The Christmas log cake in Provence: a family recipe and its history
- virginieinprovence
- Nov 27, 2025
- 4 min read
The Christmas log cake is traditionally enjoyed on December 24th, during Christmas Eve dinner. This dessert is believed to have appeared around 1870, and several pastry chefs claim its origin. It seems, however, that many of them had the same idea at the same time: creating a rolled cake that resembles a log.
Before the Christmas log cake existed, holiday desserts were often very rich and dense, such as mince pies and pudding in the United Kingdom, stollen in Germany, or panettone in Italy.
Why a log? The origin of the tradition
Originally, the Christmas log was a real piece of wood burned in the fireplace on Christmas night. This ancient tradition was linked to the winter solstice and the return of light.
Over time, this custom became part of Christian Christmas celebrations, symbolizing warmth, protection, and sharing. In the 19th century, when fireplaces gradually disappeared from homes, pastry chefs transformed this tradition into a dessert: the Christmas log cake, whose shape recalls the original wooden log.
I’ll start with the ingredients, as the list is quite long.
Ingredients for the rolled cake
The sponge cake
To prepare the sponge cake, you will need 100 g of sugar, 5 eggs, 100 g of flour, and one packet of vanilla sugar. These simple ingredients create a light and soft base that can be rolled easily without breaking.
The buttercream
For the buttercream, you will need 100 g of sugar, 3 egg yolks, 100 g of dark chocolate, half a cup of water, 2 ml of coffee extract, and 250 g of softened butter. This cream is then divided into two flavors—coffee and chocolate—for a delicious contrast.
Equipment needed
As for utensils, nothing too complicated. You will need a food processor (or simply your hands and arms), a spatula, two mixing bowls, a hand mixer, two rectangular baking trays (or one tray and a roasting pan), an oven, a clean kitchen towel, and a whisk.
Recipe steps
I recommend following the steps in order to obtain an easy-to-handle rolled cake and a successful buttercream.
Preparing the rolled cake
Start by separating the egg whites and yolks of 4 eggs. Whip the egg whites until stiff using a mixer. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 200°C (390°F).
In a bowl, mix the 4 egg yolks with the sugar and vanilla sugar until creamy. Then add 1 whole egg and mix for a few more minutes. Gradually incorporate the flour, then gently fold in the whipped egg whites to keep the batter light and airy.
Line a rectangular baking tray with lightly buttered parchment paper and spread the batter evenly. Bake for 10 minutes.
Once out of the oven, turn the cake onto a cool surface without removing the parchment paper, then immediately cover it with a clean kitchen towel. The steam will help make the cake easier to roll.
Preparing the buttercream
For the buttercream, melt the sugar in half a cup of water over low heat to obtain a slightly thick syrup. Slowly pour the hot syrup over the 3 egg yolks, whisking constantly until completely cooled.
Add the softened butter and mix until smooth and creamy. Divide the mixture into two equal parts: flavor one with coffee extract, and the other with melted dark chocolate, slightly loosened with a bit of water if needed.
Assembling the Christmas log
Gently remove the parchment paper from the sponge cake. Spread the coffee buttercream over the sponge and roll the cake lengthwise. Trim the ends; the leftovers can be used to create small decorative “knots.”
Cover the log with chocolate buttercream, add the decorative knots, then create a bark effect using a fork, gently dragging it lengthwise. Decorate as you wish and refrigerate until ready to serve.
As you can see, these photos are quite old. I don’t think I will ever change them because, even if the quality isn’t perfect, they remind me of wonderful memories spent cooking with my children for hours.
In recent years, our traditional homemade log cake has been replaced by an ice cream log cake from Maison Casalini in Rousset. It saves a lot of time—and believe it or not, it’s also easier to digest than a traditional log cake. Maison Casalini truly specializes in this dessert, and their flavors are incredible.
I’d like to take this opportunity to wish you a very Merry Christmas.
If you ever make a Christmas log cake yourself, I absolutely love receiving your messages and photos, so don’t hesitate to share them with me.
If you come to stay with me for a French immersion experience in Provence, I will help you discover all aspects of the region—its landscapes and scents, as well as its culture and gastronomy—while naturally improving your French.
See you soon in Provence,
Virginie in Provence
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