Christmas Chocolate Log
Our lighter version of the traditional Christmas dessert means that you can feel like you're treating yourself without having to worry about loads of extra calories.
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NutritionPer Serving
- Calories133
- Carbs23g
- Protein6.6g
- Fat6g
- Saturates3.2g
- Sugars6.5g
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For the full list of ingredients and comprehensive instructions, please see the recipe card at the end of this post. Before you scroll, there’s important stuff to know in the blurb!
Christmas is all about chocolate, which can be a bit difficult if you’re following a diet plan or counting calories!
If you’re looking for more festive, chocolate desserts then you can find all of our Christmas recipes on our Christmas recipes collection page here.
Our Christmas Chocolate Log has all of the festive flavours of the traditional dessert, but without all of the extra calories or Points.
We’ve used a fatless sponge and made the chocolate frosting with low fat cream cheese and sweetener instead of butter and icing sugar to help keep the calories down without compromising on flavour.
Cooking the cocoa powder, sweetener and water before you add it to your cream cheese helps to give the frosting a darker chocolate colour and makes it look super decadent as well.
An electric whisk is essential for this recipe in order to produce a thick enough mixture to allow the sponge to be rolled up.
It’s really important that you make sure that your sponge is still warm when you go to roll it up otherwise it won’t work properly and you’ll probably end up with broken pieces of cake instead of a nice Swiss roll!
The key thing to remember is to roll carefully but confidently and use the parchment paper to help you. Don’t worry about any small cracks that might appear as these will be covered up when you fill and frost your cake.
Why not enjoy this delicious Christmas Chocolate Log as part of a festive Christmas buffet alongside our Christmas Trifle or our Veggie Filo Crackers?
What diets is this Christmas Chocolate Log suitable for?
This Christmas Chocolate Log is suitable for vegetarian diets.
Please make sure to double or triple check all of your ingredients if you’re cooking for people with allergies.
Do you need any special ingredients to make this Christmas Chocolate Log?
You’ll need a 26 x 38 cm Swiss roll tin for this recipe.
The holly decoration is optional, so don’t worry if you can’t find any – it still looks really impressive without it!
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You’ll need a 26 x 38 cm Swiss roll tin to make this Christmas Chocolate Log, like this one.
If you don’t already have an electric hand whisk then it’s essential to getting the mixture thick enough for this recipe to work.
How many calories are in this Christmas Chocolate Log?
There are 133 calories per portion in this Christmas Chocolate Log which means it falls into our Everyday Light category.
This Christmas Chocolate Log is perfect if you’re following a calorie controlled diet and fits well with any one of the major diet plans such as Weight Watchers.
As a guide, an average man needs around 2,500kcal (10,500kJ) a day to maintain a healthy body weight. For an average woman, that figure is around 2,000kcal (8,400kJ) a day. Obviously, if your goal is to lose weight then you might want to adjust these slightly! You can read more about these recommendations on the NHS website.
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 160ºC.
Step 2
Spray a 26 x 38 cm Swiss roll tin or shallow baking tray with a little low calorie cooking spray and use to grease the tin.
Step 3
Line the base and sides of the tin with baking parchment paper.
For the sponge
Step 1
Place the eggs, sweetener, caster sugar and vanilla essence in a large bowl. Whisk with a hand held electric whisk for about 10 minutes on high speed, until thick, pale and creamy. The mixture needs to be thick enough for a ‘ribbon’ trail to be left on the surface when the whisk is lifted out.
Step 2
Sift together the flour and cocoa powder into a medium bowl. Sift once more, into the whisked mixture.
Step 3
Using a large metal spoon, gently fold the flour and cocoa powder in until just evenly mixed. Be careful not to over mix the mixture otherwise you will knock out the air you have incorporated.
Step 4
Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and gently spread out using a palette knife.
Step 5
Place in the oven for 10 – 12 minutes. Gently press the centre of the sponge, if it springs back and leaves no indent then it is ready.
Step 6
Remove from the oven and turn out, sponge side down, onto a sheet of baking parchment paper.
Step 7
Carefully peel away the lining paper from the sponge and discard.
Step 8
Using a round bladed knife, score a line along the narrow end nearest to you, approx 2.5 cm in from the edge.
Step 9
Whilst the sponge is still warm, and starting from the scored narrow end, carefully roll up into a Swiss roll, using the sheet of baking parchment paper to help you. Make sure the Swiss roll is seam side down and leave to cool completely on the sheet of baking paper.
For the frosting
Step 1
Place the cocoa powder, white granulated sweetener and water in a small saucepan and stir with a wooden spoon until smooth. Place over a low heat and bring to a gentle simmer.
Step 2
Simmer gently, for 1 – 2 minutes, stirring, until smooth, glossy and the consistency of melted chocolate. Using a spatula, scrape into a small bowl and leave until just cool.
Step 3
Place the cream cheese in a medium bowl and mix with a wooden spoon until softened and smooth. Add the cocoa mixture and stir until evenly mixed.
Step 4
Carefully unroll the cooled Swiss roll on the baking parchment paper. Spread half of the frosting evenly over the sponge, and roll up to form a Swiss roll. Transfer to a serving plate, and place it seam side down.
Step 5
Spread the remaining frosting all over the Swiss roll, and roughly texture with a small palette knife to resemble bark. Decorate with a sprig of holly, and red berries of your choice. Dust with icing sugar and chill for a minimum of 1 hour before cutting into 10 slices.
What could I serve with this Christmas Chocolate Log?
This Christmas Chocolate Log can be enjoyed on its own or with a squirt of aerosol cream. You could also serve it alongside any of the following dishes:
How do you know when this Christmas Chocolate Log is cooked?
You’ll need to bake your Christmas Chocolate Log for around 10 – 12 minutes or until you can gently press down on the top of the sponge and have it spring back without leaving an indent.
How long can I keep this Christmas Chocolate Log in the fridge?
This Christmas Chocolate Log can be kept covered in the fridge and eaten the next day.
Can I freeze this Christmas Chocolate Log?
Yes, this recipe can be frozen but you’ll need to freeze it before coating it with the cream cheese frosting. Cream cheese tends to become crumbly after freezing and the frosting may crumble away from the sponge.
It is fine to freeze the frosting once it is rolled inside the sponge. Place the rolled and filled sponge in a freezer proof box and label with the contents and date.
Defrost the sponge thoroughly before coating with some freshly made frosting.
In this case, you could make half the amount of frosting and use it to fill the Christmas Chocolate Log, freeze, defrost and then make another half batch of freshly made frosting once ready to coat.
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Christmas Chocolate Log
Our lighter version of the traditional Christmas dessert means that you can feel like you're treating yourself without having to worry about loads of extra calories.
-
Prep Time
20 MINS
-
Cook Time
14 MINS
- KCals 133
- Carbs 23G
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 160ºC.
- Spray a 26 x 38 cm Swiss roll tin or shallow baking tray with a little low calorie cooking spray and use to grease the tin.
- Line the base and sides of the tin with baking parchment paper.
For the sponge
- Place the eggs, sweetener, caster sugar and vanilla essence in a large bowl. Whisk with a hand held electric whisk for about 10 minutes on high speed, until thick, pale and creamy. The mixture needs to be thick enough for a 'ribbon' trail to be left on the surface when the whisk is lifted out.
- Sift together the flour and cocoa powder into a medium bowl. Sift once more, into the whisked mixture.
- Using a large metal spoon, gently fold the flour and cocoa powder in until just evenly mixed. Be careful not to over mix the mixture otherwise you will knock out the air you have incorporated.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and gently spread out using a palette knife.
- Place in the oven for 10 - 12 minutes. Gently press the centre of the sponge, if it springs back and leaves no indent then it is ready.
- Remove from the oven and turn out, sponge side down, onto a sheet of baking parchment paper.
- Carefully peel away the lining paper from the sponge and discard.
- Using a round bladed knife, score a line along the narrow end nearest to you, approx 2.5 cm in from the edge.
- Whilst the sponge is still warm, and starting from the scored narrow end, carefully roll up into a Swiss roll, using the sheet of baking parchment paper to help you. Make sure the Swiss roll is seam side down and leave to cool completely on the sheet of baking paper.
For the frosting
- Place the cocoa powder, white granulated sweetener and water in a small saucepan and stir with a wooden spoon until smooth. Place over a low heat and bring to a gentle simmer.
- Simmer gently, for 1 - 2 minutes, stirring, until smooth, glossy and the consistency of melted chocolate. Using a spatula, scrape into a small bowl and leave until just cool.
- Place the cream cheese in a medium bowl and mix with a wooden spoon until softened and smooth. Add the cocoa mixture and stir until evenly mixed.
- Carefully unroll the cooled Swiss roll on the baking parchment paper. Spread half of the frosting evenly over the sponge, and roll up to form a Swiss roll. Transfer to a serving plate, and place it seam side down.
- Spread the remaining frosting all over the Swiss roll, and roughly texture with a small palette knife to resemble bark. Decorate with a sprig of holly, and red berries of your choice. Dust with icing sugar and chill for a minimum of 1 hour before cutting into 10 slices.
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Recipe notes
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14 comments
See what others have to say
JackieTuesday 2nd January 2024
Hi what brand cocoa powder do I use please and what make granulated sweetener do you use? Thank you
HollyWednesday 21st February 2024
Hey Jackie, any cocoa powder would work great in this recipe. We have some information of sweetener HERE which you may find helpful!
Christina NealeMonday 28th December 2020
I have made this twice now and absolutely love it, the second time I decided to change things around a bit and instead of having chocolate in the centre used cream cheese, sweetener, mint essence and green food colouring . Then on the outside the chocolate. Tasted amazing exactly like eating an after eight 😋
LisaMonday 28th December 2020
That sounds amazing, Christine! I love minty chocolate. Thank you for the tip!
Angela ConnorTuesday 15th December 2020
Could I use 3 large eggs instead of 4 med
SharonTuesday 15th December 2020
Hi Angela, I wouldn’t recommend using 3 large eggs as you will be a little short of egg which is a key ingredient in this recipe.
A medium egg typically weighs about 57g, so 4 would weigh 228g.
A large egg typically weighs about 61g, so 3 would weigh 183g.
So you would be about 45g short of egg.
If you decide to go ahead with 3 large eggs, please let us know how you got on.
Do hope this helps.
Angela ConnorTuesday 15th December 2020
Thanks Sharon 😊 I’ll use med eggs. Don’t want to risk it lol x
SharonTuesday 15th December 2020
You’re welcome!
Holly SuttonSunday 13th December 2020
Hello, is there any way I could do this recipe without using caster sugar? If so what would the amount of sweetener be instead?
SharonMonday 14th December 2020
Hi Holly, we haven’t tested this recipe only using white granulated sweetener so can’t be sure of the result, but there’s a possibility you may get an after taste of sweetener. Using half granulated sweetener and half caster sugar gives a good flavour.
If you want to try it anyway, you just need to swap the 50g caster sugar for 50g white granulated sweetener that is the same texture, weight and sweetness as sugar. So, with the other 50g of granulated sweetener you would use a total of 100g of granulated sweetener in the sponge.
It is really important to use a good quality white granulated sweetener that is the same texture, weight and sweetness as sugar and not a powdered one as it will weigh differently.
Many thanks for you question.
Lindsay BrockwellMonday 7th December 2020
What did I do wrong please. Rolled up the sponge and left it to cool down. Went to unroll and spread the filling bit the cake just broke and had stuck to the 2nd parchment paper.
I’ve had to pile it up as I had already made the frosting. Xx
SharonMonday 7th December 2020
Hi Lindsay,
It is important to let the sponge cool down completely before unrolling it.If freshly baked sponge is handled when still slightly warm it will be more delicate than completely cooled sponge.
It is also important to use baking parchment paper rather than greaseproof paper as this has excellent non stick properties.
If the sponge has been overcooked it can cause cracking when you come to unroll it.
I hope these suggestions help you. Thanks for getting in touch with your question.
Heidi ParkerSunday 22nd November 2020
This had such an overwhelming taste of sweetener… it lingering for ages. What can I do to counteract this?
HollyTuesday 24th November 2020
Hi Heidi, the brand of sweetener can play a big part in that aftertaste you mention so you could try a different brand? Alternatively you could swap for caster sugar or you could try Half Spoon sugar and alter the calories accordingly using this guide HERE Hope that helps!
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