Yule Log

Instructions

Preheat oven to 180C & line a large baking tray with greaseproof paper.

Combine the milk in a small bowl & whisk with the apple cider vinegar. Set aside for 10 minutes to curdle into a buttermilk.

In a large bowl, mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, cacao powder & salt.

Add the oil to the ‘buttermilk’ and whisk to combine. Then add the wet ingredients into the dry & mix together to form a batter.

Pour the batter into the baking tray, spreading it evenly to fill the corners & gentle tap on the worktop to remove any bubbles. Then bake for 20 minutes.

Whilst the sponge is baking, make your icing by creaming the dairy-free butter before adding the icing sugar, vanilla extract & mixing well until smooth. (Leave the cacao powder out for now).

Remove the sponge from the oven and allow to cool. Place a large sheet of greaseproof paper on your worktop & dust lightly with cacao powder, then lay the sponge bottom side down on to it, peeling away the original baking paper, then cut the edges with a sharp knife to get rid of any rough edges.

Starting with a long edge, roll up the sponge, keeping the paper inside & set aside.

Unroll the sponge & spread a thin layer of the icing all over it (don’t use all the icing), before removing the grease-proof paper and re-rolling.

Add the cacao powder to the rest of your icing & mix well.

Spread the rest of the icing over the log, using a skewer or fork to create bark ripples on the icing. Dust a little extra cacao powder, icing sugar or shaved chocolate over the top & serve.