Black Forest Bûche de Noël

Black Forest Bûche de Noël

Bûche de Noël is one of my favorite traditional Christmas cakes to make because it is equal parts delicious and beautiful. It’s a holiday centerpiece you can eat! I’ve made a few different versions over the years including 2015’s Mulled Wine Stump de Noël, a Mint Chocolate Cheesecake Yule Log in 2013, and as far back as 2009 (my first year blogging!) with a step-by-step version that still sees a lot of traffic each December.

I’m happy to add another flavor to the list with this Black Forest Swiss roll. Tart black cherry plays well with dark chocolate sponge cake, and whipped vanilla buttercream tips to lighter side and gives the cake balance.

Black Forest Bûche de Noël

Black Forest cake is known for its whipped cream component, but I’ve  replaced it (somewhat hesitantly) with a sturdier vanilla buttercream frosting. The consistency stands up better to the dense sponge cake and it slices neatly. Feel free to swap out the whipped vanilla buttercream for sweetened whipped cream if you prefer (or if you’re a purist!).

Black Forest Bûche de Noël

I decided that this cake needed something different than the usual meringue mushrooms, so I fashioned some colorful faux fungi from ready-made dipped meringues and macaron shells. They are really easy to make and using purchased cookies will greatly shortcut the work. Dip the stem bottoms of the mushrooms in poppy seed, and sprinkle the macaron tops with white confetti.

You can best see the assembly process in the following video!

Black Forest Bûche de Noël
Black Forest Bûche de Noël

I’ve been using fondant impression mats more than ever lately. My mom gifted me a wood grain matfor my birthday last year, and I’ve been saving it for just this occasion. Dark chocolate fondant is the best-tasting of all fondant (in my opinion) and after a roll across the wood grain texture mat it was a perfect fit for this cake. I think it turned out really pretty. I’m sure I’ll be using the mat for more woodland treats this winter – it’s so fun!

Black Forest Bûche de Noël
Black Forest Bûche de Noël

This recipe calls for kirschwasser, which is a cherry liqueur. If you’re serving this to children or would like to omit the alcohol you may replace it with simple syrup or cherry juice.

I’m so glad I found time to make a Yule Log Cake this year. It’s a lovely tradition that always makes my spirits bright!

Black Forest Bûche de Noël

Heather Baird
To make this cake exactly as I did, you will need a large wood grain texture mat for the fondant design. See blog post for sources.
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 8

Equipment

  • wood grain texture mat

Ingredients
 
 

Swiss roll

  • 4 eggs
  • 3/4 cup 150g granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • 2 tablespoon buttermilk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3/4 cup 90g all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup 25g dark cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 cup 30g powdered sugar

Vanilla Buttercream

  • 1 cup/226g unsalted butter softened
  • 2 1/2 -3 cups/320 to 384g confectioners’ sugar
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1/4 to 1/3 cup 60-80ml heavy cream
  • 1/3 cup about 4 ounces prepared black cherry jam
  • 1/2 cup 120ml kirschwasser cherry liqueur or cherry juice or simple syrup

Decor

  • 1/2 lb. dark chocolate fondant
  • Chocolate twigs optional
  • 3 prepared French macarons
  • 6 prepared chocolate-dipped meringues
  • Corn syrup or honey
  • 1 tablespoon white confetti sprinkles
  • 2 tablespoons poppy seed

Instructions
 

  • To make the cake, preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a 15×10-inch jelly roll pan and line with parchment paper.
  • Place eggs in large bowl; beat using electric mixer on high speed 5 minutes. The whipped eggs will become thick and lightened in color. With the mixer still running, slowly add sugar and oil, followed by buttermilk and vanilla.
  • In a separate bowl, sift together flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt. Slowly add to the liquid ingredients. Mix until well combined. Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth evenly with a rubber spatula. Bake 12-15 minutes. Cake is done when it springs back when pressed with fingers.
  • Sprinkle a tea towel with powdered sugar and rub sugar into towel with your hands. Immediately turn cake out onto the sugar-covered tea towel. Peel off the parchment paper and roll cake into the tea towel, beginning at the narrow end. Place rolled cake on a wire rack, seam-side down, and let cool completely while you make the vanilla buttercream
  • Make the frosting: In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, mix together the butter and confectioners’ sugar. Begin on low speed until crumbly, and then increase to high and beat for 3 minutes.
  • Add vanilla extract and beat again for another minute. Add heavy cream 2 tablespoons at a time while mixing on high until the mixture is light and fluffy. Transfer the frosting to a piping bag with the tip snipped.
  • Assembly: Unroll the cooled Swiss roll cake carefully. Spread the inside with the black cherry jam. Evenly pipe lines of frosting down the length of the cake and smooth with a spatula (you may not have to use all of the frosting). Roll up the cake and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.
  • Unwrap the cake and place on a serving platter. Generously brush the kirschwasser all over the surface of the cake using a pastry brush.
  • Knead the chocolate fondant and roll it flat on a work surface. Transfer it to a wood grain texture mat and roll again briefly. Flip the mat over and peel it away from the fondant. Cover cake with the fondant piece and trim away excess with a sharp knife. Place the chocolate twigs around the edges of the cake, if using.
  • Make the mushroom decors: Use a paring knife to separate the macaron shells. Set aside.
  • Using a paintbrush, lightly coat the flat bottoms of the meringues with corn syrup or honey. Dip the bottoms into poppy seed and set aside to dry.
  • Sparsely brush corn syrup over the macaron shells. Sprinkle white confetti sprinkles over the shells. Let dry about 10 minutes.
  • Place a dot of corn syrup on the pointed end of each meringue and gently press a macaron shell on top, so that it becomes the top of the toadstool. Let dry for 10 minutes. Use the mushrooms to decorate the yule log cake.
  • Store cake loosely covered in plastic wrap in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature before serving.
Keyword black cherries, christmas cake, macarons, yule log
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
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Giselle @ The Busy Spatula
Giselle @ The Busy Spatula
6 years ago

Beautiful work as always! Love the different way you made the mushrooms and the texture of the cake looks exactly like a log.

satsuma
satsuma
6 years ago

Stunningly beautiful! Thanks so much for the inspiration!

Natalie
Natalie
6 years ago

What a beautiful Buche de Noel! I love the idea of making macaron mushrooms – so cute!

Kate
Kate
6 years ago

Hi, Heather! Do you have a recipe for homemade chocolate fondant that would work?

Heather Baird
Heather Baird
6 years ago
Reply to  Kate

Hi Kate! I wish I had a trusty recipe for you! I only have a vanilla fondant recipe, and I've yet to venture into chocolate fondant territory. I used Satin Ice dark chocolate fondant for this recipe. It tastes like a tootsie roll, but more chocolaty.

I hope to add chocolate fondant to my recipe index in 2018. Thanks for asking! xo-h

Kate
Kate
6 years ago

Oh, good luck with the chocolate fondant!! I'll be waiting patiently. I'm going to do your Buche de Noel w/raspberry. I'll let you know how it goes!

Anonymous
Anonymous
6 years ago

Did you buy the meringues from anywhere on the internet? Would just make my Christmas baking life easier 🙂

Heather Baird
Heather Baird
6 years ago
Reply to  Anonymous

Hi! I completely understand. 🙂

I purchased them from World Market, but they are available only in-store. However! You might order some plain meringues and dip them in chocolate at home. Or you could just use un-dipped like these (link follows), that you can order from Amazon!
http://amzn.to/2yFTZxN

Den M
Den M
3 months ago

Heather, I want to do a test version before diving in for Christmas. I note on the video you switch from whisk to paddle to incorporate dry into wet. I was going to fold in until I saw the video and then wondered if the video was just for a quick overall view of the process or can a paddle be used successfully? Also, generally and specifically here do your recipes default to table or diamond salt unless indicated otherwise? Thank you.

Pamela
Pamela
2 months ago

Where is the “video below” that describes the mushroom creating processing. I’ve looked everywhere on the page and cannot find it.

Den M
Den M
1 month ago

Heather, this cake was a star of the Christmas table, I am doing again with a Valentines theme for a dinner party! When I did for Christmas, the cake stuck to the prepared towel and made a mess although the frosting and decorations covered it! Are there any tips you can offer for my next go round? Is sugared parchment any less troublesome than sugared towel? Are there any tricks or precautions you can suggest that might help a novice get better results?