Gluten-Free Chocolate Yule Log
This traditional Christmas treat is sure to delight "gluten free-ers" and regular cake lovers alike.
Hands-on: 25 min | Bake: 13 to 24 min | Yield: about 8 servings
Ingredients
Cake
- 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
- 2/3 cup King Arthur Gluten-Free Multi-Purpose Flour or 3/4 cup brown rice flour blend*
- 1/4 cup natural or Dutch-process cocoa
- 1 teaspoon Cake Enhancer (optional)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 4 large eggs
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup vanilla syrup, coffee syrup, or simple syrup, for brushing on cake; or substitute 1/2 cup of your favorite liqueur
Filling
- 2 cups (1 pint) heavy cream, divided
- 1/4 cup whipped cream stabilizer, divided; optional, but helpful
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 4 teaspoons sugar
Instructions
Cake
- Heat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a 9 1/4 x 14 x 1 inch (jellyroll) pan with parchment or foil; generously grease the parchment or foil.
- Sift together the confectioners' sugar, flour, cocoa, Cake Enhancer and baking powder twice.
- Whip the eggs and salt at high speed of an electric mixer for about 5 minutes, until thick and lemon-colored.
- While continuing to beat, gradually add the granulated sugar, then the flour mixture, blending just until the dry ingredients are wet.
- Stir with a spatula or spoon until the batter's color is mostly even, but with some streaks remaining. Immediately pour the batter into the prepared pan.
- Bake the cake for 13 to 16 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Remove the cake from the oven, and cool it in the pan for 1 hour.
- Dust the top with confectioners' sugar, run a knife around the edge to loosen, turn out onto clean parchment, and remove bottom parchment or foil. Trim off hard edges, if necessary.
- Brush syrup or liquor over the cake. Allow it to sit for a few minutes for syrup or liquor to soak in while preparing the filling.
Filling
- Whip together 1 cup of the heavy cream, 2 tablespoons of the whipped cream stabilizer, 1 teaspoon vanillaextract, and 2 teaspoons sugar until soft peaks form.
- Spread the whipped cream (about 2 cups) over the prepared cake, leaving an inch along a short edge clear of cream.
- Rolling towards the edge that's clear of cream, roll the log onto a sheet of plastic wrap, then use the wrap to round the roll.
- Refrigerate the log for a minimum of 2 hours, or up to 48 hours, to firm up.
- Unroll the log from the plastic wrap, and place it on a serving platter.
- Whip the remaining cup of heavy cream with the remaining 2 tablespoons of whipped cream stabilizer, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and 2 teaspoons sugar, until soft peaks form. Spread over the cake.
- Refrigerate until serving time. Just before serving, sprinkle with shaved chocolate; crushed gluten-free candy canes, or crushed gluten-free peppermint hard candies.
- Refrigerate any leftovers; cake is best enjoyed within a day of making it.
Notes
* Make your own blend
Many of our gluten-free recipes use our King Arthur Gluten-Free Multi-Purpose Flour, which includes ingredients that reduce the grittiness sometimes found in gluten-free baked goods. Our flour also increases the shelf life of your treats, keeping them fresh longer.
The following make-at-home blend, featuring stabilized brown rice flour, works pretty well when substituted; and it tastes better than a blend using regular brown rice flour.
Whisk together 6 cups (32 ounces) King Arthur stabilized brown rice flour; 2 cups (10 3/4 ounces) potato starch; and 1 cup (4 ounces) tapioca flour or tapioca starch. Store airtight at room temperature.
You can substitute white rice flour for the brown rice flour if you like; it'll make your baked goods grittier (unless you manage to find a finely ground version).
Attribution
Recipe and photo used with permission from: King Arthur Flour
