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Our eggnog cake is the perfect dessert for your holiday celebration. It’s moist, flavorful, and sure to please everyone at the table.
If you’re looking for a festive treat to serve at your holiday party, look no further than eggnog cake. This delicious pound cake is flavored with eggnog, vanilla, and nutmeg and topped with an eggnog glaze for a decadent dessert that will please everyone at the table. It’s easy to make and the perfect way to end your holiday celebration.
Why This Recipe Works
- The combination of spices like nutmeg and vanilla gives the cake a warm, comforting flavor.
- Using eggnog instead of milk in the batter gives it an extra rich flavor and moist texture.
- Topping the cake with an eggnog glaze adds even more festive flavor.
Ingredient Notes
Flour: We use unbleached, organic all-purpose flour for the cake, but you can use any all-purpose or plain flour you have.
Baking Powder: Make sure your baking powder is fresh and not expired; otherwise, the cake won’t rise properly.
Eggs: Use large eggs, and be sure to use them at room temperature, so they easily incorporate into the batter.
Eggnog: We use our homemade eggnog, but you can also use store-bought. Eggnog can be found in most grocery stores from December to January.
Brown Sugar: To give the cake an extra caramel-like flavor, we use granulated and brown sugar in this recipe. You can use light brown sugar, dark brown sugar, or Muscovado sugar.
Nutmeg: We love using freshly grated nutmeg for this recipe, but you can also use ground nutmeg if that’s what you have on hand.
Vanilla: We use vanilla bean paste, but you can also use vanilla extract or substitute it with brandy for a grown-up eggnog flavor.
Sprinkles: For decoration, you can add festive sprinkles to the top of the cake. This is optional but adds a nice touch.
Step By Step Instructions
Grease a 12-cup Bundt cake pan (measuring approximately 10 inches in diameter) generously and set aside. Preheat oven to 350°F/176°C.
Mix the flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl and set aside.
Beat the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar in a mixer until fluffy (around 3 minutes).
Combine the wet ingredients in a separate bowl.
Add the wet ingredients to the butter mixture and mix until combined.
Then add the flour mixture by hand until fully incorporated, scraping off the bottom of the bowl to ensure all the ingredients are thoroughly combined. The batter will be thick.
In a conventional oven, bake the cake for 55 to 65 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.
Cool the cake in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn it onto a wire rack and let it cool completely before adding the glaze.
To make the glaze, add the sugar, butter, and eggnog to a bowl.
Mix to combine and add more eggnog, a tablespoon at a time, until it reaches your desired thickness.
Spoon the glaze onto the cooled cake.
If adding sprinkles, add them immediately to the glaze before it sets.
Allow the glaze to set before serving.
Make Ahead and Freezing Instructions
This cake is best served on the day it is baked. It will start to dry out thereafter.
To make ahead, I suggest freezing (without the glaze once cooled). Then thaw on the day you plan to use it and add the glaze before serving.
To Freeze: Eggnog cake can be frozen (without glaze) in an airtight container or wrapped in plastic for up to three months. When ready to use it, let it thaw at room temperature for about an hour.
Erren’s Top Tips & Variations
- Cream the butter and sugar together until the mixture is pale in color and creamy to the touch. This process should take at least 3 minutes with a mixer to ensure that all ingredients are properly combined.
- Combine wet and dry ingredients separately before adding them, and mix the flour by hand. This will help prevent overmixing.
- Ensure thoroughly grease the Bundt cake pan so the cake doesn’t stick.
- Wait until the eggnog is at room temperature before adding it to the batter or the glaze. This will ensure that it mixes smoothly.
- Check on your cake after 50 minutes of baking. A cake tester should come out clean when inserted into the center of the cake.
- Let the cake cool completely before you glaze it. Otherwise, the glaze will run off.
Recipe
Eggnog Cake
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoon Baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2½ cups brown sugar (packed)
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 cup Butter ((2 sticks/8oz) softened)
- 5 Eggs ( at room temperature)
- 1 tablespoon Vanilla Extract
- 1½ cups eggnog (at room temperature)
For the Eggnog Glaze
- 1½ cups powdered sugar (sifted)
- 1 tablespoon butter (melted and cooled)
- 4 tablespoons eggnog (at room temperature (plus more as needed))
- sprinkles (for decoration (optional))
Instructions
- Grease and flour a 12-cup Bundt cake pan (measuring approximately 10 inches in diameter) generously and set aside. Preheat oven to 350°F/176°C.
- Mix the flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl and set aside.
- Beat the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar in a mixer until fluffy (around 3 minutes).
- Combine the wet ingredients in a separate bowl.
- Add the wet ingredients to the butter mixture and mix until combined, then add the flour mixture by hand until fully incorporated, scraping off the bottom of the bowl to ensure all the ingredients are thoroughly combined. The batter will be thick.
- In a conventional oven, bake the cake for 55 – 65 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool the cake in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn it onto a wire rack and let it cool completely before serving.
For the Eggnog Glaze:
- Mix the sugar, butter, and eggnog until smooth. Add more eggnog, a tablespoon at a time, until it reaches your desired thickness.
- Spoon onto the cooled cake and decorate with sprinkles.
Tips
- This cake is best served on the day it is baked. It will start to dry out thereafter,
- Cream the butter and sugar together until the mixture is pale in color and creamy to the touch. This process should take at least 3 minutes with a mixer to ensure that all ingredients are properly combined.
- Combine wet and dry ingredients separately before adding them, and mix the flour by hand. This will help prevent overmixing.
- Ensure thoroughly grease the Bundt cake pan so the cake doesn’t stick.
- Wait until the eggnog is at room temperature before adding it to the batter or the glaze. This will ensure that it mixes smoothly.
- Check on your cake after 50 minutes of baking. A cake tester should come out clean when inserted into the center of the cake.
- Let the cake cool completely before you glaze it. Otherwise, the glaze will run off.
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