Keto Chocolate Yule Log Cake with Cottage Cheese

This rich and silky Keto Chocolate Yule Log Cake with Cottage Cheese is moist, chocolatey, and secretly flourless. It’s cozy, festive, and unexpectedly light. Even beginners can make it in an hour!

You know that one holiday dessert that looks stunning but requires 6 bowls, 14 steps, and a pastry degree? Yeah, this isn’t that.

This flourless chocolate Keto Yule Log with cottage cheese is festive, light, and tested to make sure it won’t crack, melt, or collapse. It looks like you tried really hard… but you didn’t.

The sponge is moist and flexible (no almond flour bricks here), the filling is a silky chocolate whipped cream, and the ganache? Glossy enough to impress your mother-in-law (if you have one). 

Even better, the whole keto chocolate roll cake, also known as a keto Bûche de Noël, is low-carb, no-bake, meltdown-friendly, and secretly made with real, simple ingredients – no weird protein bars pretending to be cake. It’s like an elevated keto Swiss roll.

Quick Summary

• Flourless, sugar-free, gluten-free, and diabetic-friendly
• Nut-free chocolate sponge made with cottage cheese – no almond flour, no weird texture
• Fluffy chocolate whipped cream filling – no cream cheese, no sludge
• Ganache frosting – smooth or forked into a bark texture (your call)
• No flour, no nuts, no fake protein bars pretending to be cake
• Tested and retested to avoid sponge cracks and filling fails
• Indulgent but not heavy – the kind of slice you can eat and function after
• Keeps well chilled and works for any special occasion, not just holidays
• Serves 12, 2.7g net carbs and 5.2 grams of protein per slice

Let’s Talk Holiday Cake Reality

I tested this cottage cheese cake recipe because I wanted to eat it, not because I needed another Pinterest project. The store-bought Yule Log I grabbed for comparison? Tasty but sickeningly sweet and heavy. After one slice, you feel like you need to nap until January.

This version is different. It’s a keto Yule Log made with cottage cheese -no flour, no almond flour, and no protein powder sponge. It’s nut-free, sugar-free, and gluten-free with a real whipped chocolate cream filling (not cream cheese sludge).

This keto chocolate cake is moist, light, and gently sweet. You can slice, enjoy, and move on with your life – not sink into the couch. And while it looks like a bakery showstopper, every step is made with real food and real-life timing in mind.

Detailed Instructions

1. Bake the cottage cheese sponge

• Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and grease it.
• Blend the cottage cheese, eggs, sweetener, cocoa powder, vanilla, baking powder, xanthan gum, and salt until smooth.
• Spread the cake batter evenly on the tray into a rectangle, about 1/4 inch thick.
• Bake 12-14 minutes until set and spongy to the touch.
• Lay a clean, damp towel over the hot sponge. Let it steam gently while you prep the filling – no more than 10 minutes.

2. Make the keto filling

• In a cold medium bowl, whip the heavy cream to soft peaks with an electric mixer.
• Add the sweetener, cocoa, and vanilla. Whip again to firm peaks. Taste and adjust.
• Tip: Skip cocoa for plain whipped cream, but the double chocolate hits different.

3. Roll and chill

• Flip the sponge (towel side down) onto a cutting board. Gently peel off the parchment.
• Spread the filling evenly, leaving a 1/2-inch border on all sides, especially the far edge.
• Use the towel to help roll the sponge from the short end, curling it tightly without squishing.
• Trim a diagonal slice from one end and attach to the side to form a branch. Use filling or ganache to “glue.”
• Place the cake roll on a tray and freeze 30-40 minutes (no longer than 1 hour).
• While it chills, clean your kitchen, scroll Pinterest, or have a coffee. You earned it.

4. Make the sugar-free ganache

• Stovetop: Warm cream in a small saucepan until just bubbling. Pour over chocolate chips. Let sit 1 minute, then stir until smooth and glossy.
• Microwave: Combine cream and chips in a bowl. Heat in 15-20 sec bursts, stirring between.
  Let cool slightly before frosting. If it’s too warm, it’ll slide off.

5. Frost and finish

• Remove the cooled cake from the freezer. Spread ganache in layers over the surface.
• Drag a fork through the ganache to create bark texture… oddly satisfying.
• Decorate with rosemary sprigs, cranberries, and powdered sweetener “snow” or whatever you like.
• Chill until ready to slice.

Filling Fails, Swaps, and What Actually Worked

• Tried cottage cheese filling – too liquid, even with protein powder. Tasted off.
• Tried cottage cheese and chocolate chips – good flavor, but too dense.
• Winner: chocolate whipped cream. Light, stable, indulgent.
• Want a variation? Skip the cocoa for vanilla whipped cream. Use sugar-free white chocolate ganache. Add peppermint or espresso powder to the filling
• Ganache swaps No chocolate chips? Use chopped 85–90% dark chocolate. Sweetener tested with Swerve. Allulose may stay softer, especially in ganache.

How to Store It

• Fridge: Store in the fridge, loosely covered, for up to 3 days. The ganache holds well and the sponge stays moist.
• Freezer: Not recommended. The sponge is flourless and eggy, and the whipped filling and ganache don’t freeze well. Best served chilled, not frozen.
• Make-ahead tip: Make it the night before. It slices even better once cold.

Make It a Moment

This recipe works beautifully as:

• A cozy Christmas Eve dessert
• A non-traditional birthday cake
• A make-ahead holiday centerpiece
• A “look what I just made” flex that’s secretly low-effort
• A winter dinner party win that doesn’t need 6 side dishes

Pair it with:

• A hot coffee (the only side that matters some days)
• A scoop of Keto Vanilla Ice Cream or Keto Chocolate Ice Cream
• Lightly sweetened whipped cream
• A glass of dry red wine for grown-up cozy

FAQ

Can I make this ahead?

Yes. Frost and chill it the night before. Slices are even cleaner the next day.

What if my sponge cracks?

You’re fine. The ganache covers it. Damp towel and don’t overbake = crack-free.

Can I freeze this cake?

Nope. The texture won’t hold. Keep it in the fridge instead.

More Recipes You Might Like

If you loved this flourless chocolate cottage cheese cake, here’s what to try next:

• Keto Chocolate Eclairs – Just as festive, with a custard twist
• Keto Chocolate Cottage Cheese Mousse – Silky, simple, and no baking
• Keto Chocolate Ice Cream – Scoopable, creamy, and sugar-free
• Keto Vanilla Ice Cream – A classic pairing that won’t overpower the cake
• Cottage Cheese Desserts (Roundup) – High-protein, low-carb, and full of ideas