White Birch Yule Log Cake

Make a White Birch Yule Log Cake for Christmas! It looks freshly harvested from the forest, but it’s a centerpiece that doubles as dessert.

Birch Yule Log Cake

Christmas wouldn’t be the same without my yearly endeavor of making a Bûche de Noel! You may remember some of my yule log cakes from Christmases past, such as this Black Forest version, or even this Mulled Wine Stump Cake. However, this one with tiled pieces of white candy birch ‘bark’ might be my favorite of them all!

Earlier this season a friend at HGTV asked if I’d be interested in styling a few tablescapes with matching edible centerpieces for the website. I was so honored and excited to be asked – yes! Anyone who knows me knows I love a beautifully set table and couldn’t wait to get started. I really loved creating this cake, and I feel the corresponding tablescape matches its woodsy-cozy appeal.

Birch Yule Log Cake and a Buffalo Plaid Tablescape!

I was inspired by classic Christmas red, pine and silver details. A few elements were crafted by hand, such as the birch covered vases (they are actually coffee cans!), and the rustic twig name card holders. 

View the entire tablescape gallery at this link. There you can better see the finer features and learn all the specifics in the gallery captions. I hope you enjoy it!

More about the cake!

The birch bark exterior is easy to make – you almost can’t mess it up! I took inspiration from a few sites on the web, namely this gorgeous layer cake by Cakegirls and this one from Canadian Living. Except I wanted the classic yule log shape for my cake.

Essentially, you’ll dip the flat edge of a cake smoother in melted semisweet chocolate and use it to imprint lines on parchment paper. Repeating this step in a staggered fashion will create a pattern that resembles birch tree bark. You can even  swirl on a few irregular looking tree knots with a small paintbrush.  

The birch pattern is chilled until firm, and then white melted candy is smoothed on top and chilled again.

When the candy piece is turned out, it can be broken into irregular pieces. These don’t have to be any particular shape, but I found that long, rectangular pieces tile more easily on the cake.

Birch Yule Log Cake

Mmm… pumpkin roll!

Birch Yule Log Cake

The candy pieces are layered onto the fresh buttercream, slightly overlapping. 

Birch Yule Log Cake
White Birch Yule Log Cake

I decided this birch log should be resting on a forest floor, so I pulverized some pistachios for a bed of moss. Bright red mushrooms are made from white modeling chocolate and mini soft-baked cookies dipped in red melted candy.

Birch Yule Log Cake

For the recipe and complete tutorial with lots of images, visit HGTV.com at the following link:  Birch Bark Yule Log Recipe on HGTV.com

I really enjoyed crafting and curating pieces for this festive table.  I hope you enjoy browsing all the little details! Cozy Up to This Buffalo Plaid Christmas Table Setting on HGTV.com

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Coco Cake Land
Coco Cake Land
3 years ago

Heather!! Of course you have the cutest Yule log cake elements that have ever existed! So many clever ideas here, I’ve been waiting to make my Yule log for many weeks lol! So glad I saw yours. The mushrooms are killing me!! Happy holidays sweet friend. Xo Lyndsay

Lou
Lou
1 year ago

Oh no! The recipe isn’t available outside the US on the site 😭