This post has been sponsored by Oregon Fruit Products. I’m thrilled to be able to work with this company again. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.
We are ringing in the holidays this year with a Yule Log. Honestly? Can you even believe that in the 4+ years I’ve been blogging I’ve never posted a Yule Log? Thankfully that’s about to change with this recipe for Dark Sweet Cherry White Chocolate Yule Log.
Okay but, friends, I need you to know how easy this recipe is. I think because it looks so cool with its swirls and twirls that we just think it’s too hard to even try (guilty). But it’s supremely simple to execute. The cake itself is made with plenty of eggs, which gives it strength so it’s hard to crack or break when rolled up.
The filling is the most time-consuming out of the three elements, but, helpfully, this is one of those recipes whose components can be made ahead of time and then assembled when needed. Best to leave the cake for right before assembly though, since we want to make it when it still has plenty of moisture afoot.
Back to this meringue buttercream dark sweet cherry filling. We just dissolve sugar with egg whites over a double boiler. It takes a bit of time but as soon as the egg whites have joined with the sugars and we don’t feel any granules when we rub it between our fingers, that’s when we take if off the heat to whip into stiff peaks. We then add butter. We then add our Dark Sweet Cherries. It’s so creamy and light and has the perfect cherry flavor and bite.
This is the kind of recipe I want for all the holiday gatherings. The kind that looks and tastes harder than it is. The kind that is speckled with holiday reds. The kind that’s easy to serve. The kind that can double as a beautiful centerpiece.
If you are in the mood to impress, you can’t go wrong with this recipe for Dark Sweet Cherry White Chocolate Yule Log. Oregon Fruit Products Dark Sweet Cherries are canned during the prime-picking season so they’re ready to meet us in December. A month filled with celebrations, music and not a lot of fresh fruit to be found. Thanks, Oregon Fruit Products, for meeting our fruit needs sans high fructose corn syrup, BPA, and GMO. All that stuff that has no place in our homes. Just fresh fruit, canned in water and cane sugar, at the ready year-round and nationwide.
Dark Sweet Cherry White Chocolate Yule Log
Impressive and festive!
- Prep Time: 2 hours
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours 10 minutes
- Yield: 10
Ingredients
|| Cake ||
5 eggs
1 ½ cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons warm water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 cup all purpose flour
|| Dark Cherry Filling ||
7 egg whites
2 cups sugar
2 cups butter, room temperature
1 can Oregon Fruit Products Dark Sweet Cherries, drained & chopped
|| White Chocolate Frosting ||
1 ½ cups butter, room temperature
3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup white chocolate chips
¼ cream or half and half
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375 and generously grease a standard baking sheet.
In a standing or hand mixer with a whisk attachment, whisk the eggs and sugar together on medium speed until the mixture starts to pale, about 3 minutes. While still whisking pour in the warm water, vanilla extract, and almond extract. Add in the flour and mix until just combined.
Pour onto the prepared baking sheet and smooth to the edges.
Place in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, keeping careful watch. The cake should not turn golden at the edges.
|| Dark Sweet Cherry Filling ||
In a double boiler, whisk the egg whites and sugar together just until the sugar has completely dissolved. Place into a standing mixer and whisk until stiff peaks form, about 5-7 minutes.
Once stiff peaks have formed and the mixture feels room temperature, add in the butter 2 tablespoons at a time on medium/low speed. After all the butter has been added, turn up the mixer’s speed and whip until the mixture starts to thicken.
Switch to a paddle attachment and add in the Dark Sweet Cherries. Mix until well combined and the filling starts to smooth, about 2 minutes.
|| White Chocolate Frosting ||
In a standing mixer, beat the butter and powdered sugar together until smooth.
In a small bowl, melt the white chocolate and cream together in the microwave for about 30 second just until melted and not hot.
With the standing mixer on low, slowly pour in the white chocolate mixture.
|| Assembly ||
With the cake still on the baking sheet, spread the entire filling evenly onto the cake, tapering slightly on the short ends.
Take one of the short ends and start rolling the cake toward the other end as tight as the filling will allow. Once rolled, set the cake on the baking sheet, seam end down and place in the fridge to set, about 30 minutes.
Once set, cut about 1 inch off each end. Remove the cake and place onto your desired presentation plate. Spread the white chocolate frosting evenly on the cake. Take a fork and make grooves onto the frosting to emulate tree bark. Decorate with rosemary and additional dark sweet cherries on the side. Dust with powdered sugar before serving.
Keeps up to 3 days in the fridge.
Notes
Durring the testing of this recipe, I never needed to use parchment to line the baking sheet. The cake slips off great! But, if you’re conserned, or if you have an old/thin baking sheet, best to line with parchment to be sure.
this is a beautiful and impressive cake! Love the cherries in the filling!
★★★★★
Here is my experience with this recipe: The cake took 7min for me (I used a 10x15x1 pan, the instructions don’t specify the size pan exactly and the internet had varied answers to “standard size” pan, as stated in the instructions). I had to make the cake twice because the first one turned too brown, so like the instructions say WATCH IT CLOSELY. I feel there may be a typo for the filling, 2 lbs of butter is A LOT and not only did I have way too much filling, but it tasted like a stick of butter to me, however some guests said they liked it. I think I would try this again, with some modifications. This is worth a try if your looking for something different! I’m certainly glad I found it. Thank you
★★★★
I don’t know why the cake batter had no baking soda or baking powder. The cake was flat and rubbery. I only ever made pumpkin rolls so I needed a vanilla flavor recipe and unfortunately this fell severely short. I don’t recommend this recipe. Sorry.
★