Luxe log cakes: Show-stopping Christmas desserts Yule will love

SINGAPORE – When it comes to Christmas desserts, it takes more than just festive flavours to stand out from the pack. 

This season’s crop of Yuletide cakes continues the trend of pushing beyond the typical log-shaped treats. Studded with various fruit, chocolates and decorations, they come in different shapes and sheens to impress.

The one to beat in 2025 is from three-Michelin-starred Odette. The stunner is modelled after the National Gallery Singapore, which the restaurant calls home.

Alice Boulangerie and BreadTalk have gone for a train theme, while Orchard Hotel Singapore’s collection includes a house-shaped cake and one topped with a Santa hat. 

The Straits Times picks show-stoppers for different budgets.  

Banana-Rama

Four new cakes – available in two sizes, for up to four or eight people – take centre stage in Paul bakery’s new Yuletide collection. 

For a fun number, the Banana-Rama (from $40) features a peanut sponge cake, caramelised banana and a crunchy chocolate-hazelnut coating. It is also part of Paul’s festive sets, priced from $169.

Traditionalists will enjoy the Midnight Chocolate Noel (from $40) with a glossy cocoa mirror glaze, layered with praline crunch and pecan caramel. 

For a bright and fruity flavour, go for the Frosted Zest (from $38), with lemon cream enveloped in soft sponge and crowned with delicate meringue, or the Merry Berry Lychee (from $38), with lychee mousse, rose almond sponge and raspberry compote on a crunchy red berry base.

Where: All Paul outlets 
When: Till Dec 31, order two days in advance
Info: Order at

str.sg/dvGq

The Popcorn Express!

All aboard BreadTalk’s train-themed log cake – The Popcorn Express! ($7.90 a slice, $48.80 for the whole cake), powered by chocolate “gears” on each side. 

It features vanilla chiffon cake layered with buttery popcorn-infused ganache, salted caramel, and white and dark chocolate. Add other cookies, doughnuts and buns from BreadTalk’s Christmas range to jazz up your festive spread, such as the adorable roast turkey-shaped Sam the Turkey bun ($4.80), filled with chicken pieces in cranberry sauce. 

Where: Selected BreadTalk outlets 
When: Till Dec 25 
Info: Go to

breadtalk.com.sg

 

Mont Blanc

For a fuss-free home party, opt for Fairmont Singapore’s Christmas at Home range, which includes a stylish line-up of desserts that come in two sizes (500g or 1kg). 

The highlight is the Mont Blanc Chestnut Cremeux dessert (from $52), finished with Myer’s Dark Rum, alongside the best-selling Grand Cru Chocolate Yule Log (from $52). 

The Yule log is part of festive bundles priced from $358. 

Other smaller cakes available – good for gifting – include a traditional Brandy Rum Fruit Cake ($30, 300g) and Swiss Chocolate Moelleux ($30, 300g) with pistachio praline crunch. 

Where: Fairmont Singapore, 80 Bras Basah Road 
When: Till Dec 25, order two days in advance
Info: Go to

fairmontathome.com

 

Berry Mochi Delight

This one is for mochi lovers. Carlton Hotel Singapore’s new Berry Mochi Delight ($78, for four to six people) has a tangy housemade blueberry compote centre, a layer of chewy mochi, light sponge cake, and lemon cream cheese on a crumble base. 

Decked in red, the elegant cake is flecked with bits of gold leaf for a luxe finish.

Where: Carlton Hotel Singapore, 76 Bras Basah Road
When: Till Dec 25, order six days in advance 
Info: Call 6349-1292 or order at

celebrations.carltonhotel.sg

 

Peanut Butter & Jelly Inspired

Orchard Hotel Singapore’s new festive cake collection ($92 each) by its pastry chef Nicole Sitoh offers playful renditions of the traditional log cake. 

The most eye-catching of the lot is the Peanut Butter & Jelly Inspired cake (900g to 1kg), topped with a Santa hat made of Valrhona white chocolate. 

Then there is the bauble-inspired Vanilla Caramel Poire (900g to 1kg), house-shaped Raspberry Pistachio Santa’s House (900g to 1kg) and tube-like Matcha Fraise Latte (900g to 1kg), which will wow matcha strawberry fans. 

Only the Classic Crunchy Hazelnut Praline Chantilly log cake (750 to 800g) is fashioned like an actual log. 

Where: The Orchard Cafe, Orchard Hotel Singapore, 442 Orchard Road 
When: Till Jan 1, order three days in advance 
Info: Order at

str.sg/Go89

Framboisier 

Make this beautiful ruby-red cake the centrepiece of your festive spread. 

Adorned with fresh Australian summer raspberries, Tarte by Cheryl Koh patisserie’s Framboisier cake ($98, for four to six people) features layers of vanilla sponge cake, creme mousseline and raspberry jam. 

Where: Tarte by Cheryl Koh outlets at B1-46 Raffles City Shopping Centre, 252 North Bridge Road; and 02-05 Shaw Centre, 1 Scotts Road 
When: Till Dec 31
Info: Go to

order.tarte.com.sg

 

Alice Christmas Logcake

Another train-themed cake is Alice Boulangerie’s new edition of its best-selling train-shaped log cake ($108+, 1kg), which sports a wintery look in 2025 with its chocolate-coconut mousse exterior. 

This layered number starts with a white chocolate and crunchy coconut dacquoise base, brown sugar sponge cake, mango compote and passionfruit curd-filled eclair. It is topped with passionfruit “pearls” and toasted coconut. 

The cake is also part of the restaurant’s Christmas Bundle ($388+), which includes wood-fired Spanish baby back ribs, herb-roasted French poulet and a new pecan tart. 

Where: Alice Boulangerie outlets at 01-22A Raffles City Shopping Centre, 252 North Bridge Road; and 01-05/11 Icon Village, 12 Gopeng Street
When: Till Dec 31, order by Dec 28, 4pm
Info: Go to

str.sg/sWyY

Noel at the Gallery by Louisa

The most sculptural and decadent dessert comes from pastry chef Louisa Lim of the three-Michelin-starred Odette restaurant at National Gallery Singapore.

The striking cake ($148+, for six to eight people) is modelled in remarkable detail after the iconic facade of the historical building.

Inspired by the Viennetta ice cream cake chef Lim adored as a child, the cake is made with frozen Vanuatu vanilla parfait layered with coffee-hazelnut praline and crisp Piedmont hazelnut feuilletine. It is covered in a delicate shell of gianduja made with Valrhona 70 per cent Guanaja dark chocolate. 

This creation celebrates 10 years of Odette and National Gallery Singapore, as well as the reopening of the restaurant on Dec 10 after it shut for renovation. 

Where: Odette, 01-04 National Gallery Singapore, 1 St Andrew’s Road 
When: Till Dec 31
Info: Order at

str.sg/AHqK

, self-collection only