Skip to main content
Epicurious
Gourmet

Maple Walnut Bûche de Noël

3.8

(14)

Image may contain Food Confectionery Sweets and Plant
Maple Walnut Bûche de NoëlQuentin Bacon

Cakes resembling Yule logs are very popular at Christmastime in Canada and the United States. Though you'll see them in bakery windows elaborately decorated with marzipan woodland animals and meringue mushrooms, we went with a simpler but more elegant look.

Active time: 1 1/4 hr Start to finish: 3 1/2 hr (includes making buttercream and brittle)

Cooks' note:

Frosted cake (uncut and without brittle shards) can be made 3 days ahead and chilled, covered. Bring to room temperature before serving. Chill remaining buttercream, covered, then bring to room temperature before using. If buttercream seems lumpy, beat with electric mixer until smooth.

See Related Recipes and Cooking Tips

Read More
Caramelized Onion Pasta
Turn humble onions into this thrifty yet luxe pasta dinner.
Our Favorite French Onion Soup
Caramelized onions, melty Gruyère, and a deeply savory broth deliver the kind of comfort that doesn’t need improving.
Golden Mushroom Soup With Orzo & a Pat of Butter
This is the type of soup that, at first glance, might seem a little…unexciting. But you’re underestimating the power of mushrooms, which do the heavy lifting.
Classic French Bouillabaisse With Rouille
This flexible recipe is all you need to bring this iconic Provençal seafood stew to your table.
Béchamel Sauce
This classic 15-minute sauce is your secret weapon for homemade mac and cheese, chowder, lasagna, and more.
Mascarpone Cheesecake
An extra-silky filling (no water bath needed!) and a smooth sour cream topping make this the ultimate cheesecake.
Crème Anglaise
The silky French vanilla sauce that goes with everything.
Butternut Squash–Kale Salad With Roasted Garlic Vinaigrette
Round out these autumn greens with tart pomegranate seeds, crunchy pepitas, and a shower of Parmesan.