Description
This Vegan Chocolate Yule Log is a festive, dairy-free dessert featuring a light and airy chocolate sponge rolled with a rich vegan buttercream, all coated in a luscious dark chocolate ganache. Perfect for holiday celebrations, it combines the delicate texture of aquafaba-whipped cake with indulgent layers of creamy buttercream and smooth ganache, decorated with seasonal cranberries and rosemary for a classic Yule log presentation.
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 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 (e.g., Elmlea)**
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pan: 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 on the sides for easy cake removal.
- Whip Aquafaba: In a large, spotlessly clean bowl, combine the aquafaba and cream of tartar. Using an electric mixer, beat until white and frothy. Gradually add the caster sugar, one spoonful at a time, whisking well after each addition until the aquafaba reaches a softly whipped cream consistency—white, glossy, and leaving a trail from the beaters without forming peaks.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: Sift together the plain flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Gently fold half of this mixture into the whipped aquafaba using a spatula until partially combined to avoid deflating the batter.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Fold in the applesauce, olive oil, non-dairy milk, and vanilla extract gently until no dry lumps remain. The batter will lose some air but try to keep it as airy as possible.
- Bake the Cake: Pour the batter into the prepared tin and spread it evenly. Bake for 8-11 minutes until set and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. Avoid overbaking to keep the cake moist and pliable.
- Prepare for Rolling: While baking, cut a piece of baking paper slightly larger than the cake and dust it lightly with cocoa powder for the cake to cool on.
- Cool the Cake: When baked, carefully invert the cake onto the cocoa-dusted parchment sheet, leaving the parchment on the underside, and allow it to cool between the parchment sheets until just cold (about 1 hour).
- Make Buttercream: In a clean bowl, whisk the softened vegan butter until smooth. Sift in the icing sugar and cocoa powder, add vanilla extract, and beat for several minutes until light and fluffy.
- Trim and Spread Buttercream: Peel off the top parchment sheet and trim the edges of the cake with a serrated knife to remove dry parts. Spread the buttercream evenly over the cake with a palette knife.
- Roll the Cake: Starting at a short edge, roll the cake tightly into a spiral using the parchment to assist. Once rolled, place seam side down in the fridge and chill for at least 2 hours or overnight to set the shape.
- Prepare Ganache: Place the finely chopped dark chocolate and vegan double cream in a heatproof bowl. Set over a pan of gently simmering water without touching the water, stirring until smooth and completely melted. Remove from heat and allow to cool until spreadable (1-2 hours).
- Assemble and Decorate: When the ganache is ready, unwrap the chilled cake and slice off one end at an angle. Attach this piece to the side of the log with some ganache to create a branch. Spread ganache generously over the entire cake and ends with a palette knife. Create bark texture by scoring using a knife or fork. If ganache firms too much, gently rewarm over hot water until spreadable again.
- Finish Decoration: Decorate with fresh cranberries and rosemary sprigs for a festive touch. Store the finished cake in an airtight container at cool room temperature.
Notes
- If unsweetened applesauce is unavailable, make your own or use commercially available ones usually served with pork. Press it through a fine mesh sieve to remove chunks.
- For the ganache, you can substitute vegan double cream with 150 ml soy milk plus 50 g vegan block butter.
- Use metric measurements with a digital scale for precise and consistent results rather than relying on cups.
- This is a delicate recipe; ingredient substitutions may affect the outcome, so proceed with caution.
- Ensure all mixing bowls and utensils are perfectly clean when whipping aquafaba to achieve the best volume and texture.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (approx. 1/10 of cake)
- Calories: 310 kcal
- Sugar: 22 g
- Sodium: 110 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 34 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
