Drinking eggnog during the holidays is one thing but eating in my bomb Eggnog Cake is beyond! I start by mixing up a tender pound cake batter that has eggnog throughout. Then to add even more eggnog flavor, I pour a delish butter rum sauce over it to let it seep in along with the spices. That flavor is popping boos.
This post may contain affiliate links. Read our disclosure policy.
Eggnog Cake Ingredient Notes
- Unsalted Butter: I like to use European-style butter with a higher fat content and less water. If you grab salted, just leave out the salt.
- Cake Flour: I swear by cake flour for my pound cakes, y’all. It keeps the texture light since it develops less gluten. For a gluten-free version, use a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour that’s made for cakes. Texture may change slightly.
- Eggnog: Make sure you get a high-quality one. Grab the best at the store or you can make your own homemade eggnog if you want.
- Powdered Sugar: None around? Make homemade powdered sugar with granulated sugar and a blender.
- Rum: While the alcohol cooks off while the cake bakes, I understand completely if you’d rather use an alcohol-free option. Replace the rum with rum extract which you can usually find in the baking aisle with your baking ingredients. I suggest starting with about a tablespoon of extract and then adjusting from there to reach the desired flavor.
How to make Eggnog Cake
Mix the Batter and Bake
Step 1: Cream together the butter, granulated sugar, and salt on high speed until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add in the eggs, one at a time, and mix after adding each until it’s well incorporated into the butter and sugar mixture.
Step 2: Add the flour followed by the eggnog, vanilla extract, and nutmeg. Mix on low speed just until mixed.
Step 3: Pour the cake batter into a prepared bundt pan and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out moist but mostly clean.
Step 4: Cool the cake in the pan and then invert the cake onto a cooling rack.
Make Butter Rum Sauce and Pour Over Cake
Step 5: Add the butter, water, sugar, and rum to a saucepan and bring to a boil. Stir to dissolve the sugar and allow the ingredients to combine.
Step 6: Poke the cake all over its surface and then pour the sauce over the cake allowing it to seep into the cake. Sprinkle the cake with powdered sugar after the buttered rum sauce has soaked into the cake.
Want to Save This Recipe, Boo?
I'll email this recipe to you, so you can come back to it later!
Buttered Rum Eggnog Cake Recipe
Want to Save This Recipe, Boo?
I’ll email this recipe to you, so you can come back to it later!
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 1 ½ cups unsalted butter room temperature
- 2 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 5 large eggs room temperature
- 3 cups sifted cake flour
- ½ cup eggnog
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
For the Butter Rum Sauce:
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- ¼ cup water
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup rum like spiced dark rum
- Powdered Sugar for garnish
Instructions
For the Cake:
- Preheat your oven to 315 degrees and prepare your 12 cup bundt pan with shortening and flour or non-stick baking spray.
- In your mixer bowl, cream together butter, granulated sugar and salt on high speed until light and fluffy for 5 minutes.
- Next add in eggs, one at a time, and mix until well incorporated.
- Slow mixer to lowest speed and carefully add in flour then eggnog, vanilla extract and nutmeg and mix until just combined.
- Pour cake batter into bundt pan and bake for 65-75 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out moist but mostly clean. Towards the end of baking, begin the butter rum sauce below.
For the Butter Rum Sauce:
- Add butter, water, sugar and rum into a pot and bring to a boil. You are looking for the sauce to be the consistency of a light syrup that’s not too thick. Once everything is combined, turn off the heat.
- Remove cake from the oven and poke holes into the cake while still in the pan. Pour 3/4s of the sauce over the cake allowing it to seep into the cake. Take your time doing this and do it in intervals allowing the liquid to soak in before adding more.
- Once completely soaked in, flip the cake out of the pan and brush the remaining sauce over the top of it then sprinkle with powdered sugar.
Notes
How to Store
- Room Temp: Keep the fully cooled cake wrapped in plastic, then foil, or tucked in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Fridge: You can store it in the fridge for up to a week. Just make sure it’s wrapped tight so it doesn’t dry out.
- Freezer: Freeze the whole cake or slices by wrapping them in plastic wrap, then foil. It will keep for up to a month. Thaw on the counter overnight, then brush on the butter rum sauce if you haven’t added it yet.
Nutrition
Recipe Tips
- Room Temp is Key: Make sure your butter and eggs are at room temperature! You don’t want cold ingredients messing up with the texture.
- Don’t Rush: Mix the butter, sugar, and salt until it’s light and fluffy. It should look almost whipped. This adds air to the batter, which means a lighter and taller cake.
- Sift That Flour: It keeps the batter lump-free and helps the cake bake up soft.
- Slow and Steady for the Sauce: When pouring the buttered rum glaze over the warm cake, go slow and do it in intervals. This way, the cake has time to soak up all that goodness instead of it pooling at the bottom.
Recipe help
Let it cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then pop a plate on top, flip it over, and give it a gentle shake. If it’s stubborn, let it sit a bit longer. Gravity will handle the rest!
Sure is! It’s just the dense batter doing its thing. I think it’s the sign of a bomb cake! Use a bundt pan to avoid it, but honestly, nobody’s gonna see the cracks once you flip the cake out.
A bundt pan is perfect y’all! The center hole helps it bake evenly, and you can pick a fun design to make it extra fancy for the holidays.
pinterest 
facebook 
twitter 
email
I made this over the weekend, as a test run (I planned on baking a cake to my mother-in-law and wanted to be sure this on it)… and this is the ONE! This cake was so delicious. I was a bit concerned about the Rum Sauce because mine came out a bit looser than expected, but I think I mistakenly use a 1/2 instead of what the recipe called for! My guy and all the taste testers loved it! So I’ll be making it again to take to Mom. Thanks for the awesomeness!
Hooray that makes me so happy!!! Make sure you post a photo and let me know. And also leave me a review!!
I made the Eggnog Pound cake but my Xmas Bundt cake pan would not release it without a fight! Well, it broke coming out – what to do? I made a Trifle! Layers of torn cake, berries and custard cream was out of this world!! I used the warm rum sauce on the cake and it also soaked up the juice from the strawberries, raspberries and blueberries. Super delish!
I made this last year and will be making again this Christmas. It is so good!
I’m so so glad!!! It is a holiday favorite!
This cake is the hands down BEST E-V-E-R. I have bake many a cake received many compliments, but nothing compared to this one. I baked this cake seven times the week before Christmas. Patting myself on the back for making this choice, and a big Thank you to you for sharing. Now to the question: Eggnog is no longer available,. so I am considering using heavy cream or making eggnog from scratch or maybe almond milk. What do you think?
Thanks so much,
Mary
I’m so so glad you enjoy it so much. You can definitely make your own eggnog to have that distinctive flavor or maybe try the heavy cream since it is the same consistency as the eggnog. Let me know what you decide and how it turns out.
This cake is the BEST pound cake E V E R. I have baked many a cake…gotten many compliments, but nothing has compared to this cake. I baked it seven times the week before Christmas. I congratulate myself for making this choice, and a big thank you for sharing. . Now to the question: Eggnog is no longer available, so I’s thinking of using heavy cream or (maybe making the eggnog from scratch), how about almond milk, what do you think?
Mary
Am making this today but is there something I can substitute for the rum since children will be eating it. Maybe like a little rum extract mix with eggnog?
You can omit the rum glaze on top if you would like and just serve the cake baked as is.
Is there any substitute for egg nog? There are no stores around me that carry it.
You can try a heavy cream instead.
What about using buttermilk in place of eggnog? Would that work as well? This cake has been requested for a party this evening and I can’t find eggnog in the store, but I do have buttermilk in the fridge.
Hi Jackie, sorry about the late response. I had a surgical procedure. I hope it turned out ok. Let me know if the buttermilk worked.
Made this for someone else. today Wish I could post the pic! Got rave reviews. I used the same bundt pan. I word of caution. Do not put the pan on a cookie sheet especially if you have the 12 cup size. I made that mistake and the top of my cake came out light. I put it in again without the pan to brown it up a little more. I also baked it in a “water bath”. The bottom had air pockets and came out a little crispy. My fault not the recipe. I poured the glaze on the bottom which helped to soften it.
I will be making this again this Saturday 12/24/16. 🙂
Hi Jocelyn,
The Nordic Ware Crown Bundt Pan has a 10 cup capacity and the recipe calls for a Bundt pan with a 12 cup capacity. You show the cake in the Nordic Ware Crown Bundt Pan. I am wondering if you put the entire batter in the NW Crown Bundt Pan or withheld some.
Thank you,
Nancy
Hi Nancy, Yes I withheld some because I just loved the bundt pan so much haha! If you have a 12 cup you can make the whole thing, if not then just keep some back.
This looks awesome. I would love to try it for Christmas. As I have family members that do not drink, is the rum flavor strong?
It isn’t too strong. If you want, you can just use half of the rum instead of all of it if you want it to be less intense.