Easy Vegan Yule Log

Here is my easy vegan Yule log! The pinnacle of Christmas baking! This simple, yet delicious TRIPLE CHOCOLATE Yule log is a guaranteed hit over the holidays and no one will know it’s vegan!

If you follow me on instagram you’ll know I have been testing this recipe for quite some time! Roll cakes are actually quite simple in design but can be messy and difficult to execute correctly! As mentioned before, this is a TRIPLE CHOCOLATE Yule log which means it has actual chocolate in all 3 elements. In fact, the whole recipe contains HALF A KILO of chocolate!!

I’ve kept the recipe as simple as possible so you can focus more on getting the technique right and less on hunting down 50 ingredients! Shout out to Beth from VeCreation who gave me some really great tips for roll cakes; my recipe takes inspiration from her classic chocolate roll cake! Check out her page here for a really good video on how to roll this cake successfully!

There are 3 golden rules for roll cakes so please please don’t skip them before you move onto the recipe! 

Rule 1: 

Bake for exactly 7-8 minutes. This desserts starts out as a thin sheet cake and needs to be cooked exactly the right amount. If you bake it for any longer, the cake will develop a thin layer of overbaked skin that is guaranteed to crack.

Rule 2:

CONFIDENCE! Cake isn’t designed to be very flexible so when you roll this cake, you absolutely must roll it with commitment and confidence. Practice with a kitchen towel and some baking parchment if you must! 

Rule 3:

Make sure your filling is thick enough. When you start rolling your cake, your filling needs to be a thick enough consistency that it stays in place and doesn’t just get pushed out by the tight rolling of the cake! For my recipe, I’ve suggested Elmlea plant-based cream or coconut cream – these are both vegan creams that are “whippable”. Substituting with a “single” cream such as soy cream typically won’t work. Don’t fret though as it will still be a delicious ganache just won’t necessarily whip. Allow it to cool down so that it is thick enough to spread. 

While you’re here, feel free to check out all my chocolate recipes, or cake recipes!

For this recipe you’ll need:

• swiss roll baking tray (24cm x 34cm)
• accurate kitchen scales 

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Easy Vegan Yule Log

December 20, 2020

Servings: 12

Prep: 10 min

Cook: 8 min

Total: 2 hr

Difficulty: Medium

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This easy vegan Yule log is the most mouthwatering recipe you'll find for a vegan version of the special Christmastime classic! It is simple yet completely delicious and can be whipped up in no time.

By: Project Vegan Baking

Ingredients

• Cake:
• 200g plain flour
• 75g dark chocolate
• 100g caster sugar
• 100ml aquafaba
• 100ml plant milk (I use soy)
• 35ml vegetable oil
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp of salt
• Whipped ganache filling:
• 225g dark chocolate
• 150g vegan whipping cream (Elmlea double cream or coconut cream)
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• pinch of salt
• Chocolate coating:
• 200g chocolate
• 100ml plant milk

Directions

• Step 1 Pre-heat the oven to 180C. Line a swiss roll tray (or baking tray with high walls) with baking parchment.
• Step 2 Sieve together the dry ingredients (flour, caster sugar, baking soda and salt).
• Step 3 Melt the dark chocolate in the microwave or using the bain-marie method. Once completely melted, combine this with the other wet ingredients (oil, plant milk and aquafaba) until completely smooth.
• Step 4 Pour the wet mix into the dry mix and stir vigorously until fully incorporated. Pour the batter into the baking tray. Use an offset spatula to spread the batter evenly across the tray.
• Step 5 Place the tray in the middle shelf and bake for 7-8 minutes. Keep an eye on the cake around the 7-minute mark, if it looks raw or uncooked then wait until 8 minutes. If you bake it for any longer it will likely crack when rolling.
• Step 6 Take it out of the oven and leave to cool on a cooling rack. Optionally, trim off any edges that are too browned that may crack when rolling later.
• Step 7 Meanwhile make the whipped chocolate ganache filling. Heat up the plant-based cream in a saucepan on the hob until it starts to steam and then pour over the chocolate. Add the vanilla and salt, then leave it for 3 minutes and then stir together until fully incorporated. Place into a bowl and leave it to cool to room temperature.
• Step 8 Once it is a slightly thicker consistency, use a whisk or stand mixer to whip it up for 5-10minutes. It’ll appear lighter in colour after whipping.
• Step 9 Use a knife to spread the whipped ganache over the cake layer, as evenly as possible. If it is too hard to spread, microwave it for 10 seconds to loosen it up.
• Step 10 Carefully roll the cake into a log, using the baking parchment to tightly wind up the cake. Once rolled up, place into the fridge to chill while you work on the chocolate coating.
• Step 11 Once again, melt the chocolate using your preferred method. Add the plant milk and stir until combined. Pour the ganache over the chilled Yule log (or wait for it to cool then pipe it on).
• Step 12 Serve!