Yule Log Cupcakes

Name: Yule Log Cupcakes
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 190 g Butter, softened; 190 g Caster sugar; 1 Teaspoon Vanilla extract; 4 Medium Eggs; 150 g Self-raising flour; 40 g Unsweetened cocoa powder; 150 g Butter, softened; 350 g Icing sugar; 40 g Cocoa powder; 4-5 Tablespoons Milk ((as needed to get your desired consistency)); 4 Cadbury Flakes; Few Tablespoons Holly & berry sprinkles; Icing sugar, to dust

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These chocolate yule log cupcakes look impressive but they are surprisingly easy to make! They're super fun and festive, and great for little ones to help with.

chocolate yule log cupcakes on a wooden stand

Can you believe we're only 4 days away from Christmas now?! I have had so much fun festive baking this year and I hope you've enjoyed making some of my recipes along the way. I still have a couple more recipes left to share before Christmas Day, and these chocolate yule log cupcakes have to be one of the cutest!

They start off as simple chocolate cupcakes, but a small piece of Flake, some holly berries, and a light dusting of icing sugar transform them into a magical, snowy dessert. These were a huge favourite during recipe testing (we ate a lot, lol), and I hope that you like them as much as I do. Enjoy!

Ingredients

Here's a quick list of everything I used to make these cupcakes:

Butter: Make sure it's soft so that it's easier to mix. You can soften it by leaving it out at room temperature for an hour or two before you start baking, or pop it in the microwave for 10-15 seconds (but be careful not to melt it).
Sugar: Caster sugar is best for baking. Always use this if you can.
Vanilla extract: Just a splash for extra flavour. If you want an extra intense chocolate flavour, you can substitute this for a teaspoon of cold espresso (don't worry, your cakes won't taste like coffee at all).
Eggs: 4 medium eggs. These will bind the rest of the ingredients together and help give a bit of lift.
Self-raising flour: If you can't get hold of self-raising flour, make sure to add 2 teaspoons of baking powder to the recipe separately to help the cupcakes rise.
Cocoa powder: Unsweetened is best for a rich, chocolatey flavour.
Icing sugar: For the buttercream icing, and to dust the finished cupcakes.
Milk: A few tablespoons to loosen the buttercream as needed.
Flakes: Or any other flaky milk chocolate bars. Cut into pieces, these will be our 'yule logs'.
Holly and berry sprinkles: Morrison's, Asda, Waitrose and Tesco sell these in the baking aisle near Christmas time, or you can buy them online. I got mine from Tesco.

Equipment

Cupcake tin and liners: This recipe makes 12 cupcakes in total. You can use any festive paper or silicone liners that you like. I also recommend a tin with deeper holes, as the shallow ones tend to bake outwards rather than upwards.
Mixing bowls: One for the cupcake batter and one for the chocolate buttercream.
Piping bag: And a large star nozzle, for piping the buttercream onto the cakes. If you prefer, you can just spread it on with a spoon instead, which is the easy alternative I use when baking with my nephews!
Utensils: A teaspoon, a tablespoon, a couple of wooden spoons, a sharp knife and a toothpick.
Cooling rack: This is not totally essential but I like to air my cupcakes out after baking, to help prevent soggy bases.
Small sieve: Or a flour duster, to dust on the icing sugar at the end.

overhead image of chocolate yule log cupcakes

How to make yule log cupcakes step by step

Step 1: Start by preheating your oven to 160°C (or 140°C if you're using a fan oven) and lining a cupcake tin with 12 liners.

Step 2: In a large bowl, mix 190g of softened butter with 190g of caster sugar. Once that's soft and smooth, stir in 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract.

Step 3: Next, add 150g self-raising flour, 40g cocoa powder and 4 eggs, a bit at a time, until you have a smooth but thick cake batter.

Step 4: Divide the batter equally between your 12 cake cases (I made a half-batch when I was testing this recipe if you're confused by my image above). Bake them for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Step 5: Let the cupcakes cool for 5 minutes or so, then pop them onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Step 6: Once the cakes are cool, we can prepare the chocolate buttercream. Add 150g of soft butter to a bowl then stir in 350g of icing sugar, 40g of cocoa powder, and 4 tablespoons of milk. It'll be tough at first but keep going and it'll eventually become smooth! You can add an extra splash of milk to loosen it if you need to.

Step 7: Transfer the icing into a piping bag fitted with a large star nozzle then pipe some onto each cupcake.

cupcakes with chocolate buttercream icing on top

Step 8: Cut 4 Flakes into thirds then place one on top of each cupcake. Then use leftover icing on a toothpick to 'glue' on your holly and berries.

adding holly and berries on top of the flakes

Step 9: Finally, add a light dusting of icing sugar for that snowy effect and enjoy!

My top cupcake tips

Use a cupcake tin with deep holes so you can get tall cupcakes rather than wide ones. I find that the super shallow tins are more suited to small fairy cakes.
If you can't find the sprinkles, you can make your own holly and berries with small pieces of green and red fondant.
Cupcakes are usually baked at 180°C but I like to bake mine at 160°C so the tops stay soft and flat. This means you don't need to try to pipe around a large dome on the cakes.

FAQs

How long do chocolate yule log cupcakes last?

These will last for about 5 days if you keep them in an airtight container. I recommend keeping them in the fridge due to the butter in the icing.

Can I freeze them?

Yes, they can be frozen for up to 3 months. Keep them in an airtight container and defrost them in the fridge overnight.

What can I use instead of a Flake for the logs?

I think chocolate wafer logs would be a great alternative. You could also use chocolate finger biscuits.

More chocolate Christmas treats

I hope you like my chocolate yule log cupcakes! Let me know what you think of them by leaving a rating and comment below. Enjoy!