Drinking eggnog during the holidays is one thing, but eating it in my bomb eggnog cake is beyond! I’ve been making this one since the year I accidentally bought two cartons of eggnog and refused to let any go to waste, so into a cake it went. 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.
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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: You can 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 can usually be found in the baking aisle. I suggest starting with about a tablespoon of extract and then adjusting from there to reach the desired flavor.
How to Make Eggnog Cake
These step-by-step photos show how to make eggnog cake, but be sure to check the recipe card below for the full ingredient list and detailed instructions. Skip to the → Eggnog Cake Recipe
1. Cream the butter and sugar
Beat them until light and fluffy. Then, mix in the eggs one at a time until fully incorporated.
2. Add the remaining ingredients for the eggnog batter
Mix in the flour, then gently add the eggnog, vanilla extract, and nutmeg on low speed just until combined.
3. Bake your eggnog pound cake
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick comes out mostly clean.
4. Cool and invert the baked cake
Turn it out onto a rack to finish cooling.
5. Make the buttered rum glaze
Combine the butter, water, sugar, and rum in a saucepan, bring to a boil, and stir until the sugar dissolves.
6. Soak the cake with the warm rum sauce
Poke the cake all over and pour the sauce on top, letting it seep in before dusting with powdered sugar.
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Full Eggnog Cake Recipe
Buttered Rum Eggnog Cake Recipe
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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
- Make sure the butter and eggs are at room temp. You don’t want cold ingredients messing up with the texture of your rum eggnog cake, boo!
- Cream that butter, sugar, and salt until light and fluffy. It should look almost whipped so the cake rises tall and bakes up soft.
- Sift your flour. That’s the key to a smooth cake batter.
- Pour the warm butter rum sauce over the cake slowly and in intervals. Let it soak in before adding more so all that flavor sinks into every bite.
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.
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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.