Lemon Log Cake – Light and Elegant Holiday Dessert by Lucie Noël
A zesty lemon log cake with mousse, citrus cream, almond sponge, and cookie base. A refined holiday dessert by Lucie Noël.This light and tangy lemon log cake by Lucie Noël is the perfect way to finish a festive meal. Designed to pair beautifully with a glass of Blanc de Blancs champagne, this make-ahead dessert combines an almond sponge, smooth lemon cream, airy lemon mousse, and a crisp cookie base. You can prepare it up to 2 weeks in advance and freeze it, needing only the final coating and decoration the day before serving. Whether for Christmas or New Year’s Eve, this cake brings a bright citrus twist to any celebration.
Ingredients
🍰 Almond Sponge Cake
- 25 g: Almond flour
- 25 g: Granulated sugar
- 1 : Egg
- 15 g: Unsalted butter
- 12 g: Cake flour
- 1 pinch: Baking powder
- Zest: From 1 lemon
🍋 Lemon Cream
- 1 : Egg
- 40 g: Lemon juice
- 25 g: Granulated sugar
- 5 g: Cornstarch
- 5 g: Unsalted butter
- 1 g: Gelatin sheet ½ sheet
🍪 Lemon Cookie Base
- 50 g: Cake flour
- 10 g: Granulated sugar
- 25 g: Unsalted butter
- 15 g: Egg
- Zest: From 1 lemon
🍋 Lemon Mousse
- 2 : Eggs
- 100 g: Lemon juice
- 95 g: Granulated sugar
- 300 g: Heavy cream 35%
- 3 sheets: Gelatin
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Instructions
🔹 Almond Sponge Cake (2 days before serving)
- In a mixer, combine almond flour and sugar.
- Add the egg and whisk until the mixture becomes pale and doubles in volume.
- Gently fold in sifted flour, baking powder, and lemon zest using a spatula.
- Melt the butter and mix it with ¼ of the batter. Fold this mixture into the rest of the batter.
- Pour into a 25×10 cm mold and bake at 170°C (fan-assisted) for 10–15 minutes. Cool completely.
🔹 Lemon Cream (2 days before serving)
- In a saucepan, whisk together lemon juice, sugar, cornstarch, and egg.
- Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens.
- Remove from heat and stir in soaked gelatin until fully dissolved.
- Add butter and mix well.
- Cover with plastic wrap touching the surface and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
🔹 Insert Assembly (2 days before serving)
- Cut the baked sponge into two rectangles (5×25 cm each).
- Fill a piping bag with chilled lemon cream and pipe it over one sponge layer.
- Place the second sponge layer on top to form a sandwich.
- Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and freeze for at least 6 hours (overnight preferred).
🔹 Lemon Cookie Base (1 day before serving)
- Mix softened butter, flour, sugar, egg, and lemon zest in a bowl until combined.
- Roll the dough into a 7×25 cm rectangle on parchment paper.
- Bake at 180°C for 15 minutes. Let cool.
🔹 Lemon Mousse (1 day before serving)
- In a saucepan, mix lemon juice, eggs, and sugar. Cook over medium heat until the mixture thickens.
- Remove from heat, add soaked gelatin, and stir well.
- Let cool to 30°C.
- Whip the heavy cream until soft peaks form, then gently fold it into the cooled lemon mixture.
- Pour half of the mousse into a 25 cm log mold.
- Insert the frozen sponge-lemon cream sandwich into the mousse.
- Cover with remaining mousse and place the baked cookie base on top.
- Freeze overnight.
🔹 Final Assembly (Day of serving)
- Unmold the frozen log and immediately spray with yellow velvet spray or apply glaze of your choice.
- Decorate as desired (e.g., candied lemon peel, meringue kisses, gold flakes).
- Refrigerate for at least 6 hours before serving to allow full defrosting.
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I’m Chef Mimo, a passionate pastry chef with over 17 years of experience in the world of fine desserts. I specialize in French-style entremets, refined cakes, and creative chocolate work. Pastry is not just my profession—it’s my lifelong passion. Through PastryCrafted.com, I love sharing my recipes, techniques, and inspirations with anyone who dreams of mastering the art of pastry. Whether you’re a curious beginner or a seasoned pro, you’re welcome in my sweet world.