This Gluten-Free Vegan Yule Log is moist and fluffy, super indulgent, and coated in a velvety chocolate buttercream made from chestnuts! It's the perfect festive dessert for Christmas!
Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius (350 degrees Fahrenheit)
Place the coconut oil in a large bowl and melt over a saucepan of boiling water or in the microwave (skip this step if using any other oil)
Once melted, add the milk to the same bowl along with the vinegar, maple syrup, vanilla, salt and ground almonds
Sift in the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and cocoa powder
Mix well, adding a tiny splash more milk if it’s looking too dry
Transfer mixture into a square baking tin lined with baking paper (I used a 23cm/9inch square baking tin)
Bake in oven for around 20 minutes until risen slightly and an inserted skewer comes out clean
Once out the oven, leave them to cool completely before cutting and applying the frosting
For the buttercream:
Drain the cashew nuts and add to a food processor or blender with all the other ingredients
Whizz until completely smooth - you might need to mix it around a few times
Taste and adjust ingredients as necessary – add more maple syrup for sweetness, more cocoa powder for chocolate flavour etc
To assemble and decorate:
Once the cake has cooled completely, cut it into thirds - you should end up with three evenly-sized rectangles
Place one of these pieces onto a plate or cake stand
Divide the buttercream into four
Use a palette knife (or a normal knife) to spread one quarter of the buttercream on top of the piece of cake
Place another piece of cake on top and spread another quarter of the buttercream on top
Place the final piece of cake on top and spread the rest of the buttercream over the top and sides of the cake
Run a fork over the surface of the buttercream to create a jagged pattern
Use a chopstick or skewer to carve a ring pattern on both ends of the cake to create a tree trunk-like pattern
Decorate as desired - I used cranberries and rosemary sprigs and inserted flaked almonds at angles
Tastes best when fresh but keeps covered in the fridge for up to a few days
Video
Notes
*You can alternatively use almond flour. To make this extra indulgent, you can add a splash of brandy (or any other alcohol of choice) to the buttercream! You can use the site barnivore.com to check whether your alcohol is vegan-friendly.Where can you buy chestnuts?This recipe uses chestnuts, which you can buy peeled and ready-cooked in packets in most supermarkets - you'll find them in the dry foods section.You can also buy peeled frozen chestnuts in most supermarkets - you'll find them with the frozen vegetables. These frozen ones are usually uncooked so you'll have to boil them first (usually takes around 15 minutes) before using them in this recipe.If you can't get hold of chestnuts, they can be replaced with more cashew nuts.