Description
This Vegan Chocolate Yule Log is a festive and indulgent plant-based dessert perfect for holiday celebrations. It features a light and airy chocolate sponge cake made from aquafaba, filled with a rich vegan chocolate buttercream, and coated with a luscious dark chocolate ganache. The cake is rolled into a classic Swiss roll shape, decorated to resemble a rustic yule log, and garnished with cranberries and rosemary for a seasonal touch.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake:
- 120 g (½ cup) aquafaba
- ⅛ teaspoon cream of tartar
- 125 g (½ cup + 2 Tablespoons) caster (superfine) sugar
- 170 g (1 +⅓ cups) plain (all-purpose) flour
- 20 g (2 packed Tablespoons) cocoa powder
- 1 ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- pinch salt
- 80 g (⅓ cup) smooth applesauce*
- 41 g (3 Tablespoons) olive oil (or another neutral oil)
- 30 g (2 Tablespoons) unsweetened non-dairy milk (soy recommended)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Buttercream:
- 100 g (3 ½ oz) vegan block butter, softened
- 180 g (1 ½ cups) icing (powdered) sugar
- 25 g (2 ½ packed Tablespoons) cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Ganache:
- 250 g (9 oz) dark chocolate, finely chopped
- 200 ml (¾ cup + 1 Tablespoon) vegan double cream (Elmlea recommended)**
Garnish (optional):
- Cranberries
- Sprigs of rosemary
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare tin: Preheat your oven to 200℃ (180℃ fan/400℉/gas mark 6). Line a 23 x 33 to 25 x 35 cm Swiss roll tin with baking parchment, leaving some overhang to help remove the cake later.
- Whip aquafaba: In a large, spotlessly clean bowl, whisk aquafaba and cream of tartar with an electric mixer until white and frothy. Gradually add the caster sugar, whisking well after each addition, until the mixture reaches a softly whipped cream consistency — glossy, white, and thick enough that beaters leave a trail but without forming peaks.
- Combine dry ingredients: Sift together plain flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Gently fold these dry ingredients into the whipped aquafaba until about half combined using a spatula.
- Add wet ingredients: Gently fold in the applesauce, olive oil, non-dairy milk, and vanilla extract into the batter until no dry lumps remain. The batter will deflate somewhat; try to retain as much air as possible.
- Bake the sponge: Pour the batter into the prepared tin and spread evenly. Bake for 8-11 minutes until the cake is set and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. Avoid overbaking.
- Prepare parchment for rolling: While baking, cut a piece of baking paper slightly larger than the cake, dust it lightly with cocoa powder to prevent sticking.
- Flip and cool: When the cake is done, carefully flip it out, topside down, onto the cocoa-dusted parchment. Do not remove the parchment from underneath the cake. Cool between the sheets of parchment until just cold, about 1 hour.
- Make the buttercream: In a large bowl, whisk softened vegan butter until smooth. Sift in icing sugar and cocoa powder, add vanilla extract, then whisk until light and fluffy.
- Trim and frost cake: Once cooled, peel off the top parchment sheet. Trim the edges of the cake with a serrated knife to remove drier, crack-prone parts. Spread the buttercream evenly over the cake using a palette knife.
- Roll the cake: Starting from a short edge and using the baking paper to assist, roll the cake tightly into a spiral. Place it seam side down in the fridge to chill for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight.
- Prepare ganache: Place chopped dark chocolate and vegan double cream in a heatproof bowl over simmering water, ensuring the bowl does not touch the water. Stir until melted and smooth. Remove from heat and cool until spreadable, 1-2 hours.
- Assemble yule log: Remove rolled cake from fridge. Slice one end at an angle to form a branch piece. Attach this piece to the side of the roll with some ganache. Spread ganache over the entire cake and ends using a palette knife. Use a knife or fork to create a bark texture on top and ring patterns on the ends.
- Decorate: Garnish with fresh cranberries and sprigs of rosemary if desired. Store the finished cake in an airtight container at cool room temperature.
Notes
- If unavailable, you can make your own unsweetened applesauce or use store-bought applesauce intended for pork accompaniment, sieved to remove chunks.
- For ganache, you can substitute vegan double cream with 150 ml soya milk plus 50 g vegan block butter.
- Use kitchen scales and metric measurements for best baking results, as cup measurements can be inaccurate.
- This is a delicate recipe with no recommended ingredient substitutions; altering ingredients may affect the final texture and flavor.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (approx. 1/10th of cake)
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 24 g
- Sodium: 90 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
