Has everyone been touched by the Christmas spirit yet? In Germany, it’s a big tradition to have an Advent calendar in December – either a homemade calendar made by a loved one for you, or one from the supermarket containing some chocolate. ;P We always have several calendars on the walls or standing on the floor – one calendar per person is just not enough! There’s also a virtual Food Blogger Advent Calendar, where this delicious Bûche de Noël has been hidden behind one of the doors. ;P

Advent calendars are a great invention (do you say invention for something like that?). Every day you open a door and behind each door there’s a little surprise waiting for you. We love that! For those of you who didn’t get an Advent calendar this year, we got something for you… Our Food Blogger Advent Calendar! Every day there’s a new recipe for a Christmas treat and on some days you also might be able to win something. Sounds awesome, doesn’t it? A great substitute for a (non-existent) physical Advent calendar. Well, kind of. ;P
So today, the third door of the Food Blogger Advent Calendar (FB Link) opens, because today is December 3. D’oh! Makes sense, right!? ;P My surprise for you today is this delicious Bûche de Noël. Unfortunately, you can’t taste it, but you can bake it at home and then try… ;)

I’ve wanted to bake a Bûche de Noël for a long time. I really like the way the cake logs look – if you look on the internet or in baking books, there are some really beautiful and creative examples for this type of bake! For this one here, I decided to go for a slightly simpler and more rustic look and feel. Considering that this is only the second time I baked a cake roll, it looks pretty good, doesn’t it? Next time, I’ll definitely roll it up a little neater… there’s still room for improvement!
The basis for the cake roll is a fairly simple chocolate sponge cake, filled and coated with a delicious chocolate cream, that has been flavored with a little orange liqueur. So delicious! To give it a nice Christmas-y flavor, I also added some gingerbread spice. Why not? ;P
The decorations are not particularly complicated tbh. Simply spread some melted chocolate thinly on a piece of baking paper, roll it up, let it harden, and then break it into pieces. This gives you »edible bark« for the small tree trunk. I’m not really a decorating expert, but it looks almost realistic, doesn’t it?
Cutting the cake, it is a bit difficult because the chocolate doesn’t break where you want it to break. Especially, if you want a nice and clean cut for pictures. But that’s probably more of a food blogger problem than a real life problem. :P
INGREDIENTS / ZUTATEN
For the decoration:
3.5 oz. (100g) semi-sweet chocolate
some cocoa powder for dusting
For the filling:
1 cup (240ml) orange juice
1/4 cup (50g) sugar
0.5 oz. (15g) cornstarch
1 tsp. gingerbread spice
3.5 oz. (100g) milk chocolate, chopped
2 tbsp. orange liquor (e.g., Cointreau*)
3.5 oz. (100g) heavy cream, whipped
For the batter:
4 medium eggs, separated
1 pinch of salt
1/4 cup (50g) sugar, divided
0.7 oz. (20g) all-purpose flour
0.7 oz. (20g) cocoa powder
0.7 oz. (20g) cornstarch
Für die Dekoration:
100g Zartbitterschokolade
etwas Kakao zum Bestäuben
Für die Füllung:
240ml Orangensaft
50g Zucker
15g Speisestärke
1 TL Lebkuchengewürz
100g Vollmilchschokolade, gehackt
2 EL Orangenlikör (z.B. Cointreau*)
100g Sahne, aufgeschlagen
Für den Teig:
4 Eier (M), getrennt
1 Prise Salz
50g Zucker, aufgeteilt
20g Mehl (Type 405)
20g Kakao
20g Speisestärke

DIRECTIONS / ZUBEREITUNG
1. Start with the chocolate decoration for the Bûche de Noël. To do so, melt the chocolate and spread it (thinly) on a piece of baking parchment. Roll up the paper with the chocolate and place it in the freezer for about 30 minutes – or about 2 hours in the fridge.
2. For the filling, add orange juice, sugar, cornstarch, and gingerbread spice to a small saucepan and mix well. Heat up and let the mixture cook for a moment until you get a thick custard. Remove from the heat, add the chopped chocolate and orange liquor and mix until the chocolate has melted completely. Let cool down completely. Next, whip the heavy cream until stiff peaks form, add it to the custard and fold in. Place in the fridge until needed.
3. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Line a baking sheet with baking parchment and set aside. Separate the eggs. Add the egg whites with a pinch of salt to a bowl and mix on high until the egg whites are foamy. Gradually add half of the sugar and continue mixing until stiff peaks form. Set aside.
4. Add the egg yolks and the remaining sugar to a large bowl and mix until light and fluffy. Combine flour, cocoa powder, and cornstarch. Sift on top of the egg yolks, add about 1/3 of the stiff egg whites and mix gently until well combined. Next, add the remaining egg whites and carefully fold in. Spread the batter evenly on the prepared baking sheet to create a rectangle (one side should be at least 26 cm long and the layer about 1 cm thick). Bake the cake for about 10 minutes in the preheated oven.
5. Place a clean kitchen towel on your working surface and sprinkle some confectioners’ sugar on top. Take the cake out of the oven and place it on the kitchen towel – upside down. Peel off the baking parchment and roll up the towel together with the cake tightly and let the cake cool down.
6. Unroll the cake carefully and spread about 2/3 of the chocolate filling on top. Leave a border on one of the short sides free of filling. When rolling up the cake from the opposite side, the filling will automatically be pushed toward this (filling-free) edge, and you will get an even layer without anything spilling over. Let the cake roll cool down in the fridge for about 15 minutes.
7. Place the cake roll on a serving plate and spread the remaining chocolate cream on top and the sides. Cut off the ends to make everything look better, if necessary. Unroll the baking parchment with the chocolate and break the chocolate in irregular long pieces while doing so. Press these chocolate pieces into the cream all around the cake roll, and dust the cake with some cocoa powder (optional). Place in the fridge until ready to serve.
1. Mit der Dekoration für den Bûche de Noël anfangen. Dazu die Schokolade schmelzen und dann auf einem Stück Backpapier dünn ausstreichen. Das Papier mit der Schokolade zusammen aufrollen und für etwa 30 Minuten in den Gefrierschrank legen – alternativ 2 Stunden in den Kühlschrank.
2. Für die Füllung den Orangensaft mit Zucker, Stärke und Lebkuchengewürz in einem kleinen Topf verrühren. Die Mischung aufkochen und kurz blubbern lassen, bis eine Art Pudding entstanden ist. Vom Herd ziehen, die gehackte Vollmilchschokolade und den Orangenlikör dazugeben und alles so lange rühren, bis die Schokolade komplett geschmolzen ist. Komplett abkühlen lassen. Als Nächstes dann die Sahne steif schlagen und unter die Masse unterheben. Bis zur weiteren Verwendung in den Kühlschrank stellen.
3. Den Ofen auf 180°C (350°F) Ober-/Unterhitze vorheizen. Ein Backblech mit Backpapier auslegen und zur Seite stellen. Die Eier trennen und zuerst das Eiweiß mit einer Prise Salz kurz aufschlagen und dann die Hälfte des Zuckers (25 g) einrieseln lassen und zu steifem Eischnee aufschlagen. Zur Seite stellen.
4. Das Eigelb mit dem restlichen Zucker in einer großen Schüssel schaumig aufschlagen. Mehl, Kakao und Speisestärke vermischen und über die Eimasse sieben. Etwa 1/3 des Eischnee dazugeben und alles vorsichtig verrühren, dann den restlichen Eischnee vorsichtig unterheben. Den Teig auf das vorbereitete Blech geben und zu einem Rechteck verstreichen – eine Seite sollte etwa 26 cm haben und die Schicht etwa 1 cm dick sein. Den Biskuit für etwa 10 Minuten im vorgeheizten Ofen backen.
5. Den Biskuit aus dem Ofen holen und sofort mit der Oberseite nach unten auf ein mit Puderzucker bestäubtes Küchentuch stürzen. Das Backpapier abziehen und den Biskuit zusammen mit dem Küchentuch aufrollen – aufgerollt im Tuch abkühlen lassen.
6. Den Biskuit vorsichtig entrollen und mit etwa 2/3 der Schokoladenfüllung bestreichen. Auf einer der kurzen Seiten einen schmalen Streifen am Rand freilassen. Wenn man jetzt von der gegenüberliegenden Seite aufrollt, wird die Füllung automatisch zu diesem freien Rand gedrückt und man bekommt eine gleichmäßige Schicht, ohne dass irgendwas überquillt. Die Rolle für etwa 15 Minuten in den Kühlschrank legen.
7. Die Kuchenrolle auf eine Servierplatte legen und mit der restlichen Creme bestreichen. Sollten die Enden nicht so schön aussehen, kann man die auch ein wenig zurechtschneiden. Die Rolle Backpapier mit der Schokolade entrollen und die Schokolade dabei zerbrechen – längere Stücke wären hier ideal. Die Schokoladenstücke rundum an der Kuchenrolle in die Creme drücken und dann nach Belieben mit etwas Kakao bestäuben (optional). Bis zum Servieren in den Kühlschrank stellen.

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Here is a version of the recipe you can print easily.
Print
Bûche de Noël
- Prep Time: 01:00
- Cook Time: 00:10
- Total Time: 02:00
- Yield: 1
- Category: Cakes
- Cuisine: International
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
This delicious Christmas bake will make your friends & family very happy – a Bûche de Noël with boozy orange chocolate filling. So good!
Ingredients
For the decoration:
3.5 oz. (100g) semi-sweet chocolate
some cocoa powder for dusting
For the filling:
1 cup (240ml) orange juice
1/4 cup (50g) sugar
0.5 oz. (15g) cornstarch
1 tsp. gingerbread spice
3.5 oz. (100g) milk chocolate, chopped
2 tbsp. orange liquor (e.g., Cointreau*)
3.5 oz. (100g) heavy cream, whipped
For the batter:
4 medium eggs, separated
1 pinch of salt
1/4 cup (50g) sugar, divided
0.7 oz. (20g) all-purpose flour
0.7 oz. (20g) cocoa powder
0.7 oz. (20g) cornstarch
Instructions
1. Start with the chocolate decoration for the Bûche de Noël. To do so, melt the chocolate and spread it (thinly) on a piece of baking parchment. Roll up the paper with the chocolate and place it in the freezer for about 30 minutes – or about 2 hours in the fridge.
2. For the filling, add orange juice, sugar, cornstarch, and gingerbread spice to a small saucepan and mix well. Heat up and let the mixture cook for a moment until you get a thick custard. Remove from the heat, add the chopped chocolate and orange liquor and mix until the chocolate has melted completely. Let cool down completely. Next, whip the heavy cream until stiff peaks form, add it to the custard and fold in. Place in the fridge until needed.
3. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Line a baking sheet with baking parchment and set aside. Separate the eggs. Add the egg whites with a pinch of salt to a bowl and mix on high until the egg whites are foamy. Gradually add half of the sugar and continue mixing until stiff peaks form. Set aside.
4. Add the egg yolks and the remaining sugar to a large bowl and mix until light and fluffy. Combine flour, cocoa powder, and cornstarch. Sift on top of the egg yolks, add about 1/3 of the stiff egg whites and mix gently until well combined. Next, add the remaining egg whites and carefully fold in. Spread the batter evenly on the prepared baking sheet to create a rectangle (one side should be at least 26 cm long and the layer about 1 cm thick). Bake the cake for about 10 minutes in the preheated oven.
5. Place a clean kitchen towel on your working surface and sprinkle some confectioners’ sugar on top. Take the cake out of the oven and place it on the kitchen towel – upside down. Peel off the baking parchment and roll up the towel together with the cake tightly and let the cake cool down.
6. Unroll the cake carefully and spread about 2/3 of the chocolate filling on top. Leave a border on one of the short sides free of filling. When rolling up the cake from the opposite side, the filling will automatically be pushed toward this (filling-free) edge, and you will get an even layer without anything spilling over. Let the cake roll cool down in the fridge for about 15 minutes.
7. Place the cake roll on a serving plate and spread the remaining chocolate cream on top and the sides. Cut off the ends to make everything look better, if necessary. Unroll the baking parchment with the chocolate and break the chocolate in irregular long pieces while doing so. Press these chocolate pieces into the cream all around the cake roll, and dust the cake with some cocoa powder (optional). Place in the fridge until ready to serve.
Notes
Make something amazing in the kitchen!
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
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I will bake some german cookies. They all look so good went I walked this morning at the Christmas Market in Stuttgart.Happy Holidays!!!
Great! You should try Zimtsterne – they are the best! :)
Good luck with the raffle! Enjoy your time on the Christmas Market!
Cheers,
Marc
Ich werde Vanillekipferl backen, weil sie die Lieblingsplätzchen meiner Schwester sind und ich ihr etwas Gutes tun möchte!
Da wird sich deine Schwester sicher freuen!
Viel Glück beim Gewinnspiel!
LG
Marc
Eigentlich back ich ja sonst eher Muffins und Cupcakes, aber die sind auch nur bedingt weihnachtlich. In den letzten Wochen gab es dann doch ab und zu mal ein paar einfache Kekse. Auf dem Plan stehen jetzt definitiv noch Zimtsterne. Die hab ich noch nie selbst gebacken, obwohl sie zur Adventszeit einfach dazugehören :)
Hallo Marc!
Kekse, die ich unbedingt noch backen möchte sind die obligatorischen Baileyskugeln.
Und dann möchte ich mal was ganz neues ausprobieren: zimtschneckenkekse. Klingen sehr gut. Mal schauen ob sie halten was sie versprechen.
Ich wünsch dir eine schöne Adventszeit! … mit vielen Keksen
Ich würde beides gerne probieren wollen! :)
Viel Glück beim Gewinnspiel!
LG
Marc
Hallo Marc!
Sieht richtig super aus! Hast du echt wieder richtig schön hinbekommen!
Ich wünsche dir eine schöne Weihnachtszeit!
Ronja