This moist and perfectly spiced Buttered Rum Eggnog Cake Recipe gets jazzed up with a sensational buttered rum sauce that soaks into every bite! It’s the best Christmas cake recipe ever! If you love all things eggnog and rum, definitely check out this Homemade Eggnog, Pineapple Rum Cake recipe, Eggnog Pancakes recipe, or these Eggnog Truffles.
The Perfect Holiday Dessert Twist: Buttered Rum Eggnog Cake!
My pound cake collection is getting pretty crowded but I couldn’t go without one more, and this Buttered Rum Eggnog Cake recipe is just the one to polish off the holiday season with. There is so much magic when you combine a Buttered Rum Cake Recipe with an Eggnog Pound Cake. The two flavors meld magically, to the point where you wonder why they were never put together in the very first place.
I can’t think of a Christmas being complete without a pound cake. From Cream Cheese Pound Cake to 7 Up Pound Cake, I can’t even remember a holiday in my family that didn’t have a pound cake on the dessert table. I know how each year can get a little stale so I try to mix it up. This Eggnog Pound Cake is truly the Christmas cake I have been waiting for, and I’m sure you have been too!
Eggnog Cake Ingredients
For this Cake, there are some key ingredients that truly make it shine.
- Butter
- Sugar
- Eggs
- Cake Flour
- Eggnog
I love to start with high quality butter when making pound cakes and bundt cakes. The butter is such an important ingredient and really starts the true foundation for the entire recipe. Since this is a holiday cake, I like to use an European style butter that has a higher fat content with less water. It really makes a difference in richness especially when it is mixed with sugar.
Eggs add the structure to this recipe. Egg whites can be drying but they are perfectly balanced with the egg yolks.
I use cake flour in most of my pound cakes because it develops less gluten and creates a lighter softer texture to cakes. I love the melt in your mouth texture it provides. Lastly eggnog is used as the liquid here. Eggnog is already spiced but here I just add a bit more flavor to enhance it.
These are the ingredients that make the base cake. The buttered rum sauce adds another dimension.
How To Make Eggnog Cake
Here are a few tips that will help make your eggnog cake an unforgettable one!
Tip 1: Don’t rush the Butter and Sugar Mixing!
This cake does not require a leavening to give it a lovely lift. You will get this lift from the beginning mixing process of beating together the sugar and butter. Make sure you rush this process. It will add air to your entire batter when whipped for a lengthy and fast time.
Tip 2: However don’t over mix when adding dry ingredients
This is when I believe you should slow down your mixer and also not over mix. Flour can make a cake batter taste dry and tough if mixed too long. Once the dry ingredients are incorporated, let it all happen!
Tip 3: Grab a High Quality Eggnog!
The eggnog flavor in this cake is undeniable! Make sure you get a super quality one. Here is a list of eggnogs I found. You can also make your own if you would like. I also punched up the flavor with some nutmeg as well. The cake texture is dense and tender all at the same time, and it is so moist that it literally melts in your mouth.
For the Buttered Rum Sauce
But I didn’t stop there. Next I made a sensational buttered rum sauce right over the stove and poured it right over the cake letting it seep into every nook and cranny of its surface.
You will need to make the butter rum sauce over the stovetop while the cake is baking. It will come together pretty effortlessly. If after trying the cake you decide you want more rum, you can replace some of the water to make that happen.
You have never had a rum cake recipe quite like this, let me tell you. So if you are ready to get your Christmas celebration popping, make sure you start with this cake baby!
Looking for more cakes? Try this Pineapple Rum Cake or try my most popular cake, the real deal caramel cake? Want more pound cakes? Check out my page with the very best pound cakes on the internet HERE!
Buttered Rum Cake Eggnog Recipe
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter room temperature
- 2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 5 large eggs room temperature
- 3 cups sifted cake flour
- 1/2 cup eggnog
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
For the Butter Rum Sauce:
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup water
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup 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.
- Cool cake for 10 minutes then invert cake onto cooling rack.
For the Butter Rum Sauce:
- Add butter, water, sugar and rum into a pot and bring to a boil and allow to combine. Poke cake all over its surface then pour sauce over the cake allowing it to seep into the cake. Once completely soaked in then sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
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This cake in incredible! Thanks for the recipe! I made it in the same crown bundt pan, which is 10 cups, and all the batter fit perfectly. The cake came right up to the top but did not spill over (I always place my bundt pans on a baking sheet just in case to avoid a huge clean up). I was amazed that all the rum butter sauce got soaked up and truthfully, I wish there had been more to soak deeper in to the cake. Just delicious and a wonderful holiday treat! Thanks you!
So so glad you enjoyed. Next time, you can make more of the rum sauce if you prefer more and really get it soaking wet. So happy you liked it!
Love love love this cake, made two yesterday morning for our Christmas dinner. One was for my daughter who was serving her in-laws for the first time. I didn’t think the eggnog would come thru so well but it did. Keep those lovely recipes coming!!! Happy New Year!!
Jocelyn, thank you for this recipe as the cake, sauce, and garnish are divine together! I am having a bit of an issue and would like your advice. I have baked this cake in 2 bundt pans (the Nordic Ware Skyline and Crown which is the one you have shown), and in both cases, the cake sticks in the pan. With both pans, the crown does not stick, it’s just around the sides. I prepared the pans with Baker’s Joy. Also, the pan you have shown in a 10-cup capacity pan and you mention using a 12-cup capacity pan. Are you not using all of the batter? Perhaps I will try that to prevent sticking. The Skyline is a 12-cup capacity pan, so I thought it would work. Please provide your thoughts on this. Thanks!
The 12 cup pan should totally work but it may be that you need to use a better greasing method to ensure that it doesn’t stick. Because of all of the intricate crevices, you will need to really ensure that every little area is totally greased. If the cake spray didn’t work, maybe think about trying the shortening and flour method? It is old school but generally works really well. Also how long are you resting your cakes?
Jocelyn, I have tried the 1 pt flour, 1 pt oil, and 1 pt shortening mix to prep my pan. I was resting the cake for 10 minutes, and I increased it to 15 minutes. The results were better, but a little bit still remains. I will try 20 minutes and hopefully that will do the trick. I am so very close! In the meanwhile, I have sliced the cake and served it and rave reviews have been received. Again, thank you!
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe! I have made this cake every Christmas for the last 3 years and all my family and friends love it. I also make it for my boyfriend’s birthday because it’s his favourite cake.
Merry Christmas to you and best wishes from Switzerland
IS it ok to put nuts in the bottom of the pan before putting in the cake batter.
Go for it and let me know how it turns out.
This sounds delicious! What kind of rum did you use?
I actually just used whatever rum was around.
I noticed there is no baking powder is that correct
It is indeed.
Love your cakes! I want to make sure that the oven temperature is correct in this recipe as it is listed as 315 degrees and that is a little odd. I normally see 325 or 350 degrees.
Yes this cake bakes a little lower. I hope you enjoy!
I usually make the banana rum cake during the holidays but had to try this and its so delicious. its day before thanksgiving and we cut it too early so have to bake another one. glad i found your page. thank you
Hooray so so glad!!!!
This cake is super fantastic delicious and simple!! I can’t thank you enough for sharing a recipe I lost from my grandmother years ago and was so nostalgic at dinner my mother cried tears of joy!
Thank you so much for sending this sweet message. It made me so happy.