Want a fuss-free no-bake dessert you can prepare ahead? This glorious Cheesecake Christmas Log with passionfruit and ginger is your answer!
Take a simple classic to the next level
Christmas Log cakes are notoriously old-fashioned, but I think they’re cool. Maybe cool is the wrong word. Let’s say they’re exceptionally delicious, especially if it looks and taste as good as this one!
This Ginger and Passionfruit Cheesecake log is just delightful on the tastebuds. It’s light and not overly sweet, but sweet and creamy enough to satisfy your sweet tooth. This dessert gives you a bit of everything, freshness from the passionfruit, a little tartness from the lemon, and richness from the whipped cream and cream cheese.
Further, this dessert is a looker too, it’s attractive on the outside and on the inside. Be sure to slice this beauty in front of your guests so you can hear the ‘oohs and aah’s’ when they see how gorgeous it looks inside. Not bad at all for a retro dessert huh?
What I also love about this cake is that it can be prepared days before Christmas. Us Christmas hosts know how stressful preparing a Christmas feast can be. Thank goodness for desserts like this one. It’s one of those amazingly simple dishes that I have confidence in, knowing it’ll still look and taste incredible on presentation.
It’s also reassuring to know that this Cheesecake Christmas Log actually tastes even better after a few days. The gingernut biscuits soften to a cake-like consistency and absorb all the wonderful flavours.
Gingernut biscuits
What are gingenut biscuits?
Gingernut biscuits are very hard cookies that are usually dunked in hot drinks before consumption. They have a lovely ginger and slightly caramel taste.
Here are the ingredients on the packet of the gingernut biscuit I used: Wheat Flour, Sugar, Golden Syrup, Vegetable Oil, Ground Ginger, Salt, Natural Colour (Caramel), Raising Agents), Natural Lemon Flavour.
What is a good substitute for gingernut biscuits?
If you can’t get gingernut biscuits where you are, you can swap them with any round plain (with no filling) ginger-flavoured biscuits. You could also use vanilla, butternut or chocolate-flavoured cookies for this recipe.
There are a few brands of gingernut biscuits available here, I choose the larger-sized ones because it makes for a wider log.
More mouthwatering dessert ideas for this Christmas:
Quick Tiramisu Cake
Brazilian Caramel Flan
Chocolate Guinness Cake
Persian Love Cake
Ingredients for Cheesecake Christmas Log
Gingernut biscuits are very hard cookies that are usually dunked in hot drinks before consumption. They have a lovely ginger and slightly caramel taste. You could sway gingernut biscuits with any round and plain (no filling) ginger-flavoured cookies. You could also use vanilla, butternut or chocolate-flavoured cookies instead.
Thickened cream (whipping cream) has gelatine added to it and contains 35% milk fat. I don’t recommend using low-fat cream because it may not whip up well and be a little runny. We need to whip the cream to firm peaks so it’ll hold its shape.
Icing sugar (powdered sugar, confectionary sugar) – Icing sugar usually comes in two forms: icing sugar mixture and pure icing sugar. Icing sugar mixture is softer than pure icing sugar because there’s starch or flour added to it. For this recipe, I used the icing sugar mixture as the cornstarch helps stabilise the cream.
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How to make Cheesecake Christmas Log
Step-by-step guide with photos
For the filling – Beat the cream cheese and lemon rind together on medium-high speed using a hand beater or stand mixer for 2 minutes or until smooth. Add in the passionfruit, condensed milk, lemon juice and salt, then beat for a minute.
Cover the filling mixture with plastic film and let it chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
For the whipped cream – Place cream, vanilla extract and icing sugar in a large bowl and whip on high speed using a hand or stand mixer. Whip the cream until it reaches stiff peaks. Once you lift the whisk, the cream peaks should stand upright.
On a long serving plate (approx. 40cm/16in in length), spread 1/2 cup of whipped cream in the centre of the plate lengthways. Doing this will help hold the biscuits up. Cover the remaining cream with plastic film and chill in the fridge until needed.
In a small bowl, combine the orange juice and brandy (if using). Quickly dip a biscuit, then place 1 tbsp of filling on the flat side of the biscuit and place it upright on the cream. Do the same for the second biscuit, then stand it next to the first biscuit and press it gently together. Repeat this same process with the remaining biscuits until it forms a log.
Spread the whipped cream on the top and sides of the biscuit log, covering it completely. Place the plate and the log in a large sealed container or cover it loosely with plastic film. Leave to chill for at least one night or up to 3 days ahead before serving.
Garnish the log with passionfruit pulp and mint sprigs. Cut the cake diagonally so the biscuits inside look pretty when serving.
Leftovers – Transfer the Christmas Log into a sealed container and store it in the fridge for up to 4 to 5 days, depending on fresh your thickened cream is.
I’ve used a third-party application to calculate the calories and nutritional information, so please use this as an approximate guide only.
Cooking measurements are in Australian standard spoon and cup measurements. For specific details and conversions, visit our Australian Cooking Measurements page.
I would love your feedback and support if you made this recipe. To do this, please rate this recipe and provide a comment by scrolling down this page or by clicking that green circle on the bottom left. An email address is required (for spam), but it won’t be published. I would also love to see your dish, so don’t forget to tag me on my Instagram account ‘3catsfoodie’
Cheers – Cat T
Christmas Log Cheesecake (passionfruit & ginger)
Ingredients
- 250 gm ginger nut cookies (NOTE 1)
- ⅓ cup fresh orange juice
- 2 tbsp brandy (optional)
Filling
- 250 gm cream cheese (softened)
- 1 tsp freshly grated lemon zest
- 2 tbsp fresh passionfruit pulp
- ⅔ cup sweetened condensed milk
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- ⅛ tsp salt (or a pinch)
Whipped cream topping
- 2 cup thickened cream (NOTE 2)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp icing sugar (NOTE 3)
Garnish
- 2 tbsp fresh passionfruit pulp
- mint leaves
Instructions
- For the filling – Beat the cream cheese and lemon rind together on medium-high speed using a hand beater or stand mixer for 2 minutes or until smooth. Add in the passionfruit, condensed milk, lemon juice and salt, then beat for a minute. Cover the filling mixture with plastic film and let it chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
- For the whipped cream – Place cream, vanilla extract and icing sugar in a large bowl and whip on high speed using a hand or stand mixer. Whip the cream until it reaches stiff peaks. Once you lift the whisk, the cream peaks should stand upright.
- On a long serving plate (approx. 40cm/16in in length), spread 1/2 cup of whipped cream in the centre of the plate lengthways. Doing this will help hold the biscuits up. Cover the remaining cream with plastic film and chill in the fridge until needed.
- In a small bowl, combine the orange juice and brandy (if using). Quickly dip a biscuit, then place 1 tbsp of filling on the flat side of the biscuit and place it upright on the cream. Do the same for the second biscuit, then stand it next to the first biscuit and press it gently together. Repeat this same process with the remaining biscuits until it forms a log.
- Spread the whipped cream on the top and sides of the biscuit log, covering it completely. Place the plate and the log in a large sealed container or cover it loosely with plastic film. Leave to chill for at least one night or up to 3 days ahead before serving.
- Garnish the log with passionfruit pulp and mint sprigs. Cut the cake diagonally so the biscuits inside look pretty when serving.
