Vegan Yule Log Recipe

A vegan yule log is a soft chocolate sponge cake rolled around a light buttercream filling and coated in a whipped chocolate ganache, finished with sugar-coated cranberries for a festive touch. The sponge bakes in about 10 to 12 minutes, and rolling it while still warm keeps it from cracking, so the whole dessert can be ready and chilled within a few hours.

It also works well outside the festive season, so give this cake a try for birthdays too.

Below is a list of all the items you’ll need to make the yule log.

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Ingredients

For Chocolate Cake

• Cake flour: 1 ½ cups (190 g)
• Sugar: ¾ cup (150 g)
• Salt: ½ TSP (2.5 ml)
• Baking soda: 1 TSP (5 ml)
• Cocoa powder: ¼ cup (25 g)
• Vanilla extract: 1 ½ TSP (7.5 ml)
• Canola oil: 1/3 cup (80 ml)
• Apple cider vinegar: 1 TBSP (15 ml)
• Strong coffee: 1 cup (250 ml)

For Butter Cream Frosting

• Vegetable shortening: ¾ cup (150 g)
• Castor sugar: 2 ½ cups (550 g)
• Water: 2 TBSP (30 ml)
• Vanilla extract: 1 TSP (5 ml)
• Peppermint extract: 1/8 TSP (0.6 ml)

For Chocolate Ganache Topping

• Coconut milk: 1 cup (250 ml)
• Chocolate chips: 8 oz. (225 g)

Candied Cranberries

• Fresh cranberries: 12 oz. (340 g)
• Sugar: ½ cup (100 g)
• Water: ½ cup (125 ml)

Vegan Yule Log Recipe Directions

• Let the oven get preheated to 350°F (180°C).
• Take a baking tray and grease it with some vegan butter.
• Then line parchment paper over the tray to roll the baked cake easily without getting stick to the tray.
• To ease yourself with the cake rolling and unrolling process, you can also grease the parchment paper with butter. Don’t forget to sprinkle some flour over the parchment paper, which would facilitate you later on.
• Next, move on to making the cake batter. Take a large mixing bowl, add in the cake flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking soda, and sugar. Mix all the ingredients well.
• Now, add in all the wet ingredients, which include canola oil, vanilla extract, apple cider vinegar, and water. Mix it well until you get a clumps-free batter.
• Now pour this batter into the prepared baking tray.
• Tilt and tap the baking tray to evenly distribute the batter in the tray.
• Transfer the cake batter to the oven and bake it for about 10 to 12 minutes.
• Meanwhile, the cake is getting baked, move on to making a perfect buttercream frosting.

Buttercream Frosting for Vegan Yule Log

• To make the frosting, add vegetable shortening in the stand-mixer bowl, and mix it at a low speed for about one minute. Then slowly add in the sifted castor sugar, vanilla extract, peppermint extract, and some water to adjust a perfect frosting consistency. Again mix well at high speed.
• Take the cake out of the oven and roll it when it’s pretty warm.
• When the cake gets cooled, unroll it very carefully to apply buttercream frosting on it.
• When you are done with applying buttercream to the cake, roll it again.

Ganache Topping for Vegan Yule Log

• Now make the ganache topping. Take a bowl, add in coconut milk, and heat it for 30 seconds in a microwave.
• Then add chocolate chips to this heated coconut milk. Stir it to form a velvety smooth chocolate ganache topping.
• When the ganache topping gets cooled, whip it a little to give it a nice airy texture.

Candied Cranberries

• Next, take a saucepan on a burner, and pour in water and sugar. When the sugar gets melted, put in the cranberries, and give them a nice coat.
• Then transfer the sugar-coated cranberries on a piece of parchment paper, and let them cool down for an hour.
• Cut the rolled yule log into 3 parts, and move on to garnish them separately. Apply ganache chocolate frosting on the rolled chocolate cake.
• Transfer this cake to the refrigerator to get it chilled.
• Meanwhile, the cake is getting chilled, toss the cranberries in the powdered sugar.
• Take the cake out of the refrigerator, and serve it with sugar-coated cranberries.

Tips

• Pass all the dry ingredients through the sieve to make a smooth chocolate cake batter.
• You can also add cold coffee as a wet ingredient in place of water.
• If you find your ganache topping less sweet, you can add sugar according to your taste.
• Heat the coconut oil until it starts simmering.
• Allow the cake ganache to cool to a thick enough consistency that it spreads smoothly without dripping but isn’t so thick that it shreds the cake. If it becomes too stiff, microwave it for 10-second bursts.
• The preparation of candied cranberries is a completely optional step.
• You can also use plain white vinegar instead of apple cider vinegar.

FAQ

How to keep my yule log from cracking?

The issue is that when you try to roll the cake, it frequently cracks and breaks. We end up with something that looks more like shingles that have fallen off a roof than a nice roll! To avoid this, roll the cake while it’s still warm from the oven and the structure hasn’t entirely set. You’re not icing or finishing the cake just yet; you’re just trying to get it to keep the shape of a roll. If you are trying this recipe for the first time, you can also use a dish towel to roll the cake without getting it cracked. Simply wrap a clean dish towel around the hot cake and roll it into a log. The cloth will keep the cake from clinging to itself while also absorbing part of the moisture that the cooling roll produces. When the cake has cooled fully, gently unroll it, frost the inside, and roll it back up. Surprisingly, when you unroll the cake to add the frosting layer, it doesn’t crack! Working carefully and softly will ensure that the cake rolls up without a glitch.

How long does a vegan yule log keep?

Store the finished yule log in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 3 days. The buttercream and ganache are both dairy-free, so they hold up well chilled, but the sponge is best enjoyed within that window before it starts to dry out.

Can I make the sponge ahead of time?

Yes. You can bake and roll the plain sponge a day ahead, then keep it wrapped at room temperature. Unroll it, add the buttercream filling, roll it back up and finish with the ganache and candied cranberries closer to serving.

Nutrition Facts

• Calories per serving: 470
• Carbohydrates: 70g
• Fats: 8g
• Proteins: 7g

Note: This nutrition information is based on a rough estimation.

Conclusion

This vegan yule log takes a bit of practice with the rolling, but the result is a soft chocolate sponge that suits both Christmas and birthday celebrations. Let us know how it turns out if you give it a try.

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