It’s the most wonderful time of the year… Yep, seasonal treats are already aplenty at The Disneyland Resort! And thank goodness, because I’ve been dying to try the Plaza Inn Yule Log Cake since I first learned about it on Guy Fieri’s Disney Holiday Special two years ago.

For whatever strange reason I didn’t get to it last year, so I vowed to myself that this year it would be my first treat of the season. On December 1st, just 3 days after it appeared in the parks, it was Yule Log time. I knew that Disneyland’s hot Yule Log spot was the Plaza Inn on Main Street, so on my recent visit, I went straight there.

Specs

The Yule Log cake was easy to find; you practically run into it upon entering the restaurant. It’s on display in the center of the room at the salad/dessert station. There are, however, none for the taking; you must ask for it and it is taken out of a small refrigerator behind the glass.

Now, the first thing I noticed was that the Yule Log cake this year is “Chocolate Chestnut.”  As far as I know, the last few years the Yule Log has been Chocolate & Coffee flavored. I’m not a huge coffee fan, so I was actually quite pleased to see this change. However, I wasn’t sure if I was a chestnut fan either! I am happy to report that chestnut really isn’t an overpowering flavor and the chocolate is what stands out!

After purchasing a piece of Yule Log cake, which is $4.99, I headed outside (for better camera lighting of course) to get going on my first Disneyland Holiday treat of the season.

Eats

OK, let’s break this thing down side by side:

Side View #1: The first thing I noticed was the thick chocolate ganache type frosting that the “log” was coated with. It was made so perfectly, with the exact amount evenly spread around the whole cake. Ridges were made on the outside of the ganache to make it more “wood” like. Frosting decor such as leaves, holiday sprinkles, and edible glitter adorned “log” as well.

Top View: Chocolate sponge cake with a layer of creamy filling perfectly rolled into a log. Oh, and a few visible chestnut chunks.

Side View #2: On this side of the Yule Log, you’ll notice the whipped topping with holiday sprinkles.  The topping was very light, sort of like a Cool Whip-type topping, which was refreshing because the chocolate frosting on the cake was pretty serious.

Back Side: Solid chocolate ganache. Yum.

Now that we’ve taken a visual tour of this little beauty, let’s talk about taste.  Chocolate, chocolate, and more chocolate! If you are a chocolate lover, this is the cake for you!

I am not a huge chocolate fan, but I really did like this cake.  Because I was sharing with my “assistants” (aka my kids), I really only had a few bites before they so famously devoured it.  My favorite part was the ganache frosting.  It was thick and creamy, and after a few bites, it actually separated from the cake, which caused a fork fight between the three of us.

The cake was very moist and spongy while the filling was really more vanilla-like to me than chestnut. The only “chestnut” I noticed were the couple of random chunks of actual nut in the filling. I specifically did not tell my kids it was “chestnut” cake because I knew they wouldn’t even try it… 😉

Obviously, by the photo below, the cake was a hit. I’m glad that I finally got to try Disneyland’s famous Yule Log Cake and it’s quite possible I’d order it again!

A Few Fun Yule Log facts:

This year, the Yule Log cake can be found in Disneyland at Plaza Inn, in California Adventure at Boardwalk Pizza & Pasta, and at the Paradise Pier Hotel’s PCH Grill.

The Yule Log cake is made in two bakeries: one on site at Disneyland’s Blue Ribbon Bakery and the other at an off-site, Disney-owned bakery in Anaheim, just steps away from the Disneyland Resort.

The Yule Log cakes come pre-sliced, so unfortunately you don’t get to see the beauty of the whole “log” on display at the eateries. Even the cast members are disappointed about this fact…

The Yule Log cake will be available through the holiday season which ends on January 8th, 2012.

AND there is also a Pumpkin flavored Yule Log that Plaza Inn is still serving.  I’m not sure how long this one will be available, but you can bet your britches that I’m going to check if it’s still there on my next visit.

Have you ever tried Disneyland’s Yule Log Cake? If you’ve tried it in the past, which did you prefer? Coffee or Chestnut?

UPDATE: On a recent visit to Club 33 I was thrilled to see a whole Yule Log Cake!!! It was a “mini” version, but beautiful nonetheless.

Club 33 Yule Log Cake

Club 33 Yule Log Cake Cross Section

Club 33 Yule Log Cake Top View

Heather Sievers is the Disney Food Blog’s Dining in Disneyland columnist. See more of her columns here!