Bûche de Noël
A Christmas Yule Log
A Holiday Tradition in France
The origins of this delightful cake comes from the tradition to Burn a log with holly at the end of winter to cleanse the air of the previous year's events. The ashes of these logs were very valuable as they were thought to have medicinal qualities and even be able to protect you from getting struck by lightening.
So when did we start eating a cake that looks like a log rather than burning a log? This all started with the adoption of Christianity and the building of smaller hearths. As the hearths became smaller there was no need to burn an enormous log, but they were perfect for baking cakes!
The creator of the first Bûche de Noël is unknown, but it is believed to be made in the 1600s. It is decorated with marzipan and meringue decorations and is made to look like a log in remembrance of the old tradition.
Parisian bakeries popularized the cakes in the 1900s and they have been a large part of The French Holiday Season since then!!
Traditional Bûche de Noël
Largest Bûche de Noël
Made in China 2011