This vertically assembled cake is a stunning example of the modern iterations of bûche de Noël. Rather than rolling the cake into a long, slender log, it’s cut into strips and wrapped around itself in layers that mimic the concentric rings of a growing tree. Meringue oyster mushrooms protrude from a toasted buttercream for the delicious illusion of a snow-covered tree stump.
Red Velvet Bûche de Noël
Makes 1 (6- to 8-inch) cake
Ingredients
- 4 large eggs (200 grams), room temperature
- ¾ cup (150 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 cup (125 grams) all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons (15 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon (5 grams) baking powder
- ½ teaspoon (1.5 grams) kosher salt
- 3 tablespoons (42 grams) neutral oil
- 2 tablespoons (30 grams) whole buttermilk
- 1 tablespoon (18 grams) red gel food coloring
- 2 teaspoons (8 grams) vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon (5 grams) distilled white vinegar
- Cream Cheese Filling (recipe follows)
- Swiss Meringue (recipe follows)
- Meringue Oyster Mushrooms, Almond-Chocolate Pine Cones, and Sugared Cranberries and Rosemary, and confectioners’ sugar, to decorate
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Spray a 17¼x12¼-inch rimmed baking sheet with baking spray with flour. Line bottom of pan with parchment paper; spray parchment.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat eggs and granulated sugar at high speed until thick, pale, and ribbon-consistency, 5 to 7 minutes. Sift flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt onto egg mixture. Gently fold with a balloon whisk until combined.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together oil, buttermilk, food coloring, vanilla, and vinegar; add 1 cup (75 grams) egg mixture, and stir until combined. Fold oil mixture into remaining egg mixture until combined, scraping bottom of bowl. Pour batter into prepared pan, spreading smooth with an offset spatula.
- Bake until set and top springs back when gently touched, 15 to 18 minutes. Let cool completely in pan on a wire rack.
- Loosen cooled cake from sides of pan if needed. Using a serrated knife, trim ½ inch of each short side of cake. Cut cake into 4 (12x4-inch) pieces, being sure to cut through the parchment as well; use scissors if needed. Carefully remove each cake piece, with parchment attached, from pan. Spread ⅔ cup (115 grams) Cream Cheese Filling onto each cake piece.
- Starting with one short side, roll up 1 cake piece into a log, removing parchment as you roll, and place vertically in center of a cake plate. Carefully wrap a second cake piece around center roll, removing parchment as you roll. Repeat with remaining cake pieces, creating a spiral. Cover and refrigerate until firm, about 4 hours.
- Spoon Swiss Meringue into a pastry bag fitted with a medium open star piping tip (Ateco #824). Starting at base of cake, pipe meringue vertically up side of cake. Repeat all around cake, occasionally piping small circles to resemble the knots of a tree. Pipe a spiral on top of cake, covering ends of vertical lines as you reach outer edge. Using a handheld kitchen torch, carefully toast meringue as desired.
- Decorate with Meringue Oyster Mushrooms, Almond-Chocolate Pine Cones, Sugared Cranberries and Rosemary, and confectioners’ sugar as desired. Best served same day as made and assembled. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
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Cream Cheese Filling
Makes about 2½ cups
Ingredients
- 1 (8-ounce) package (226 grams) cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup (60 grams) confectioners’ sugar
- 1 teaspoon (4 grams) vanilla extract
- ¾ cup (180 grams) cold heavy whipping cream
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat cream cheese at medium speed until smooth. Add confectioners’ sugar and vanilla, beating until combined; scrape bottom and sides of bowl. With mixer on medium-low speed, slowly add cold cream, beating until combined. Scrape bottom and sides of bowl. Beat at medium-high speed until stiff peaks form, 1 to 2 minutes. Use immediately.
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Swiss Meringue
Makes about 5 cups
Ingredients
- 1¼ cups (250 grams) granulated sugar
- 5 large egg whites (150 grams), room temperature
- ¾ teaspoon (2.25 grams) kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon (1 gram) cream of tartar
- 1½ teaspoons (6 grams) vanilla extract
Instructions
- In the top of a double boiler, whisk together sugar, egg whites, salt, and cream of tartar. Cook over simmering water, stirring occasionally, until a candy thermometer registers 140°F (60°C).
- Transfer mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat at high speed until mixture has cooled and tripled in volume, 5 to 7 minutes. Beat in vanilla.
- Reserve 1 cup meringue (about 95 grams) to make Meringue Oyster Mushrooms, if desired. Use remaining meringue immediately.
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Meringue Oyster Mushrooms
Makes 15 to 20 mushrooms
Ingredients
- 1 cup (95 grams) Swiss Meringue
- Unsweetened cocoa powder , for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 225°F (107°C). Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Transfer Swiss Meringue to a pastry bag fitted with a ½-inch round piping tip (Ateco #806).
- Generously dust cocoa onto prepared pan. Pipe meringue in varying ½- to 1-inch-wide dollops 2 to 3 inches apart on parchment. Lightly dust cocoa onto meringue. Cover with a sheet of parchment paper; gently press circles to flatten to about ½ inch thick. Place another rimmed baking sheet on parchment.
- Bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes. Turn off oven, and let meringues cool in oven with door closed for at least 1 hour before using, or until ready to use. When ready to use, gently remove top parchment, invert meringues, and gently remove remaining parchment. Best served same day as made. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
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Almond-Chocolate Pine Cones
Makes about 4 large, 6 medium, or 12 small pine cones
Ingredients
- 3½ ounces (99 grams) almond paste
- 1 cup (104 grams) toasted sliced almonds
- 1 ounce (28 grams) dark chocolate, melted
- Unsweetened cocoa powder, for dusting
- Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting
Instructions
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Divide almond paste into 1-teaspoon (8-gram) portions for small pine cones, 2-teaspoon (16-gram) portions for medium, or 1-tablespoon (24-gram) portions for large; shape each portion into a cone with a flat base.
- Dip one end of an almond slice into melted chocolate, and starting at bottom of cone, press into cone. Repeat procedure to cover cone, staggering and overlapping almonds all around cone. Refrigerate in an airtight container for at least 1 hour before using or for up to 3 days. Just before using, lightly dust with cocoa. Lightly dust with confectioners’ sugar for a snowy look if desired.
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Sugared Cranberries and Rosemary
Makes about 2 cups each
Ingredients
- ½ cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (120 grams) water
- 20 fresh sprigs rosemary (27 grams)
- 2 cups (220 grams) fresh or drained thawed frozen cranberries
- 2 cups (400 grams) sparkling sugar
Instructions
- Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper, and place a wire rack on top of each.
- In a small saucepan, whisk together granulated sugar and ½ cup (120 grams) water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; reduce heat to low, and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat, and let cool for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Dip rosemary sprigs in syrup until just coated in syrup; place on one prepared rack. Repeat procedure with cranberries, using a slotted spoon to remove. Let stand until dry, about 1 hour.
- In a medium bowl, place sparkling sugar. Dredge rosemary in sugar to coat; return to wire rack. Repeat procedure with cranberries, using a slotted spoon. Let stand until dry, about 1 hour. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
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Cutting, Filling, and Assembling the Red Velvet Bûche
Layers of cake are wrapped around each other in concentric circles to create this epic tree stump.
Cut cake pieces, including parchment, and gently spread filling onto each piece. Starting with one cake piece, roll it into a log, removing parchment as you roll, and place vertically in center of a cake plate. Carefully wrap a second piece around center roll, removing parchment as you go. Repeat this process with the remaining cake pieces to create a large spiral. TIP: Try to place the ends of each cake piece as close to each other as possible to minimize gaps.
Piping Meringue onto the Red Velvet Bûche
Embrace a loose, organic feel when piping the meringue to reflect how a snow-covered tree stump appears in nature.
Starting from the bottom of the cake, pipe meringue onto sides vertically in strips, occasionally piping small circles to resemble a knot of a tree. Don’t worry about keeping the strips straight. After the sides are covered, pipe meringue into a spiral to cover the top of the cake. Once fully covered, use a handheld kitchen torch to carefully brown meringue as desired. TIP: Do not place this cake in the oven to brown the meringue.
Deliciously Delightful Décor
The joy of assembling a bûche de Noël largely comes from the decoration, when you get the fun of adding your own flair to your cake. From simple sugar-coated berries and herbs to lifelike nut-and-chocolate pine cones, pair these handcrafted embellishments with your favorite store-bought items to create your custom look.
Great recipe but there is no listing of cream in the cream cheese recipe. What is the quantity recommended?
Hi Melissa,
Thank you for bringing this to our attention. The cold heavy whipping cream has been added to the ingredient list for the Cream Cheese Frosting. You use ¾ cup cold heavy whipping cream. Happy baking!