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Yule Log Recipes

Grandma's Yule Log Recipes Are Perfect For A Traditional Christmas

Yule log recipes are part of an old Christmas tradition. Yule is simply another word for Christmas, while Yuletide refers to the Christmas season. The word is thought to have originated with a pre-Christian harvest festival held in November.

The Yule log is an ancient custom that survived into Christian times. Traditionally, a huge oak log was carried into the dining hall amid much celebration and lit on Christmas Eve. The log was burnt each night until Epiphany, the feast of Twelfth Night, to symbolize the power of God's Light to conquer darkness. Yule log cakes now symbolize the oak logs. Try a traditional Yule log cake recipe this Christmas and surprise your family.

Traditional Yuletide Log Recipe

This old-fashioned Yule log recipe is taken from Mom's handwritten recipe book, circa 1929.

Five ounces fruit sugar, 5 ounces flour, five eggs. Beat fruit sugar and yolks of eggs together until light. Add flour gradually, and then fold in the stiffly beaten egg whites. Spread on shallow pan, covered with greased paper, and bake in moderate oven.

When cool spread with a boiled custard, roll like a jelly roll, leaving a hole in the center, which can be filled with whipped cream. Cover with mocha frosting, "ridge" roughly with a fork, and sprinkle with finely chopped pistachio nuts. Cut both ends on an angle to represent a log. Very Good!

Graham Wafer Yuletide Log Recipe

This vintage graham wafer yule log recipe is taken from Mom's recipe scrapbook, circa 1929.

1/4 cup butter
3/4 cup fine sugar
3 eggs, separated
2/3 cup sifted all-purpose flour
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1-3/4 cups graham wafers, finely rolled
3/4 cup buttermilk or sour milk

Line a 10 x 15-inch jelly roll pan with waxed paper. Do not grease. Cream butter and sugar. Add egg yolks and beat well. Sift dry ingredients and add alternately to creamed mixture with milk. Fold in stiffly beaten egg whites and wafer crumbs. Bake at 350°F for 20 minutes. Turn out immediately onto a damp towel liberally sprinkled with fine sugar.

Carefully remove waxed paper, trim crusts. Roll cake up along narrow edge. When cool, partially unroll, then fill and frost with lemon flavored whipped cream. Chocolate frosting can be substituted for the whipped cream. Delicious either way.

In modern times, Yule log cakes have become very popular at Christmas; however, as one would expect, they scarcely last twelve nights. They are far too delicious.

Our family often enjoys a yule log cake on Christmas Eve after a midnight church service. Try these vintage Yule log cake recipes and make a traditional dessert cake for your Yuletide celebrations.

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