How to Draw a Yule Log Cake (Easy Step by Step)
A yule log cake is a rolled sponge cake shaped like a log, and it is just as fun to draw as to eat. This drawing is built from a long rounded tube, a spiral, a few wavy lines, a plate, a little branch stump, and some holly leaves and berries. Once you can draw those simple shapes, you can build the whole cake.
- Easy
- 12 minutes
- 10 steps
You need: paper, a pencil, an eraser, and crayons or markers for coloring.
Start drawingIn this article (7 sections)
How to draw a yule log cake step by step
How to Draw a Yule Log Cake · tinyhandscreate.com
Step 1: Guide shapes
Lightly sketch this oval. It only shows where the big parts go, so press softly. You will erase it at the end.
Step 2: The log shape
Sketch a long, sideways rounded rectangle, like a fat tube lying down. Draw the top and bottom lines nearly straight, then close the left and right ends with curves.
Step 3: The round end
Near the left end of the log, draw a curved line from the top edge down to the bottom edge. This makes the flat round face where the cake is rolled up.
Step 4: The cake swirl
Inside the round end, start with a small curl in the middle. Spin outward in a bigger spiral, like a snail shell, and stop before you reach the edge.
Step 5: The wavy lines
On the side of the log, draw three wavy lines, one above the other. Make each one a gentle squiggly S shape of a slightly different length.
Step 6: The plate
Draw a big wide curve under the log, like the bottom of a flat oval plate. Start it at the log's lower left, sweep it down and around, and end at the log's lower right.
Step 7: The little branch
On top of the log, draw a short tube with a rounded top, like a tiny tree branch stump. Start both sides on the log's top line.
Step 8: Branch swirl and crumbs
Inside the stump top, draw a small curly swirl for the rings of the wood. Then add two tiny dots to the left of the stump for cake crumbs.
Step 9: Holly leaves
On the right side of the log's top, draw two small pointy leaf shapes, like two almonds, lying side by side. Let them touch in the middle, right on the log's top line.
Step 10: Holly berries
Above the spot where the leaves meet, draw three little round dots in a triangle. Add a tiny crossing stroke where the leaves meet to join them together.
All done!
Erase the guide shapes, go over your lines, then color it in.
Finished your yule log cake? Keep the pencils out and learn how to draw a gingerbread reindeer or how to draw a peppermint candy next.
Tips for drawing a yule log cake
- Draw the long log tube first and keep the top and bottom lines almost straight, so the cake looks like it is lying down.
- The spiral on the round end is the trickiest part. Start with a tiny curl in the middle and spin outward slowly, leaving space between the lines.
- Draw the plate after the wavy lines, tucking its curve behind the bottom of the log so the cake looks like it is sitting on it.
Free yule log cake coloring page
Want to go straight to coloring? Open this yule log cake coloring page at full size and print it. It is the same drawing you just learned, with clean lines ready for crayons or markers.
How to color your yule log cake drawing
Color the log chocolate brown with a lighter tan spiral on the end, and make the leaves green with red berries. For a creative twist, color the plate silver or add a few colorful sprinkles on the log.
Yule log cake fun fact for kids
The yule log cake is based on a real Yule log, a big log that families in Europe once burned in the fireplace during the winter holidays. Bakers made a cake that looks like a log, often rolled up so you see a spiral when you slice it.
Questions about drawing a yule log cake
What shapes do I need to draw a yule log cake?
You need a long rounded tube for the log, an oval-shaped plate, a spiral for the rolled end, and some wavy lines. The branch stump is a short tube, and the holly is just two pointy leaves and three small circles.
How do I draw the spiral on the end of the cake?
Start in the middle with a small curl, then keep circling outward, a little wider each time. Stop before the spiral touches the edge of the round end.
How do I make my yule log look more like a log?
Add the little branch stump on top and the wavy lines on the side to look like bark or frosting. Those details make it look like a real log.
