Buche de Noel Cake with Dark Chocolate Ganache - Le Chef's Wife (2024)

ThisBûche de Noël Cake with Dark Chocolate Ganachewill be come a holiday tradition. It is so good, comes off as incredibly fancy yet is is a piece of cake to make with this step by step recipe. A light, airy chocolate cake, with just a touch of Grand Marnier filled with a light, not too sweet, buttercream enhanced with the zest of orange covered in a rich dark chocolate Ganache.

If you are intimidated to make a Bûche de Noël, this recipe is for you. I will hold your hand through each tiny step, making sure your cake is a masterpiece!

Join my Bûche de Noel Cooking Class December 9th 2023.

Want to learn to make this classic holiday cake with me and Le Chef? We are hosting a live zoom class, benefitting Alliance Française on December 9th at 2pm EST. Tickets are only $5 and you can log in from anywhere.

Buche de Noel/ Yule Log / Swiss Roll/ French Log

The French call it Bûche de Noël, the British call it a Yule Log but it is about the same thing. A delicious festive cake that is traditionally served at Christmas time, often on Christmas Eve. My Québecoise Grand Mother always made a rolled cake over the holidays and when I moved to France I was delighted to see how many variations of Buche de Noel were available. Notable Pastry Chef prides themselves on their annual Buche de Noel creation. They become coveted items, prized hostess gifts and elements of surprise at dinner parties.

The fancy cake is the star of the Provençal 13 desserts served on Christmas Eve or on Christmas Day. You can learn more about the 13 desserts here as well as many more French Christmas traditions.

Ingredients

Chocolate Génoise or Chocolate Sponge Cake

• 6 large eggs, room temperature
• 150 grams Granulated sugar (about ¾ cup)
• 2 teaspoons Grand Marnier
• 80 grams cake flour (about ⅔ cup)
• 30 grams unsweetened cocoa powder (⅓ cup)
• ⅛ teaspoon baking soda

Soaking Syrup Ingredients

• 106 grams water (about ½ cup)
• 143 grams granulated sugar (about ¾ cup)
• 2 tbsp Grand Marnier

Orange Zest Grand Marnier Butter Cream

• 3 sticks of room temperature butter (24 tbsps)
• 1.5 cups of icing sugar
• 3 tbsps of whole milk
• Zest from one orange
• 1 tbsp orange juice
• 1 tbsp Grand Marnier

Chocolate Ganache

• 320 grams of dark chocolate (we use Valhrona 70% Dark Bittersweet Chocolate Callets) This equals very roughly 2 cups but I recommend using the scale!
• 50 grams of unsalted butter (about 3.5 tbsp)
• 473 grams of heavy cream (1 pint) almost at room temperature
• 1 tbsp of Grand Marnier (or whichever liquor you prefer. Note this addition is optional - the Ganache tastes delicious without the added liquor)

Hazelnut Brittle (for decoration)

• 150 grams of sugar (¾ cup)
• 2 tbsps butter
• 1 cup whole peeled hazelnuts

Equipment Needed:

• Stand Mixer with the whisk attachment or hand mixer
• Offset spatula
• ​Jelly Roll Pan

Instructions

How to Make the Chocolate Cake

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Butter a 10x15 inch rimmed baking sheet or jelly roll pan making sure to butter the sides. Line with parchment paper.

In a heat safe large bowl (I like a big stainless steal mixing bowl) mix the eggs and the sugar together with a whisk (or in a stand mixer) for a few minutes until the eggs and sugar are fully blended and a light white in color.

Bain Marie

Place the bowl over a pot with a couple inches of boiling water in it to create a "bain marie" or double boiler. Reduce the heat to just a simmer underneath the bowl and whisk vigorously for 3-4 minutes to warm the mixture. Make sure to keep whisking - you don't want to make scrambled eggs!

Transfer the egg mixture to your stand mixer. Beat on high for about 8 minutes until the eggs have tripled in volume. Add the Grand Marnier and reduce speed to medium.

Beat for 2 minutes more.

Sift the cocoa, flour and baking soda into the batter, folding the dry ingredients into the bowl with a rubber spatula until all the ingredients are thoroughly mixed. You don't want to use the whisk anymore and fold gently so that the air stays in the mixture.

Spread the batter evenly into the prepared baking sheet.

Place in the center rack of the oven and allow to cook for 20-23 minutes until the cake springs back to the touch. Careful not to over bake the cake or it will crack!

Invert onto a cooling rack and allow to cool for a few minutes and then tip over onto another cooling rack for another few minutes until you can handle the cake. The parchment paper should be underneath the cake. The parchment paper can be rolled up with the cake - no need to remove it.

How to Roll the French Roll

Lay a clean dishcloth over the top of the cake.

Use a rolling pin over the dishcloth to compress the cake slightly for an even layer - a thick cake makes for an uneven roll.

Begin rolling away from you from the short end of the cake.

Roll tightly using gentle pressure to not crack the cake until the cake is fully rolled up in the dishtowel.

I like to tie each end of the dishtowel with elastics so that the roll stays in place.

Place the rolled cake in the fridge to cool while you are making the next steps.

*Le Chef's Wife tip: a rule of cake making: never put buttercream or ganache onto a hot cake - it will melt right off! Always chill your cake in the fridge between each step for a sturdy construction and easy decorating.

How to Make Hazelnut Brittle

Place a sheet of parchment paper over a baking sheet. Set aside.

In a dry non-stick pan over medium heat pour in the sugar.

Mix constantly with a silicone spatula until it becomes light caramel colored. Do not let it get dark brown - that is burnt sugar! Discard and start again if it gets too dark.

Turn off the heat and add in the butter and hazelnuts.

Mix vigorously.

Pour onto the parchment paper and spread around so that there is a thin layer of caramel and hazelnuts.

Allow to cool for at least one hour on the counter.

Using the bottom of your sauce pan, hit the brittle to break it up into little pieces - don't go overboard - you don't want hazelnut brittle dust. Just a few swift taps will do. Careful not to eat it all before you decorate the cake - it is that good!

How to Make the Soaking Syrup

In a stainless steel sauce pan over medium heat melt the sugar and water. Allow to simmer for a few minutes to thicken.

Remove from Heat and stir in the Grand Marnier.

Place in a bowl to chill on the counter until the cake is ready to assemble.

How to Make the Orange Zest Buttercream

In a stand mixer at medium speed, beat the 3 sticks of room temperature butter, 1.5 cups of confectioner's sugar (icing sugar), 3 tbsp of whole milk and the zest of 1 orange. (I like to use amicroplane zesterto get a fine zest).

Beat for a few minutes until fluffy and then add in the orange juice followed by the Grand Marnier, beating between each application.

Set aside on the counter until ready to assemble.

How to Make Chocolate Ganache

(for more details and step by step photos refer to the Dark Chocolate Ganache Recipe here)

Take the cream out of the fridge 30 minutes before you begin the recipe to allow it to warm a little.

Put the chocolate and butter into a heat safe bowl. I use theseglass duralex bowls.

Melt the chocolate. If you have a chocolate melt function on your microwave, feel free to use this. Or else use the bain-marie technique (put the chocolate in a double boiler - gently melt while stirring with a silicone spatula constantly over a few inches boiling water). Whichever way you choose to melt your chocolate, make sure to stop before the chocolate is fully melted, while there still are a few big chunks of chocolate left.

Stir with asilicone spatula(not a whisk!) to get all the chocolate clumps out. They will melt into the mixture.

Add the cream that has warmed to almost room temperature.

Continue to mix with the silicone spatula until the ganache is smooth and glossy.

Pour in the Grand Marnier and mix again.

Allow the ganache to cool before adding it to your dessert.*Le Chef's tip for a smooth, shiny ganache is to use a silicone spatula to stir instead of a whisk. A whisk adds air bubbles to the ganache which you don't want. You want it mirror smooth.Almost done...

Assembling the Bûche de Noël

Unroll the cake from the dish towel and parchment paper.

Place on a cooling rack with a cooking sheet underneath to catch the drips of ganache you will pour over.

Generously spread the soaking syrup over the insides of the cake.

Add a thick layer of buttercream on the inside of the roll, leaving the last inch clear.

Roll up the cake again, applying pressure so that there is a tight roll but not too much that you crack the cake. If the cake cracks, that is ok, just use buttercream to patch it up.

Apply a thin layer of butter cream over the top of the cake and over the ends to seal in the cake.

Place in the fridge for a half hour. This might be a good opportunity to clean the kitchen 🙂

Decorating the Bûche de Noël

Once the buttercream has cooled and formed a seal around the cake, using a ladle, generously spoon the chocolate ganache over the cake. You want a thick layer.

Using an icing spatula (one with an indent is best) smooth the ganache over the cake.

Carefully transfer your cake onto a serving dish. Using a long spatula to lift it off the cooling rack.Chocolate Ganache coated Bûche de Noël

Any slip ups can be covered by smoothing more ganache over the top - don't worry.

For the finishing touch, sprinkle the hazelnut brittle around the sides of the cake and over the top.

Voilà! Your very own Bûche de Noël, worthy of a French Pâtisserie, in your own home!

Bûche de Noël Variations

Similar to a layer cake, the variations of Bûche de Noël are endless. I love the combination of Dark Chocolate, Orange zest and Grand Marnier as in this recipe as it reminds me of the holidays but you can also choose to pair your chocolate sponge cake with any filing you wish. Simple whipped cream, chocolate buttercream, nutella spread, chocolate frosting, cherry buttercream. You can also use a vanilla sponge cake as a base and fill with pistachio cream or chocolate ganache or peppermint buttercream. Feel free to mix and match and experiment.

If you would like the Buche to resemble an actual log, top with chocolate frosting, making grooves to resemble tree bark in the frosting and then sprinkle with powdered sugar.

When to serve Bûche de Noël

Bûche de Noël is historically served as the dessert at Christmas dinner. However, you can enjoy this dessert all throughout the holiday season. A Bûche de Noël is the perfect dessert to serve for a holiday dinner party or bring to a potluck.

How to decorate a Bûche de Noël

You can decorate a Bûche de Noël like an actual log, using a fork to draw "bark" into the chocolate ganache and surrounding with rosemary sprigs and meringue mushrooms. What I have seen the French Patisseries do is to let their creativity shine with the decorating. Spun sugar, holiday candies, truffle chocolates. With a beautiful ganache as a base, you can do anything you want to do with the decorating.

My daughter loves to decorate using candy canes! I crushed up some candy canes for the base of the cake and then let her place them where she wanted on the top. So festive!

In this recipe, I chose a delicious homemade hazelnut brittle (so easy to make!) because it adds a little crunch to the cake and is visually appealing. I highly recommend you make a double or triple batch of the hazelnut brittle - it makes for great parting gifts or stocking stuffers!

You can also add a dusting of confectioner's sugar and it will be a beautiful wintery addition to your table scape.

How long does Bûche de Noël keep in the fridge?

This cake can keep up to 5 days in the fridge in an airtight container. The chocolate ganache acts as a barrier and keeps the cake soft and moist for days. Make sure to place a peice of parchment paper on each end of the cake so that it does not dry out from the sides.

Can you freeze a Bûche de Noël?

Absolutely. Save the Ganache for when you are ready to serve. Simply coat the rolled cake with buttercream and freeze for up to a couple months.

Other French Dessert Recipes you will enjoy:

Mousse au Chocolat (French Chocolate Mousse made simple)

Le Chef’s Moelleux au Chocolat - the cake that made me fall in love...

The Best Chocolate Soufflé Recipe

The Best Lemon Sugar Crêpes Recipe

How to make Crème Brûlée like a French Chef

Other Recipes by Le Chef's Wife

Coq au Vin made simple

La Daube Provençale made simple

Mediterranean Branzino Filet Recipe with Vierge Sauce

Le Chef's French Onion Soup Gratinée

Baking Baguettes for beginners

I hope you enjoyed the Buche de Noel recipe with dark chocolate ganache. Please let me know if you make it, I love to hear from you!

Bon Appétit!

Le Chef's Wife

About Le Chef's Wife

Bonjour! I am Anina Belle. I translate the fancy cooking of my Michelin-star trained French Chef Husband,Le Chef, into easy to make dishes that busy people with no culinary training (like me!) can make at home. We have two young kids (5 and 2) and I have a full time job in hospitality in addition to this blog. I strongly believe that even busy people deserve to eat well at home.

Look inside our Kitchen with this recentWashington Post Article. We were recently featured on theTODAY SHOWfor our recipes ofFrench Onion Soup GratinéeandMoelleux au Chocolat. You can watch our full segment here:

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Le Chef's tip for a smooth, shiny ganache is to use a silicone spatula to stir instead of a whisk. A whisk adds air bubbles to the ganache which you don't want. You want it mirror smooth.
*Le Chef's Wife tip: a rule of cake making: never put buttercream or ganache onto a hot cake - it will melt right off! Always chill your cake in the fridge between each step for a sturdy construction and easy decorating.