A popular Christmas dessert in Switzerland, especially the French-speaking part, is the forest-themed Bûche de Noël.

Now I love a forest-themed Christmas bake as much as the next person (see my pinecone Zopf, Tannenzopfen, my pinecone cake, Tannenzapfen Torte, and the many-layered tree cake, Baumkuchen), so I was delighted to add this chocolate log to the Christmas repertoire.

It’s easy to make—the sponge and frosting are both unfussy, and you can go simple or elaborate with the decorations.

I like a slightly chewy sponge, with lots of buttery chocolate frosting, which has a nice toothsomeness. It is not as puffy and spongy as some other versions.

For the cake:

4 eggs, room temperature

80 g sugar

pinch salt

80 g flour, sifted

For the frosting:

200 g butter

100 g icing sugar

80 g chocolate, melted

1 tsp spirit of choice or coffee (or both)

For the assembly:

coffee or spirit of choice

For the chocolate bark (optional):

70 g chocolate

For the pinecones (optional):

marzipan

flaked almonds, toasted

Preheat oven to 180 C / 350 F / gas mark 4.

Line the bottom of a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Using a stand mixer with a whisk attachment, whip the eggs until frothy, then add the sugar and the salt. Keep whipping until it is thick and pale and the whisk makes ribbons in the mixture. Alternatively, you can do this by hand, it will just take much longer.

Sift in the flour, folding it in gently.

Gently spread a large rectangle on the prepared baking sheet.

Bake for about 12 minutes or until the top springs back when you (gently) press it.

As soon as the cake is out of the oven, you will need to roll it so it will keep its shape later. Flip it over and remove the parchment paper, the flip it back and roll it up from its short side. It’s ok if the edges crack a little, you can simply trim them or ice over them later. Wrap the rolled up cake in parchment and leave to cool.

For the frosting:

In a large bowl, beat the butter until soft and fluffy. Add the icing sugar and chocolate, and beat until smooth. Beat in the spirit or coffee.

Assembly:

Unroll your rolled-up log, brush with your spirit of choice or coffee, then spread with about two thirds of the buttercream frosting.

If desired, cut a small part of the log and place it at an angle to the main log, making a branch.

Roll up and cover the rest of the log with frosting.

For the chocolate bark:

Crumple up a piece of parchment paper and put it on a baking sheet.

Over a hot water bath, melt the chocolate, then spread it over a crumpled piece of parchment paper.

Let set in the fridge or on a chilly porch or balcony, then roll the parchment to break up the chocolate pieces.

Place on the log in a decorative fashion.

For the pinecones:

Roll the marzipan into small cones then, starting at the bottom, press in the toasted, flaked almonds to create a pinecone effect.

• Make sure your eggs for the sponge are room temperature, or they won’t whip up enough. You can also warm them in a water bath.

• Roll the cake up immediately when it comes out of the oven and is still warm and pliable, otherwise it can crack and break.

• I find this sponge consistently easy to roll up, despite a little bit of cracking at the edges. If it is humid, or the sponge feels a bit sticky to the touch, you can roll it up with a piece of parchment on the inside.

• In Switzerland it is easy to buy pre-made marzipan (for the decorations), or you can make your own.

• You can make this cake as simple or as decorative as you choose. The chocolate bark is quite easy and quick, and the pinecones take a little longer. Some versions add plastic trees or real pine boughs, or little plastic deer or meringue mushrooms.