Love eggnog? You’ll adore this two layer Eggnog Cake covered in creamy eggnog frosting. It’s the perfect dessert for Christmas or the holidays!
Have you been drinking all the eggnog?! 💜
Well now you can eat it too! This lightly spiced Eggnog Cake is the answer to any eggnog lover’s dream. A fluffy and soft yellow cake made with creamy eggnog and frosted with eggnog buttercream.
Add a handful of pretzels and you have the sweetest Christmas-themed layer cake.
This soft and fluffy cake is bursting with flavour. Made with butter and sugar, spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg, and with a whole cup of sweet eggnog IN the batter, it’s a wonderfully delicious Eggnog Cake.
And the only way to make the flavour pop even more, is to cover the cake with a creamy eggnog buttercream. This is the cake for anyone who loves all things eggnog.
Five reasons to love Eggnog Cake:
- It’s easy to make (and eat)
- You only need normal, easy-to-find ingredients (including a simple 3 ingredient buttercream frosting)
- It’s full of flavour thanks to the spices, cinnamon and nutmeg, and PLENTY of creamy eggnog
- It feeds a hungry crowd. It can be either a 2 layer 8-inch cake or a 3 layer 6-inch cake
- It’s perfect for any Christmas celebration!
TIPS FOR MAKING PERFECT EGGNOG CAKE
- This recipe can make a two layer 8-inch cake (as pictured) or a three layer 6-inch cake.
- Start by creaming together butter and sugar. Make sure your butter is at room temperature – and not fridge cold.
- I use caster sugar for this recipe, but if you don’t have access to caster sugar, you can use granulated sugar instead. Read more about caster sugar HERE.
- Add good quality vanilla extract. Then eggs. Next comes flour, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg.
- The final ingredient is eggnog. Use a good quality full fat store bought eggnog.
- The cakes will only take about 25-30 minutes in the oven. They’ll be ready when a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. Leave to cool completely before frosting.
TIPS FOR MAKING EGGNOG BUTTERCREAM
- You will need a hand mixer or stand mixer to make this frosting. You only need three ingredients.
- Make sure your butter is at room temperature. You don’t want it to be fridge cold OR melty by any means.
- Then add 2 cups of icing sugar (powdered sugar), along with 2 tablespoons of eggnog. Continue to beat.
- Finally, add the remaining sugar and continue to beat. The frosting should be smooth and creamy. If it’s too thick, you can add a touch more eggnog.
MORE CHRISTMAS RECIPES TO TRY:
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Let's Bake
Easy Eggnog Cake
Soft and fluffy Eggnog Cake covered in eggnog buttercream.
Ingredients
Eggnog cake
- 230 grams (1 cup / 2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 200 grams (1 cup) caster sugar or granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs
- 315 grams (2 and 1/4 cup) plain flour or all purpose flour
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 240 ml (1 cup) store bought eggnog
Eggnog buttercream
- 230 grams (1 cup or 2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 435 grams (3 and 1/2 cups) icing sugar or powdered sugar
- 2–3 tablespoons eggnog
- Pretzels, to decorate
- White chocolate, grated, to decorate
Instructions
- Grease and line two 8 inch round baking tins. Preheat oven to 180 C (350 F) standard / 160 C (320 F) fan-forced.
- In a large mixing bowl, add butter, sugar and vanilla and beat with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Add in the eggs, one at a time, and beat after each addition.
- Add baking powder, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt and half the flour and beat briefly. Pour in eggnog and then add the rest of the flour and beat until a creamy cake batter forms. It will be quite thick – this is ok.
- Divide cake batter evenly between the two cake tins and bake in the oven for approximately 25-30 minutes or until golden on top and skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- Carefully remove the cakes from the cake tins and set on a wire rack to cool completely.
- To make the frosting, beat butter with an electric mixer until creamy. Add two cups of icing sugar, and one tablespoons of eggnog, and beat with the electric mixer until smooth and creamy.
- Add remaining sugar, along with another tablespoon of eggnog. If the frosting is too thick, add another tablespoon of eggnog.
- Spread frosting over one cake layer and then place the other cake layer on top. Cover the top and sides of the cake with buttercream. Decorate with pretzels and sprinkle of grated white chocolate.
Stefanie says
This looks sooooo delish! Would it work in a 9×13 pan? If so, how long should I bake? Better metal or glass?
Thank you!
Jessica Holmes says
It absolutely would Stefanie! I prefer to use aluminium baking pans in all my baking for a more even cook. I’d check the cake around the 30 minute mark.
Elizabeth Pettersen says
Should I refrigerate the cake or leave it on the counter?
Jessica Holmes says
Hi Elizabeth, I prefer to keep my cakes at room temperature as they can dry out in the fridge. You can make the frosting ahead of time and keep it in the fridge if you like. You can then bring it back to room temperature and give it a good stir or quick, light beating to bring it back to spreading consistency. You can then frost your cake when you are ready to serve it.
Erin says
Looking forward to making this for Christmas! Would you recommend salted or unsalted butter for the cake recipe?
Jessica Holmes says
Hi Erin, great question! I use salted butter but you can definitely use unsalted butter and then just add 1/4 teaspoon salt to the flour when you add it.
Karina says
Can you use eggnog with alcohol in it? I a thinking of the non refrigerated one from trader Joe’s and has alcohol in it.
Jessica Holmes says
Hi Karina, I haven’t tried it myself but I don’t see why not!
Maria says
I made this cake yesterday for Christmas Eve dinner. Everybody loved it and it got rave reviews!
Jessica Holmes says
So glad you enjoyed it Maria!
AGripper says
Can you make cupcakes out of this recipe too? I love eggnog so I’m anxious to try your recipe out.
Jessica Holmes says
Totally! That would work fine, just adjust the cooking time accordingly.
Nancy says
I think this is my new favourite cake!
★★★★★
Jessica Holmes says
I love hearing that Nancy!
Josh says
This cake was amazing!
★★★★★