This vegan chocolate Yule log cake is a delicious twist on the traditional Christmas dessert! It’s a dreamy combination of a light and fluffy chocolate sponge, layers of rich chestnut cream filling, homemade orange jelly and a dairy-free dark chocolate ganache. It’s very easy to make at home and to put together, for a beautiful and decadent centerpiece to end your festive diner on a delectable sweet touch.

The traditional French festive dessert made vegan

What is Yule log cake?

A Yule log cake, also known as “Bûche De Noël”, is a popular French dessert served during Christmas. It’s based on an old tradition that for Christmas, people would carefully pick a tree to decorate their home and place the largest end into the fire. Traditionally, a yule log cake is a chocolate sponge cake roll filled with buttercream and covered with chocolate ganache to make it look like an actual log. It’s rich, soft and absolutely delicious!

Vegan chocolate Yule log cake with hazelnut chestnut cream

The traditional Yule log cake requires a lot of egg whites to make the sponge and dairy products for the cream and chocolate ganache. For this reason it’s not vegan and often very rich and heavy, not necessarily the kind of dessert you want to end an already large festive meal!

The version I’m sharing with you is a wonderful light and vegan twist on the classic recipe. This cake has three layers of tender and moist chocolate sponge cake, topped with a rich chestnut hazelnut cream filling, fresh and zingy orange jelly, the whole covered with dark chocolat ganache and decorated with chocolate shaves, caramelized hazelnuts and orange zest! Just the perfect decadent, delicious and sophisticated festive dessert.

This vegan Christmas Yule log cake is completely dairy free, refined sugar free, and easily made gluten free as well! Don’t be fooled by the apparences, despite its several layers and fancy look, this vegan Yule log cake is very easy to make with only simple ingredients and no spécifique equipment. The kind of recipe that will impress your guests and please everyone, vegan or not.

Chocolate sponge cake

What is chocolate sponge cake and how to make it?

First thing to make for vegan chocolate Yule log cake is to prepare the sponge cake. A sponge cake is a type of very airy and fluffy cake that is usually used to make Yule log cake. Traditionally, a sponge cake is made with whipped egg whites which provides airiness and flexibility to the cake. This is especially important for rolled Yule log, as you need a soft and moist cake to roll without it crumbles and falls apart. In this twisted Yule log, we don’t need to care too much about this point as we don’t roll the cake but make layers instead. However, nobody likes a dry and crumbly chocolate cake. So we’ll make sure that the chocolate sponge cake is still rich and fluffy anyways.

Make chocolate sponge

Making the chocolate sponge cake is just as simple as making a basic chocolate cake. You can find the ingredients list and detailed instructions in the recipe card below. Here are the main steps:

1. Whisk the milk, yogurt, melted coconut oil, coconut sugar and vanilla in a large bowl until fully combined.
2. Sift the dry ingredients into the bowl and mix to combine, just until a smooth batter forms.
3. Pour the batter into two lined baking tins and spread in an even layer using a spatula.
4. Bake for 12-14 minutes or until the cake is set and a toothpick comes out clean.
5. Remove the cake from the oven. Place on a cooling rack and cover with foil or a clean wet towel to keep the moisture. Leave to cool completely before removing from the tins, trimming the edges and cutting in half.

Tips to make a perfectly moist and soft sponge cake

• Don’t over-mix the sponge cake batter. To get a light and flexible sponge cake, mix the batter by hand just to combine the ingredients and stop as soon as there are no lumps left. Don’t use an electric mixer or a food processor to mix the dough.
• Sift the dry ingredients in the wet mixture. Sifting the flour, hazelnut meal, cacao powder and baking powder helps to get a light, airy and homogeneous texture while avoiding to create lumps.
• Spread the batter into an even layer, and use an offset spatula to smooth the surface. Make sure to tap the tray on the worktop to remove any air bubbles and to spread the batter to the corners.
• Don’t over-bake the cake, or it will turn dry. You will know when it’s done when you put a knife in and it comes out clean and it is soft to the touch. It should springs back when gently pressed with a finger.

Make the chestnut cream filling

I think I have a current addiction with chestnuts! It’s one of my favorite product of this Fall / Winter season. Not only I love its unique nutty flavor but also its dreamy smoothness. Cooked chestnuts is an incredible ingredient to use in may recipes, especially to make thick, smooth and rich creams. In some ways, the chestnuts in this recipe replace the soaked cashews that we could have used to make a plant-based buttercream filling.

For this chestnut cream filling you need cooked chestnut, hazelnut butter, maple syrup, dairy-free milk, vanilla extract and a pinch of ground cinnamon. I recommend to use natural canned water chestnuts, without added sugar. They are the easiest to work with in this recipe. Hazelnut butter is the best for flavor but if you don’t have hazelnut butter at home you can also use almond, cashew, tahini or even sunflower seed butter.

To make the cream, start by draining the canned chestnuts and add them to a blender with the rest of the ingredients. Blend until you get a perfectly smooth cream with no chunks. This can take a little time depending on the power of your blender. Transfer the chestnut cream filling to a pipping bag and place in the fridge to set for 1 hour, until you’re ready to assemble the vegan Yule log cake.

Make the orange jelly

Chocolate and orange is a well known flavors pairing that works very well! The orange jelly in this chocolate Yule log cake brings a punchy touch of fruitiness and tanginess that perfectly balances the richness of the chocolate. Fruit marmelades are traditionally made with fresh fruits and a (huge) quantity of sugar, usually white refined sugar. Thus most of the marmelades you can find at the supermarket are often very sweet. So I want to propose a very easy homemade orange jelly, that keeps all the delicious flavors of the fruit without the sugar.

This orange jelly is made with fresh oranges, maple syrup as sweetener, ginger powder, and agar-agar as binding agent. Agar-agar is a plant-based gelatin derived from seaweed that is used in recipes as a stabilizing and thickening agent. You can easily find it in any grocery store, in the form of powder, flakes or bars. I personally prefer to use agar-agar powder that is easy to integrate in the preparation.

To make the jelly, you first need to extract the orange wedges. Using a sharp knife, peel the oranges to completely remove the skin. Make sure there is no white skin remaining. Carefully hold the peeled orange in your hand and cut downward between the membrane and the segment to remove only the flesh. Then blend the orange flesh, maple syrup, agar-agar and ginger until no chunks remain. Pour the liquid in a small sauce pan and bring to a boil. You need to boil agar-agar to activate it. Simmer for 2 minutes while constantly whisking until the mixture starts to thicken. Then pour in a flat and wide container and place in fridge to completely cool down and set, for about 1 hour.
Once the jelly has solidified, use a fork to break it into a grainy marmelade.

How to store vegan chocolate Yule log cake

Because the cream filling and orange jelly contain moisture, this vegan Yule log is best to consume on the same day you make it. Don’t leave the cake out as the cream and the ganache will start to soften. Once assembled, store your vegan yule log in the fridge until ready to serve. I even recommend to store the finished cake in the fridge for about 30 minutes before serving. This allows the chocolate ganache and chestnut cream filling to firm and make the cake easier to cut in slices.

If you want to prepare your cake the day before, make the different elements – sponge cake, cream filling, orange jelly and chocolate ganache, and store them separately in airtight containers in the fridge. Assemble the Yule log cake when you’re ready to serve or slightly before.

Store the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Variations and substitutions

Can I make this vegan chocolate Yule log gluten free?

This vegan Yule log is not gluten free as the chocolate sponge cake is made with all-purpose flour. It’s actually the only preparation of the dessert that has gluten. For gluten free, I recommend to replace all-purpose flour with a 1-to-1 baking flour mix. You can find gluten-free flour blends at the grocery store or make your own mix. I didn’t test a gluten-free version of this recipe. If you do so, please let me know in the comments below!

What can I use instead of the chestnut cream?

If you don’t like chestnuts or if you want something different, you can substitute the chestnut cream with any of your favorite cream filling. Buttercream made with dairy-free butter, cashews, chocolate, nuts or dry fruits work well. For instance, you can try this buckwheat and cashew cream, this dry plums caramel frosting, white beans coconut cream or this simple cashew cream from my Black Forest brownie recipe.

How can I replace the orange jelly?

If the orange is not your think, you can replace it with any other fruit to make your homemade jelly. Mango, berries, pineapple or passion fruit work well with the chocolate hazelnut and chestnut flavors. But if you’re in a hurry and don’t have the time to make your own jelly, you can also use a store-bought jelly or marmelade. I recommend to use a product with a high fruit content and not too sweet.

Love this vegan chocolate Yule log? For more vegan festive desserts, check out these recipes

• Gingerbread Cranberry Orange Cheesecake GF
• Cookie Dough & Caramel Baked Cheesecake GF
• Lemon & Poppy seeds Raw Cheesecake GF
• Black Forest Brownies GF
• Banana Tarte Tatin
• Creamy Hazelnut Baked Cheesecake GF

I love to see your creations! Don’t forget to tag me @alicepages on your photos on Instagram and give your feedback in the comments below if you make this recipe at home! Your opinion is my best reward.

Vegan Chocolate Yule Log Christmas cake with Chestnut Cream filling

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• Author: Alice Pagès
• Prep Time: 40 minutes
• Rest Time: 1 hour
• Cook Time: 15 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour 55 minutes
• Yield: 4 servings 1x
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Oven
• Cuisine: French
• Diet: Vegan

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Description

This vegan Yule log cake is layers of tender chocolate sponges topped with a rich chestnut cream filling, orange jelly and covered with chocolate ganache. An easy, beautiful and delicious twist on the traditional Christmas dessert!

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Ingredients

Units MUS Scale 1x2x3x

Chocolate sponge cake

• 90 ml dairy-free milk (almond or soya work best)
• 150 g plain dairy-free yogurt
• 50 g coconut oil, melted
• 60 g coconut sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 130 g all-purpose flour
• 50 g hazelnut meal
• 20 g unsweetened cacao powder
• 10 g baking powder
• 1 pinch of salt
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• Zest from half an orange

Chestnut cream filling

• 120 g canned cooked water chestnuts
• 40 g hazelnut butter
• 20 g maple syrup
• 70 ml dairy-free milk (almond or soya)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Orange jelly

• 2 oranges
• 20 g maple syrup
• 2 g agar-agar powder
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger

Chocolate ganache

• 60 g dark chocolate
• 50 ml dairy-free milk (soya works best)

Additional toppings

• Roasted caramelized hazelnuts
• Shaved chocolate
• Orange zests

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Instructions

Chocolate sponge cake

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F / 180°C and line two 6×6 inch (16 x 16 cm) baking tins with parchment paper. You can also use a bigger tin as long as you can cut out three rectangles of dimension 6×3 inch (8 x 16 cm) at the end.
2. In a large bowl, mix the milk, yogurt, melted coconut oil, coconut sugar and vanilla. Whisk until fully combined and smooth.
3. Then sift the dry ingredients into the bowl – flour, hazelnut meal, cacao powder, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger and orange zest. Mix to combine, just until a smooth batter forms. Be careful not to over-mix.
4. Pour the batter into the prepared tins and spread in an even layer. Smooth the surface with a spatula. Bake for 12-14 minutes or until the cake is set and a toothpick comes out clean.
5. Remove the sponge cake from the oven, place on a cooling rack and cover with foil or a clean wet towel to keep the moisture. Leave to cool completely.

Chestnut cream filling

1. Drain the canned chestnuts and add to a blender with the rest of the ingredients. Blend until the cream is perfectly smooth and no chunks remain. This can take a little time depending on the power of your blender.
2. Transfer the chestnut cream to a pipping bag and place in the fridge to set for 1 hour.

Orange jelly

1. Using a sharp knife, peel the oranges to completely remove the skin. Make sure there is no white skin remaining. Carefully hold the peeled orange in your hand cut downward between the membrane and the segment to remove only the flesh.
2. Add the orange flesh, maple syrup, agar-agar and ginger to a blender and blend until no chunks remain.
3. Pour the liquid in a small sauce pan and bring to a boil. Cook for 2 minutes while constantly whisking until it starts to thicken.
4. Pour in a flat and wide container and place in fridge to completely cool down and set, for about 1 hour.
5. Once the jelly has solidified, use a fork to break it into a grainy marmelade. Store in fridge until assembly.

Chocolate ganache

1. Chop the chocolate and add into a bowl.
2. Heat the milk in a sauce pan until it’s hot but not boiling.
3. Pour the hot milk on the chocolate and leave to melt for about 3 minutes, without whisking.
4. Whisk to completely melt the chocolate and until fully combined. Let the ganache cooling down at room temperature for 15 min to firm. It will be easier to work with and spread on the cake.

Assembly

1. Once all the elements are ready, it’s time to assemble the vegan Yule log cake. When the chocolate sponge cakes are completely cool, carefully remove from the baking tins. Trim the ends to neat them and cut the cake sheets in half to get four same rectangles – We gonna use only 3 of them. 
2. Place one piece of chocolate sponge cake onto a plate. Pipe a layer of chestnut cream on the cake, and add a layer of orange jelly on top. Cover with an other piece of cake rep with a layer of chestnut cream, orange jelly, and finish with a third piece of cake.
3. Spread the chocolate ganache on top of the log cake. Decorate with chocolate shaves, caramelized hazelnuts and orange zest. Store any leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

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Notes

1. The quantities indicated in the recipe lead to a medium / small Yule log cake, about 4 servings. For a larger cake, don’t hesitate to increase the quantities of each preparation.
2. For a quick version, you can replace the homemade orange jelly with store-bought marmelade.

Recette version française

Bûche de Noël Vegan chocolat châtaigne et orange

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• Author: Alice Pagès
• Prep Time: 40 minutes
• Temps repos: 1 heure
• Cook Time: 15 minutes
• Total Time: 1 heure 55 minutes
• Yield: 4 personnes 1x
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Four
• Cuisine: Française
• Diet: Vegan

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Description

Cette bûche de Noël vegan se compose d’une génoise au cacao, d’une crème onctueuse à la châtaigne et à la noisette, d’une gelée d’orange rafraichissante, le tout surmonté d’une ganache au chocolat.

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Ingredients

Units MUS Scale 1x2x3x

Génoise au chocolat

• 90 ml de lait végétal (amande ou soja de préférence)
• 150 g de yaourt végétal nature non sucré
• 50 g d’huile de coco fondue (ou huile végétale neutre – tournesol, arachide, colza …)
• 60 g de sucre de coco
• 1 cuillère à c. d’extrait de vanille
• 130 g de farine de blé T55
• 50 g de poudre de noisettes
• 20 g de cacao en poudre
• 10 g de levure chimique
• 1 pincée de sel
• 1/2 cuillère à c. de cannelle en poudre
• 1/4 cuillère à c. de gingembre en poudre
• Le zeste d’une demie orange

Crème à la châtaigne

• 120 g de châtaignes entières pelées cuites
• 40 g de purée de noisettes
• 20 g de sirop d’érable
• 70 ml de lait végétal
• 1 cuillère à c. d’extrait de vanille
• 1/2 cuillère à c. de cannelle en poudre

Gelée d’oranges

• 2 oranges
• 20 g de sirop d’érable
• 2 g d’agar-agar en poudre
• 1/2 cuillère à c. de gingembre en poudre

Ganache au chocolat

• 60 g de chocolat noir dessert
• 50 ml de lait végétal nature (soja ou amande de préférence)

Décoration

• Copeaux de chocolat noir
• Noisettes caramélisées
• Zestes d’orange

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Instructions

Génoise au chocolat

1. Préchauffer le four à 180°C et chemiser deux moules de dimensions environ 16 x 16 cm avec du papier cuisson. Vous pouvez également utiliser un seul moule plus grand, l’important et de pouvoir découper trois rectangles de dimension 8 x 16 cm au final.
2. Dans un grand saladier, mélanger le lait, le yaourt, l’huile, le sucre de coco et la vanille.
3. Ajouter en tamisant la farine, la poudre de noisettes, le cacao en poudre, la levure, le sel, la cannelle, le gingembre et le zeste d’orange. Mélanger pour incorporer les ingrédients et obtenir une pâte lisse et homogène. Attention à ne pas trop travailler la pâte.
4. Verser la pâte dans les moules et l’étaler en une couche régulière. Cuire pendant 12 à 14 minutes, jusqu’à ce que la génoise soit sèche et moelleuse au toucher, et que la pointe d’un couteau en ressorte propre.
5. Retirer du four et placer les moules sur une grille de refroidissement. Recouvrir avec un torchon propre ou une feuille de papier aluminium pour éviter que la génoise ne sèche. Laisser refroidir complètement.

Crème à la châtaigne

1. Egoutter les châtaignes et les ajouter dans un blender avec le reste des ingrédients. Mixer pour obtenir une crème bien lisse et onctueuse, sans morceaux. Cela peut prendre quelques minutes en fonction de la puissance du blender.
2. Transférer la crème dans une poche à douille et réserver au frais pendant 1 heure pour que la crème se raffermisse.

Gelée d’oranges

1. A l’aide d’un couteau, éplucher les oranges de façon à retirer complètement la peau et la pellicule blanche, et lever les quartiers en prenant soin de retire la membrane.
2. Placer les quartiers d’orange, le sirop d’érable, l’agar-agar et le gingembre en poudre dans un blender et mixer pour obtenir un jus.
3. Verser le liquide dans une petite casserole. Porter à ébullition puis faire cuire pendant 2 minutes en mélangeant constamment au fouet pour activer l’agar-agar.
4. Retirer du feu et verser la préparation dans un récipient large à fond plat. Placer au réfrigérateur pendant 1 heure pour que le mélange durcisse.
5. Quand la gelée a bien prise, l’émietter avec une fourchette pour obtenir une gelée granuleuse. Réserver au frais jusqu’au moment de l’assemblage.

Ganache au chocolat

1. Hacher le chocolat en morceaux et le déposer dans un bol.
2. Faire chauffer le lait dans une casserole sans le faire bouillir.
3. Verser le lait chaud sur la chocolat et laisser fondre 3 minutes sans remuer.
4. Mélanger pour faire fondre complètement le chocolat et obtenir une ganache bien lisse. Laisser la ganache refroidir pendant 15 minutes à température ambiante pour qu’elle soit plus facile à travailler.

Assemblage

1. Une fois que la génoise a complètement refroidi, démouler délicatement. Couper les bords pour les égaliser et couper chaque génoise en deux pour obtenir 4 rectangles identiques – nous n’en utiliserons que 3.
2. Déposer un rectangle de génoise dans un plat. Pocher la crème à la châtaigne sur toute la génoise puis recouvrir avec une couche de gelée à l’orange. Déposer un second rectangle de génoise par-dessus puis répéter les étapes avec une couche de crème à la châtaigne et une couche de gelée. Terminer avec une génoise.
3. Pour finir, étaler la ganache au chocolat au dessus de la bûche et décorer avec des copeaux de chocolat, des noisettes caramélisées et des zests d’orange.
4. Réserver la bûche au frais jusqu’au moment de servir. Elle se conserve jusqu’à 4 jours dans un récipient hermétique au réfrigérateur.

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Notes

1. Les quantités indiquées dans la recette permettent de réaliser une bûche de taille moyenne, pour environ 4 personnes. Pour réaliser un plus gros gateau, n’hésitez pas à augmenter les quantités de chaque préparation.
2. Pour une version express, remplacer la gelée d’orange maison par de la confiture d’orange en bocal.