Name: Tiramisu Yule Log Cake – A Festive Twist on the Classic Dessert
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 1 h 30 min
Yield: 10 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 4 large eggs, room temperature; 100g (1/2 cup) granulated sugar; 1 tsp vanilla extract; 100g (3/4 cup) all-purpose flour; 200g (7 oz) mascarpone cheese; 120ml (1/2 cup) heavy cream; 60ml (1/4 cup) strong espresso, cooled; 80g (2/3 cup) powdered sugar; 2 tbsp cocoa powder, for dusting; 100g (3.5 oz) dark chocolate, chopped

So, Why Did I Attempt a Tiramisu Yule Log Cake?

You know, sometimes you just get a wild hair and think, “What if I mashed up Christmas and Italian dessert?” That’s basically how I stumbled onto this Tiramisu Yule Log Cake. Last year, my aunt brought her famous store-bought yule log (shh, don’t tell her I noticed the box) but everyone—myself included—kinda wished it was something different, less… predictable? So, I took a shot. Did my kitchen look like a soft cheese factory exploded? 100%. But, oh boy, it was worth it. (My dog tried to eat some of the mascarpone at one point, but that’s another saga…)

Why You’ll Love This (Or At Least, Why I Make It)

I make this when I want to see my family’s eyes pop and hear at least one “Wait—there’s coffee in this?!” My lot are all weirdly competitive about desserts so if your, let’s call it, ‘friendsgiving’ has a vibes-off between cheesecake and grandma’s fruitcake, trust me, this yule log swings in and steals the crown. Plus, when I totally mess up rolling the cake, I can slather more filling over the cracks (which I prefer anyway, more to taste test). It’s like classic tiramisu but dressed up in a Christmas jumper.

Here’s What You’ll Need (and Maybe What You’ll Swap)

4 large eggs (room temp, but honestly, I’ve used them straight from the fridge and lived to tell the tale)
100g fine sugar (granulated is fine, my grandmother swore by caster but…)
120g plain flour (about a cup—don’t stress precision here)
pinch salt
2 tbsp strong coffee (I use whatever is left in the pot, sometimes espresso; whatever you love—instant works in a pinch)
250g mascarpone (or, well, I have totally mixed cream cheese and double cream when the shops let me down)
75g icing sugar (powdered/confectioners sugar; never tried with Stevia, but probably okay)
2 tbsp coffee liqueur (Kahlua, Tia Maria, even some Baileys chucked in when desperate)
200ml double cream (or heavy cream; a splosh more never hurt)
dark chocolate shavings or cocoa for dusting (I once used a grater and a chocolate bar I found in my coat pocket… long story)

Tiramisu Yule Log Cake – A Festive Twist on the Classic Dessert

How I Actually Make This (With A Few Left Turns)

Prep the Cake: Oven at 180°C (that’s 350°F if you’re across the pond). Whip eggs and sugar till they look like pale sunshine—about 5 mins. (This is where I get bored and start scrolling, but don’t let it deflate!) Sift in flour plus a pinch of salt. Fold oh-so-gently—don’t knock the air out. Pour onto a lined Swiss roll tin—or, like me last week, a rimmed baking tray with parchment. Wonky edges are fine.
Bake: About 10 minutes. It’ll look slightly springy and golden—if it’s dry, don’t panic. I soak it later anyway.
Roll Time (Cue Panic): Here’s where things get interesting. Flip the cake onto a sugared tea towel (or, sometimes, whatever is clean). Peel off parchment. Roll gently with cloth. Don’t worry if it cracks—it’s basically a rustic look, right? Let it cool.
Filling! Beat mascarpone, icing sugar, coffee, and liqueur till smooth. Whip cream to stiff peaks, then fold in. I 100% taste-test here, y’know, quality control.
Assemble: Carefully unroll your cooled cake (it’ll look… odd. All good). Spread about two-thirds of the filling, roll back up as tight as you dare. Use remaining filling to slather over the outside, smoothing or making swooshes for that faux “bark” texture. Sprinkle chocolate or dust with cocoa. Sometimes I stick on a few chocolate chips to look like knots (it’s fun, but, eh, not required).

Notes from My Notebooks (Or Just Kitchen Paper Scraps)

The tea towel trick for rolling? Sometimes I forget and just use baking parchment. Works alright, bit more slippery.
If your cake cracks, just patch with extra filling. Actually, more filling the better, in my house.
Don’t overthink the coffee—too much and it’ll taste like an espresso shot; too little and you miss the tiramisu. Eyeball it.

If You Want To Mix Things Up

Scratched my head once and tried swapping the coffee liqueur for Amaretto—total winner! Adds this nutty, almost Christmassy hint. Used orange zest in the filling once and, okay, that was the year my brother said it tasted “like breakfast” (not my best). Oh! I also made a gluten-free sponge with store-bought GF flour blend; worked, though the rolling bit is trickier. Actually, not worth the stress unless you really need to.

What You Need (And What I’ve Used In a Pinch)

Swiss roll tin (but a rimmed cookie sheet or roasting pan works too—just check the depth)
Electric mixer (used a whisk with elbow grease—took ages, but I felt heroic)
Mixing bowls (I once used an actual saucepan, still came out fine)
Spatula or large spoon. I’ve just used my hands to spread filling, no lie

Really, don’t let fancy tools stop you. Improvise.

How To Store It (But Good Luck With Leftovers)

This cake keeps about 2 days in the fridge…though honestly, in my house, it never lasts more than a day! If I’m being good, I loosely wrap it in cling film or shove it in a cake box. Don’t freeze—the mascarpone goes weird (trust me, I tried after Christmas last year, wouldn’t recommend).

Serving Ideas (Or Why I Like It Straight from the Fridge)

I serve thick slices with extra dusting of cocoa, sometimes a few red berries if I remember. Weird family tradition: mum always insists we have a glass of Prosecco on the side, which is just, well, the best. You do you. Warm or cold, both are great. But cold, on Boxing Day morning, with too much coffee…omg, yes.

Stuff I Wish I’d Known The First Time

Don’t rush the rolling—the first time I did, the cake basically snapped in half. Oops. Now I roll slowly, with breaks for, er, hydration.
The filling doesn’t need to be perfect. If it’s a little runny, just let it chill in the fridge for a while—it’ll set up, honest.
If your sponge is stuck to the tray, just use a sharp knife to free the corners; don’t pull (learnt this the merging-with-parchment way).

Your Questions – Answered While Eating Cake

Can I make it ahead?
Totally. I think it tastes even better the next day (though I rarely have any left to compare..)

Do I really need mascarpone?
I mean, purists would say yes, but I’ve subbed in full-fat cream cheese plus a blob of extra cream. It’s not the exact same, but I doubt anyone’ll grumble.

How do I fix cracks in my cake?
Add more filling and act like you meant to. Or, mask it with chocolate shavings. Worked for me at least a dozen times.

Is it super sweet?
Not too much! But, you can tweak the sugar; sometimes I use less in the filling, just depends who’s eating it (kids like it sweeter, adults, not so much…)

Any good resources if I get stuck?
Definitely check out BBC Good Food for step-by-step pictures—I use them myself. The Sally’s Baking Addiction Yule Log guide is handy too (even if hers look more professional than mine ever do!).

And finally—do whatever makes you happy. Christmas is messy anyway, right?

Tiramisu Yule Log Cake – A Festive Twist on the Classic Dessert