Midnight Forest Yule Log

Prep & Equipment

Prep time: 20 mins | Bake time: 12–15 mins

Equipment: 15x10x1-inch jelly roll pan (rimmed baking sheet), parchment paper, clean kitchen towel.

Phase 1: The Chocolate Sponge

Preheat & Prep: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease your jelly roll pan and line the bottom with parchment paper. Grease the paper as well to ensure a clean release.

Mix: In a large bowl, combine the Devil's Food cake mix, 6 eggs, 1/3 cup water, and 1/4 cup vegetable oil. Beat on medium speed for about 2 minutes until smooth.

Note: Using 6 eggs makes the cake more flexible and "spongy" so it doesn't break when rolled.

Bake: Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan. Bake for 12–15 minutes or until the top springs back when lightly touched.

The First Roll: While the cake is hot, dust a clean kitchen towel with powdered sugar. Invert the cake onto the towel and carefully peel off the parchment paper. Starting from the narrow end, roll the warm cake and the towel together.

Cool: Let the rolled cake cool completely on a wire rack (about 1 hour).

Phase 2: The Marshmallow Filling

Combine: In a medium bowl, fold together the 8 oz Cool Whip and the 7 oz marshmallow cream until smooth and fluffy.

Fill: Gently unroll the cooled cake. Spread the marshmallow filling evenly over the cake, leaving a 1/2-inch border at the edges.

Re-roll: Roll the cake back up (this time without the towel!). Place it seam-side down on your serving platter.

Phase 3: Frosting & Decorating

The "Stump" Cut: To make it look like a real log, cut a 2-inch diagonal slice off one end of the roll. Attach it to the side of the main log using a little chocolate frosting to act as a "branch."

Frost: Spread the 14 oz chocolate frosting over the entire cake.

Create Texture: Run a fork through the frosting in long, wavy lines to mimic tree bark.

Garnish: * Sift powdered sugar over the top to look like fresh snow.

Place your sugar-coated cranberries and rosemary sprigs in small clusters to look like holly berries and pine needles.

Quick Tips for Success

Don't overbake: If the cake gets too crispy at the edges, it will crack during the rolling process.

The "Sugar Towel": Don't be shy with the powdered sugar on your towel; it prevents the cake from sticking to the fabric.

Making "frosty" or "sugared" cranberries and rosemary is the secret to making a Yule log look professional. They look like they've been plucked from a snowy forest!

Since you already have the cranberries, rosemary, and powdered sugar (though regular granulated sugar works best for the "sparkle"), here is how to do it:

 Sugared Cranberries & Rosemary

Make the Syrup: In a small saucepan, combine 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 cup water. Heat over medium until the sugar is completely dissolved (do not let it boil vigorously). Remove from heat and let it cool for about 10 minutes until it's warm but not hot.

Coat the Berries & Herbs: * Drop your fresh cranberries and rosemary sprigs into the syrup.

Stir gently for about 1 minute to ensure they are completely sticky.

Use a slotted spoon to remove them and place them on a wire cooling rack.

The "Drying" Step (Crucial): Let the cranberries and rosemary sit on the rack for 45 to 60 minutes. They need to feel very "tacky" or sticky to the touch. If you roll them while they are soaking wet, the sugar will just turn into a paste.

The Sparkle:

Put about 1/2 cup of granulated sugar in a shallow bowl.

Roll the sticky cranberries (a few at a time) and the rosemary sprigs in the sugar until they are fully coated and sparkling.

Place them back on a clean piece of parchment paper to dry for another 30 minutes.

Pro-Tips for your Yule Log:

Granulated vs. Powdered: While your list mentioned powdered sugar (which is great for "dusting" the whole log to look like fallen snow), granulated (regular) sugar is much better for the cranberries because it creates a crystalline, "icy" look.

The Rosemary "Tree": If you stand a few sugared rosemary sprigs upright next to the log, they look like little frosted pine trees!

Storage: Don't put the sugared cranberries in the fridge once they are done; the humidity can make the sugar melt. Keep them at room temperature until you’re ready to serve.

To make the frosting look like authentic tree bark, you want to move away from "smooth and perfect" and lean into texture and imperfection.

Here are three simple techniques to level up your "bark" using your chocolate frosting:

1. The "Two-Tone" Bark Effect

Since you are using a pre-made chocolate frosting, you can create depth by varying the color:

The Technique: Set aside a small bowl of your frosting (about 1/2 cup) and mix in a tiny bit of powdered sugar or a teaspoon of cocoa powder. This will make it slightly thicker and a different shade of brown.

The Application: Spread your main frosting over the log first. Then, take the slightly different shade and smear it in random, thin streaks over the top. When you run your fork through it later, the colors will swirl together like natural wood grain.

2. The Fork & Skewer Method

Don't just draw straight lines! Real trees have knots and ridges.

Create Knots: Before you do the long lines, use a toothpick or the tip of a knife to draw a few small concentric circles (spirals) on the sides of the log. These represent the knots in the wood.

Vary the Lines: Use a fork to drag long, slightly wavy lines down the length of the log. Don't worry about being steady—wobbles make it look more like a real tree.

The "Branch" Rings: On the exposed ends of the log (the "cut" parts), don't put thick frosting. Instead, use a very thin layer and draw a spiral from the center outward to represent the age rings of the tree.

3. The "Peeling Bark" Texture

If you want the bark to look like it’s peeling off (like a Birch or an old Oak):

The Technique: Instead of smoothing the frosting down, use a small spatula or the back of a spoon to "flick" the frosting upward in certain spots.

The Finish: After you've textured it, let the frosting crust over for about 10 minutes. Then, very lightly dust it with a tiny bit of cocoa powder before your final "snow" (powdered sugar) dusting. This adds a "shadow" effect that makes the ridges pop.

Quick Tip: If your frosting is too soft to hold the fork marks, pop the container in the fridge for 10 minutes before you start. Cold frosting holds "peaks" much better!