Gluten-Free Christmas Yule Log Cake

Grab your apron, dust off your mixing bowls, and let's whip up a Christmas Yule Log Cake that'll have everyone saying, "ho-ho-holy moly, that's delicious"! After all, it's the most wonderful time of the year and it deserves the most delicious dessert of the year! 

Gluten-Free, Vegan, Plant-Based

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups gluten free 1:1 baking flour

1/4 cup cocoa powder

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 cup aquafaba

1 cup granulated sugar or coconut sugar, divided

1/2 cup of unsweetened applesauce, room temperature

1/4 cup of dairy free yogurt, room temperature

For the buttercream:

3 cups powdered sugar

1 cup vegan butter

¼ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the ganache:

1 can Cha’s coconut cream

1 cup vegan chocolate chips

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350F and line a medium baking sheet that has walls with parchment paper. Set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cacao powder, and baking powder. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, use a hand mixer or stand mixer to whip the aquafaba first for 5 minutes, and then add in 1/2 cup sugar, continuing to beat into stiff peaks. It should not be runny or easily moveable. Then add in the applesauce, the remaining 1/2 cup sugar, and the dairy free yogurt. Beat everything together until it’s combined.
4. Add in the dry ingredients into the wet, and fold the mixture until there are no more dry streaks. Be careful not to over-mix.
5. Pour the batter onto the baking sheet and use a spatula or offset knife to spread the batter until it reaches the edges of the baking sheet. Place into the oven to bake for 10-13 minutes, or until the cake is set and the toothpick comes out clean.
6. Once baked, remove from the oven. Lift from the baking sheet, and begin to roll from the short end with the parchment used to bake in. Once the cake is rolled, carefully transfer it to the fridge to chill for 2 hours. While chilling, prepare the vegan filling.
7. Add the powdered sugar, vegan butter, salt and vanilla extract to the bowl of a stand mixer and starting at slow speed, gradually increase speed until thick and smooth.
8. Once cake is totally chilled, un-roll and spread filling over the inside of the cake.
9. Re-roll cake and chill for another 20 minutes while you make the ganache.
10. Heat coconut cream over medium heat until steaming, then pour over vegan chocolate chips. Leave for 5 minutes, then stir from the inside out until smooth and combined.
11. Pour over prepared and chilled cake. Then take a fork to decorate “tree” like bark designs into the ganache/cake.
12. Sprinkle with powdered sugar, or anything else of your choice.
13. Enjoy!