What is a Bûche de Noël made of?

A Bûche de Noël is made of a soft sponge cake that’s filled with a rich fluffy buttercream and rolled into a log. It’s typically covered in chocolate frosting (textured to resemble tree bark) and garnished with meringue mushrooms, sugared cranberries, and powdered sugar.

How long will a Bûche de Noël keep?

This Yule log cake tastes best within two days. Leftover cake may be loosely covered with plastic wrap and stored in the refrigerator for up to two days; let it stand at room temperature for an hour before serving.

Julia Child's Bûche de Noël

Active Time:

1 hr 55 mins

Chill Time:

1 hr

Total Time:

4 hrs 35 mins

Servings:

Baking and decorating a bûche de Noël is not for the faint of heart — but the showstopping seasonal dessert is well worth the effort. In the spirit of tradition, we are revisiting Julia Child’s classic recipe, which features an orange sponge cake, a chocolate-orange filling, and a ganachelike topping. We adjusted the instructions to make it easier to make each component before assembling the final dessert.

The cake is ultra-moist and tender, with a light citrus flavor from fresh orange juice. It’s reminiscent of a French-inspired financier with a fine crumb and texture from blanched almond flour. The chocolate-meringue filling is light and mousselike, while the frosting resembles a luscious, rich ganache.

Complete the Yule log look with the meringue mushrooms, which offer a crunchy contrast to the soft, supple cake. Dust it with cocoa powder and powdered sugar just before serving.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a Bûche de Noël made of?

A Bûche de Noël is made of a soft sponge cake that’s filled with a rich fluffy buttercream and rolled into a log. It’s typically covered in chocolate frosting (textured to resemble tree bark) and garnished with meringue mushrooms, sugared cranberries, and powdered sugar.
How long will a Bûche de Noël keep?

This Yule log cake tastes best within two days. Leftover cake may be loosely covered with plastic wrap and stored in the refrigerator for up to two days; let it stand at room temperature for an hour before serving.

Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen

Time is of the essence when working with the warm cake before rolling it. You want to work quickly so it doesn’t cool too much and remains pliable.

When spreading the filling or frosting on the tender cake, it helps to spread in one direction; a back-and-forth motion is more likely to pull up crumbs. Spreading on a very thin layer of frosting over the cake first can help lock in crumbs — this is called a crumb coat. If you have time, you could pop the cake in the refrigerator and let it chill until slightly firm (about 20 to 30 minutes) to further lock everything in place before spreading on frosting.

Make ahead

You can make the Italian meringue, mushrooms, and chocolate-meringue filling up to two days in advance. Store the prepared mushroom caps and stems in an airtight container at room temperature for one to two days. When ready to use, let filling and frosting stand at room temperature, stirring occasionally, until softened, two hours and 30 minutes to three hours.

Alternatively, you can also bake the cake one day in advance. Cool it and fill it, then wrap the filled log in plastic wrap and refrigerate it overnight with the frosting stored in a separate airtight container.

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Ingredients

Italian Meringue

1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup water
3 large egg whites, at room temperature
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/16 teaspoon fine sea salt

Meringue Mushrooms

1/2 cup Italian Meringue

Frosting and Filling

12 ounces 56% cacao semisweet baking chocolate, coarsely chopped (about 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons)
1/3 cup hot strong brewed coffee
2 3/4 cups Italian Meringue
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup unsalted butter (4 ounces), at room temperature, divided

Orange Sponge Cake

Unsalted butter, for greasing pan
3/4 cup blanched almonds (about 4 1/2 ounces)
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided
3 large eggs, separated, at room temperature
2 teaspoons grated orange zest plus 2 1/2 tablespoons fresh orange juice (from 1 large orange)
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 cup cake flour (about 2 1/8 ounces), plus more for dusting pan
3 tablespoons powdered sugar, divided

Bûche de Noël

2 1/2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa, plus more for dusting
2 to 4 teaspoons fresh orange juice (about 1 large orange) or dark rum
Powdered sugar, for dusting cake
Sugared cranberries and fresh rosemary, for garnish (optional)

Directions

Make the Italian meringue

Place sugar and 1/2 cup water in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil, stirring occasionally, over medium-high, about 5 minutes. Once boiling, cook without stirring until syrup registers 238°F on a candy thermometer, 4 to 5 minutes. Use a pastry brush dipped in water to dissolve any sugar on sides of pan.
Meanwhile, add egg whites, cream of tartar, and salt to bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment; beat on medium speed until soft peaks form, 2 to 3 minutes. With the mixer running on medium speed, add hot sugar syrup in a thin stream to egg white mixture. Increase mixer speed to high; beat until meringue is just slightly warm to the touch and stiff peaks form, 5 to 7 minutes.
Make the meringue mushrooms

Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Christina Daley

Preheat oven to 200°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Fill a pastry bag fitted with a 3/8-inch round tip with Italian meringue. Pipe 8 to 10 (3/4- to 1 1/4-inch-wide) kisses onto prepared baking sheet for mushroom caps, spacing them about 1/2 inch apart. Using a dampened finger, smooth the pointy tops to create rounded mounds, if desired. Pipe 8 to 10 (1/2-inch-wide, 3/4-inch-tall) kisses onto baking sheet to create mushroom stems, spacing about 1/2 inch apart. (Use any excess meringue to pipe more caps and stems, if desired.) Bake in preheated oven until meringues are dry to the touch and easily release from the parchment paper, about 1 hour. Transfer baking sheet to a wire rack, and let meringues cool completely, 30 to 45 minutes. Set aside or store until ready to use.
Make the frosting and filling

Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Christina Daley

Meanwhile, bring a saucepan filled with about 1 inch of water to a simmer over medium. Combine chocolate and coffee in a medium-size heatproof bowl; set bowl over simmering water, and cook, stirring frequently, until chocolate is melted and smooth, about 4 minutes. Transfer chocolate mixture to a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, and let cool until the mixture is warm to the touch, about 15 minutes. Add Italian meringue, vanilla, and 1/4 cup butter; beat on medium speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Transfer 2 2/3 cups frosting to a medium bowl. (Leave remaining chocolate mixture in stand mixer.) Cover and chill frosting until firm and spreadable, about 1 hour and 30 minutes or store until ready to use.
Meanwhile, add remaining 1/4 cup butter to remaining chocolate mixture in stand mixer (about 3/4 cup); beat on medium speed until combined, about 2 minutes. Cover and set filling aside, or chill until ready to use.
Make the orange sponge cake

Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 17 1/2- x 12 1/2-inch rimmed baking sheet with butter; line bottom of pan with parchment paper. Butter and flour parchment paper and sides of baking sheet. Set aside.
Combine almonds and 3 tablespoons granulated sugar in a food processor; pulse until finely ground, about 3 minutes. Beat egg yolks and 1/2 cup granulated sugar in a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment on high speed until pale and thick, about 4 minutes. Reduce mixer speed to low, and add ground almond mixture, orange zest and juice, and almond extract; beat until just combined, 15 to 30 seconds. Sift in flour; fold flour into egg yolk mixture using a silicone spatula until blended. Transfer yolk mixture to a large bowl; set aside. Thoroughly clean mixer bowl and whisk attachment.
Beat egg whites in a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment on high speed until foamy, 15 to 30 seconds. Gradually add remaining 3 tablespoons granulated sugar, beating just until meringue forms stiff peaks, 15 to 30 seconds. Stir about one-fourth of the egg white mixture (about 3/4 cup) into yolk mixture. Fold in remaining egg white mixture until combined. Spread batter evenly onto prepared baking sheet; bake in preheated oven until cake is lightly golden and springs back when gently pressed, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove cake from oven; quickly loosen cake edges from pan using a small offset spatula or a butter knife. Sift 1 1/2 tablespoons powdered sugar over top.
Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Christina Daley

Cover cake with a sheet of parchment paper; place a lightly dampened kitchen towel over top. Invert pan onto a clean work surface; remove and discard top piece of parchment paper. Sift remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons powdered sugar evenly over cake. Starting from short side of cake, roll cake, along with the bottom parchment paper and towel, into a log. Wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate until chilled, about 1 hour. (Avoid over-chilling cake, as it will develop large cracks; smaller cracks are OK.) Unroll cake onto work surface. (Remove parchment paper and towel.)
Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Christina Daley

Spread filling evenly over top of cake, leaving a 1/2-inch border on all sides. Re-roll the cake from the short side to form a log.
Make the bûche de Noël

Even cake edges by cutting off a 1/2-inch slice from each end of the log. Transfer cake, seam side down, to a large serving platter, or store until ready to frost and decorate.
Combine cocoa, 2 teaspoons orange juice or rum, and reserved chilled frosting in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; beat on medium-low speed until smooth and combined, 1 to 2 minutes. Stop to scrape down sides of bowl as needed. Add up to 2 more teaspoons juice or rum, 1/2 teaspoon at a time, until frosting is silky and spreadable. Set aside 3 to 4 tablespoons frosting for mushrooms.
Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Christina Daley

Cut a diagonal 1-inch wedge from one end of the cake. Position flat side of cake slice against the side of the log, and adhere with frosting.
Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Christina Daley

Coat top and sides of log with a very thin layer of frosting, leaving outer ends unfrosted to lock in crumbs. Frost cake with a thicker final layer. (Reserve any remaining frosting for another use.) Run the tines of a fork across frosting to simulate tree bark.
Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Christina Daley

Pierce a small hole in the bottom of each meringue mushroom cap using the tip of a paring knife or wooden skewer. Insert a dab of reserved 3 to 4 tablespoons frosting into the hole, and gently press the pointed end of a meringue stem into place. Repeat with remaining reserved frosting and mushroom caps and stems. Arrange meringue mushrooms on log; dust tops with cocoa. Sift additional powdered sugar over cake to resemble snow. Garnish with sugared cranberries and fresh rosemary as desired. Serve immediately.