chocolate and Grand Marnier Bûche de Noël for years, but I wanted to adapt the recipe to make one that my kids will love and they LOVE this Nutella version!
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Bûche de Noël History
This festive cake dates back to the 19th century, when families across France burned a beautifully decorated wooden log on Christmas Eve to symbolize warmth and good luck for the coming New Year. Eventually, French pâtissiers transformed that tradition into a rolled chocolate sponge cake decorated like a charming woodland log, complete with meringue mushrooms, chocolate ganache "bark," and little touches of nature such as rosemary sprigs and powdered sugar "snow."
French Holiday Tradition
Today, the Bûche de Noël remains one of the most beloved Christmas desserts in France. The most elegant french patisseries offer annual variations on the classic bûche that are light years away from the rustic log and much more a jewel to bring to the holiday table. Did you see Le Notre's Bûche de Noël Train or Pierre Hermé's Christmas Logs? Magnifique!
And while it looks like a fancy cake from a pâtisserie, you can absolutely make it at home - even if this is your first attempt at roll cakes. The truth is that the hardest part is simply having confidence and patience. Once you learn the technique, this becomes the kind of cake you make every holiday season, especially because the fun part is decorating it with your own flair.
A Roll Cake kids will love!
My Nutella Bûche de Noël is inspired by the classic chocolate cake roll but with a modern, family-friendly twist. My kids love the Nutella buttercream filling, and I love that it creates a beautifully smooth spiral inside the cake. You still get all the classic elements - the light chocolate sponge cake, the glossy chocolate ganache, and the festive decorations - but with a touch of warmth and joy that feels very at home on our Christmas table.
Below, I will walk you through what to expect, share key techniques for success, and then you will find the full, detailed recipe that you already know and love.
What Makes a Great Bûche de Noël
A Yule Log Cake consists of four main components:
- A light chocolate sponge cake that rolls easily without cracking
- A whipped cream filling or buttercream filling
- A chocolate ganache "bark"
- Decorations like hazelnut brittle, chocolate curls, or classic meringue mushrooms
Each element has a purpose. The sponge cake needs to be soft, flexible and airy, which is why properly beating the egg yolks and egg whites is essential. The filling adds richness and helps the cake roll tightly. And the ganache gives the cake its famous tree-trunk finish.
The decorations are where the magic happens - whether you choose mushroom caps, little mushroom tops, rosemary sprigs that look like branches, or dustings of confectioners' sugar to mimic snow.
Essential Equipment for a Successful Yule Log Cake
While you do not need professional pastry tools, a few items make a world of difference:
- Jelly roll pan or half sheet pan *
- Parchment paper
- Whisk attachment for your stand mixer
- Large bowl and medium bowl for mixing
- Offset spatula for smoothing your filling and ganache
- Pastry bag fitted with a round tip (if you choose to pipe decorations)
- Baking sheet or cookie sheet for cooling and assembling
- Kitchen towel to help roll the warm cake
- Rubber spatula for folding dry ingredients
These tools help with achieving the right lift in the batter, handling the warm cake, rolling it tightly, and smoothing that beautifully glossy ganache.
*this blog post contains affiliate links. By clicking on the link I receive a small commission, only if you purchase. Thank you for supporting my small business.
Tips for Rolling the Cake (The Part Everyone Worries About)
Rolling a cake intimidates many bakers, but the secret is very simple:
Roll the cake while it is still warm.
A warm sponge is pliable and bends easily without cracking. Here is the best way to roll your Bûche de Noël:
- Bake the sponge until the top springs back gently when touched.
- Turn the cake out onto parchment paper.
- Cover with a kitchen towel to keep moisture in.
- Roll from the short end or short side while the cake is still warm.
- Let the cake cool while rolled.
When you unroll the cake to fill it, it holds the shape beautifully.
Even if you see a small crack on your first attempt, do not panic. That can be fixed with buttercream! Once the cake is filled, rolled back up and covered in chocolate ganache, all imperfections disappear. Truly - the ganache is magic.
Filling and Frosting: Buttercream, Ganache, and More
For this recipe, the filling is a silky Nutella buttercream made with room temperature butter, confectioners' sugar, whole milk and Nutella. You can also use whipped cream filling, sour cream frosting or classic chocolate buttercream, but the Nutella adds a nostalgic flavor kids adore.
The ganache is made with heavy cream, melted chocolate, and butter. When poured over the chilled cake, it sets into a smooth, shiny finish that looks like real tree bark when you rake it gently with an offset spatula or the tines of a fork.
You can leave the ganache perfectly smooth, or decorate it with meringue, chocolate curls, hazelnut brittle, rosemary sprigs or little swirls piped from a pastry bag.
Storage Tips
Your Bûche de Noël will keep beautifully in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. The flavors deepen, the ganache sets even more nicely and the cake stays incredibly moist thanks to the soaking syrup.
You can also make parts of the recipe in advance - the soaking syrup, the chocolate ganache, and even the Nutella buttercream can all be prepared ahead of time. This helps immensely during the busy holiday season.
Serving Your Bûche de Noël
Transfer the cake gently onto a serving plate. Use a sharp knife or a paring knife to slice cleanly so every guest gets a perfect piece of this cake with its beautiful spiral.
A Bûche de Noël is not just dessert. It is a centerpiece - a festive cake shaped like a charming Christmas log, something that sparks nostalgia and delight.
And when guests lean in to admire it and ask if you bought it from a bakery, you get to smile and say, "Actually… I made it."
Nutella Buche de Noel Recipe- Le Chef's Wife
Chocolate Génoise or Chocolate Sponge Cake
- 6 large eggs, room temperature
- 150 grams Granulated sugar (about ¾ cup)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon coffee (don't worry - you won't taste the coffee!)
- 80 grams cake flour (about ⅔ cup)
- 30 grams unsweetened cocoa powder (⅓ cup)
- ⅛ teaspoon baking soda
Soaking Syrup Ingredients
- 106 grams water (about ½ cup)
- 143 grams granulated sugar (about ¾ cup)
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract or ½ vanilla pod (scrape out the insides)
Nutella Butter Cream
- 3 sticks of room temperature butter (24 tbsps)
- 1.5 cups of icing sugar
- 3 tablespoon of whole milk
- 3 tablespoon Nutella (or your favorite Hazelnut spread)
Chocolate Ganache
For the full Chocolate Ganache Recipe - check out this blog post.
- 320 grams of dark chocolate (we use Valhrona 70% Dark Bittersweet Chocolate Callets) This equals very roughly 2 cups but I recommend using the scale!
- 50 grams of butter (about 3.5 tbsp)
- 473 grams of heavy cream (1 pint) almost at room temperature
Hazelnut Brittle (for decoration)
Check out the full Hazelnut Brittle Recipe here.
- 150 grams of sugar (¾ cup)
- 2 tbsps butter
- 1 cup whole peeled hazelnuts
For this cake I also like to garnish with Ferrero Rocher chocolates - but that is completely up to you!
Full Recipe Instructions in the recipe card below.
Voilà! Your very own Bûche de Noël, worthy of a French Pâtisserie, in your own home!
French Holiday Recipes
You will love my articles on French Holiday Recipes and French Riviera Christmas Traditions for inspiration this holiday season. My Gingerbread Spice Cake is great with morning coffee on Christmas morning.
Au plaisir,
Le Chef's Wife
All About Le Chef's Wife
Bonjour! I am Anina Belle. I translate the fancy cooking of my Michelin-star trained French Chef Husband, Le Chef, into easy to make dishes that busy people with no culinary training (like me!) can make at home. We have two young kids (8 and 5) and I run a marketing company and a non-profit in addition to this blog. I strongly believe that even busy people deserve to eat well at home.
I share our home cooking on Instagram, pinterest and tiktok. Sign up for my newsletter to be the first to receive my new recipes and have advance access to cooking classes. I look forward to cooking with you!
We were featured on the TODAY SHOW for our recipes of French Onion Soup Gratinée and Moelleux au Chocolat. You can watch our full segment here:
Nutella Bûche de Noël
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Yield: 6-8 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: baked
- Cuisine: French
Description
Nutella and Chocolate Bûche de Noël cake, a traditional Christmas Yule log or roll cake, that kids will absolutely love. Chocolate sponge cake rolled with Nutella buttercream and topped with dark chocolate ganache, decorated with homemade hazelnut brittle and Ferrero Rocher chocolates.
Ingredients
Nutella Buche de Noel Recipe- Le Chef's Wife
Chocolate Génoise or Chocolate Sponge Cake
-
- 6 large eggs, room temperature
-
- 150 grams Granulated sugar (about ¾ cup)
-
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
-
- 1 teaspoon coffee (don't worry - you won't taste the coffee!)
-
- 80 grams cake flour (about ⅔ cup)
-
- 30 grams unsweetened cocoa powder (⅓ cup)
-
- ⅛ teaspoon baking soda
Soaking Syrup Ingredients
-
- 106 grams water (about ½ cup)
-
- 143 grams granulated sugar (about ¾ cup)
-
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract or ½ vanilla pod (scrape out the insides)
Nutella Butter Cream
-
- 3 sticks of room temperature butter (24 tbsps)
-
- 1.5 cups of icing sugar
-
- 3 tbsp of whole milk
-
- 3 tbsp Nutella (or your favorite Hazelnut spread)
Chocolate Ganache
-
- 320 grams of dark chocolate (we use Valhrona 70% Dark Bittersweet Chocolate Callets) This equals very roughly 2 cups but I recommend using the scale!
-
- 50 grams of butter (about 3.5 tbsp)
-
- 473 grams of heavy cream (1 pint) almost at room temperature
Hazelnut Brittle (for decoration)
-
- 150 grams of sugar (¾ cup)
-
- 2 tbsps butter
-
- 1 cup whole peeled hazelnuts
For this cake I also like to garnish with Ferrero Rocher chocolates - but that is completely up to you!
Instructions
Instructions
How to Make the Chocolate Cake
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- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
-
- Butter a 10x15 inch rimmed baking sheet (making sure to butter the sides!). Line with parchment paper.
-
- In a heat safe bowl (I like a big stainless steel mixing bowl) mix the eggs and the sugar together with a whisk (or in a stand mixer) for a few minutes until the eggs and sugar are fully blended and a light white in color.
-
- Place the bowl over a pot with a couple inches of boiling water in it to create a "bain marie" or double boiler. Reduce the heat to just a simmer underneath the bowl and whisk vigorously for 3-4 minutes to warm the mixture. Make sure to keep whisking - you don't want to make scrambled eggs!
-
- Transfer the egg mixture to your stand mixer. Beat on high for about 8 minutes until the eggs have tripled in volume. Add the vanilla and coffee and reduce speed to medium.
-
- Beat for 2 minutes more.
-
- Sift the cocoa, flour and baking soda into the batter, folding the ingredients into the bowl with a rubber spatula until all the ingredients are thoroughly mixed. You don't want to use the whisk anymore and fold gently so that the air stays in the mixture.
-
- Spread the batter evenly into the prepared baking sheet.
-
- Place in the center rack of the oven and allow to cook for 20-23 minutes until the cake springs back to the touch. Careful not to over bake the cake or it will crack!
-
- Invert onto a cooling rack and allow to cool for a few minutes and then tip over onto another cooling rack for another few minutes until you can handle the cake. The parchment paper should be underneath the cake. The parchment paper can be rolled up with the cake - no need to remove it.
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- Lay a clean dishcloth over the top of the cake.
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- Use a rolling pin over the dishcloth to compress the cake slightly - a thick cake makes for an uneven roll.
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- Begin rolling away from you from the short end of the cake.
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- Roll tightly using gentle pressure to not crack the cake until the cake is fully rolled up in the dishtowel.
-
- I like to tie each end of the dishtowel with elastics so that the roll stays in place.
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- Place the rolled cake in the fridge to cool while you are making the next steps.
How to Make Hazelnut Brittle
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- Place a sheet of parchment paper over a baking sheet. Set aside.
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- In a dry non-stick pan over medium heat pour in the sugar.
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- Mix constantly with a silicone spatula until it becomes light caramel colored. Do not let it get dark brown - that is burnt sugar! Discard and start again if it gets too dark.
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- Turn off the heat and add in the butter and hazelnuts.
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- Mix vigorously.
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- Pour onto the parchment paper and spread around so that there is a thin layer of caramel and hazelnuts.
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- Allow to cool for at least one hour on the counter.
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- Using the bottom of your sauce pan, hit the brittle to break it up into little pieces - don't go overboard - you don't want hazelnut brittle dust. Just a few swift taps will do. Careful not to eat it all before you decorate the cake - it is that good!
How to Make the Soaking Syrup
-
- In a stainless steel sauce pan over medium heat melt the sugar, water and vanilla. Allow to simmer for a few minutes to thicken.
-
- Remove from Heat
-
- Place in a bowl to chill on the counter until the cake is ready to assemble.
How to Make the Nutella Buttercream
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- In a stand mixer at medium speed, beat the 3 sticks of room temperature butter, 1.5 cups of confectioner's sugar (icing sugar) and 3 tablespoon of whole milk. Beat for a few minutes until fluffy and then add in Nutella, one tablespoon at a time, beating between each application.
-
- Set aside on the counter until ready to assemble.
How to Make Chocolate Ganache
(for more details and step by step photos refer to the Dark Chocolate Ganache Recipe here)
-
- Take the cream out of the fridge 30 minutes before you begin the recipe to allow it to warm a little.
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- Put the chocolate and butter into a heat safe bowl. I use these glass duralex bowls.
-
- Melt the chocolate. If you have a chocolate melt function on your microwave, feel free to use this. Or else use the bain-marie technique (put the chocolate in a double boiler - gently melt while stirring with a silicone spatula constantly over a few inches of boiling water). Whichever way you choose to melt your chocolate, make sure to stop before the chocolate is fully melted, while there still are a few big chunks of chocolate left.
-
- Stir with a silicone spatula (not a whisk!) to get all the chocolate clumps out. They will melt into the mixture.
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- Add the cream that has warmed to almost room temperature.
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- Continue to mix with the silicone spatula until the ganache is smooth and glossy.
-
- Allow the ganache to cool before adding it to your dessert.
Assembling the Bûche de Noël
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- Once the cake is fully cooled,unroll the cake from the dish towel and parchment paper.
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- Place on a cooling rack with a cooking sheet underneath to catch the drips of ganache you will pour over.
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- Generously spread the soaking syrup over the insides of the cake.
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- Add a thick layer of buttercream on the inside of the roll, leaving the last inch clear.
-
- Roll up the cake again, applying pressure so that there is a tight roll but not too much that you crack the cake. If the cake cracks, that is ok, just use buttercream to patch it up.
-
- Apply a thin layer of butter cream over the top of the cake and over the ends to seal in the cake.
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- Place in the fridge for a half hour. This might be a good opportunity to clean the kitchen 🙂
Decorating the Bûche de Noël
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- Once the buttercream has cooled and formed a seal around the cake, using a ladle, generously spoon the chocolate ganache over the cake. You want a thick layer.
-
- Using an icing spatula (one with an indent is best) smooth the ganache over the cake.
-
- Carefully transfer your cake onto a serving dish. Using a long spatula to lift it off the cooling rack.
-
- Any slip ups can be covered by smoothing more ganache over the top - don't worry.
-
- For the finishing touch, sprinkle the hazelnut brittle around the sides of the cake and over the top.
Notes
Storage Tips
Your Bûche de Noël will keep beautifully in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. The flavors deepen, the ganache sets even more nicely and the cake stays incredibly moist thanks to the soaking syrup.
You can also make parts of the recipe in advance - the soaking syrup, the chocolate ganache, and even the Nutella buttercream can all be prepared ahead of time. This helps immensely during the busy holiday season
Puhh Watt says
I’d highly recommend this recipe to anyone who loves homemade desserts with a touch of elegance and nostalgia. It’s clear the recipe is thoughtfully written step-by-step instructions, helpful tips for rolling the cake, and even suggestions for decorating and storing. Thank you this bûche definitely stole the show at our holiday table! 🎄