This Vegan Yule Log Cake is the best Christmas cake! A chocolate cake is rolled up with a chocolate mousse filling, then decorated with ganache, meringue mushrooms, and sugared cranberries.
Prep time: PT120M
Cook time: PT15M
Total time: PT375M
5 stars (4 reviews)
vegan yule log cake
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a 10x15 inch sheet pan with parchment paper that sticks up about an inch on all sides for easy removal later. Spray the parchment paper with oil.
- In a large bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Now add the milk, vinegar, oil, applesauce and vanilla and mix with an electric mixer (or just a whisk) until combined.
- Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 10-12 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- While the cake is baking, lay a large, thin, clean dish towel on the counter and dust with a few tablespoons of cocoa powder, all over the towel. This will help the cake not to stick to the towel.
- When the cake is done baking, remove from the oven and, using oven mitts, carefully and swiftly invert the cake onto the dish towel. Peel off the parchment paper that was on the bottom of the cake.
- Starting with the shorter end of the cake, begin tightly rolling the hot cake in the towel. Do this process slowly and gently. Let the cake cool completely rolled up in the towel at room temperature. This will take about 3 hours, so plan ahead.
- While the cake cools, melt the chocolate chips in a microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring in between, until melted and smooth. Alternatively, melt over a double boiler on the stovetop.
- Let the chocolate cool for 5 minutes, then add to a high powered blender along with the silken tofu, cream or milk, sugar, vanilla and salt. Blend until very smooth, scraping down the sides as needed.
- Place the mousse in a bowl and let it chill for 30-60 minutes to firm up in the fridge.
- Very carefully and slowly unroll the cake, using a spatula to help release any parts that are sticking. If there are some cracks or tears, don't worry, you can patch them up with the ganache frosting.* Important: Handle the cake very carefully so it doesn't fully break; it will be fragile. Mine always has some cracks as I unroll it but if you get the mousse frosting on there quickly and carefully frost it, no one will ever notice! Remember, it will be covered in ganache as well so don't freak out if you see some cracks or breakage.
- Spread the mousse filling evenly onto the unrolled cake, then roll it back up without the towel. Wrap in plastic wrap, seam side down, and place in the refrigerator for another hour.
- Add chocolate chips to a medium sized bowl.
- Pour the cream in a microwave safe cup or bowl and microwave for 1 minute until warm but not boiling. Pour the warm cream over the chocolate chips and let sit for 3 minutes.
- After 3 minutes, whisk until smooth. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour, stirring every 20 minutes so it remains smooth and even.
- Once the ganache is ready and the cake cooled, use a large serrated knife to cut off about 3 inches of the log cake at a slight diagonal (for a branch). Use a little ganache frosting to attach the branch to the large log.
- Spread the ganache all over the cake, then use a fork to create lines that look like bark.
- Decorate with sugared cranberries and rosemary and meringue mushrooms (instructions in Notes), if desired. Sift a little powdered sugar over the cake if you'd like.
- Refrigerate until ready to serve. The cake can be prepared up to 3 days before serving. Loosely cover with plastic wrap if storing for a few days.