Yule logs come in a couple of different forms. A yule log can either be an actual fire log or a cake shaped like one. Either way, the practice was born in ancient Norway, which, as you might know, is absolutely frigid in winter months. Winter solstice marks the shortest day of the year, with warmer days to come. Back then, the Norse believed the sun was a wheel of fire that rolled toward and away from the Earth. The yule log symbolized the joyous return of the sun.
It used to be a whole tree that was slowly burned over 12 days, but that wasn’t the most practical tradition to adopt. Americans made their own spin on the tradition in 1966 when a New York news station broadcasted a loop of a fireplace for three hours with Christmas music playing in the background. The tradition was continued ever since.
Baked yule logs made of chocolate cake are an even tastier tradition. The key to making a good one is not to overcook the cake so that it doesn’t crack when it’s rolled up.
