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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Hi want to make this holiday! How long after pouring rum sauce over cake do we flip it out the pan?
You can do it after a few minutes actually.
Can something be substituted for the rum?
The buttered rum can be left out.
Can you substitute with all purpose flour?
I don’t suggest using it as it will make a heavier cake. You can make your own cake flour here: https://grandbaby-cakes.com/how-to-make-cake-flour/
Is it white or dark rum in this recipe?
The oven is 300°, 325°. and 350° can’t get 315°F?
Wanting to make this for a small gathering during the holiday season.
I would go with 300 and bake longer. You can use either. I prefer white rum.
I made this cake today and it was sooooooo delicious!!!!! Thank you so much for your outstanding recipes.
This Eggnog Rum Cake has become a family favorite, i didnt change a thing, made exactly as per recipe❤️
So happy to hear that you enjoy it!
How long would the cake need to cool before pouring the buttered rum sauce over? Your recipes are beautiful thank you so much for sharing the joy and love!!!
As soon as you flip it, you can add the buttered rum sauce.
Looking forward to making this cake. I don’t have cake flour, with all purposed flour work? Thank you
It will be the texture won’t be the same – you can make cake flour by taking out 2 tablespoons of flour from each cup of flour and replacing it with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch.
A perfect holiday treat. Looks gorgeous. Thanks a lot for sharing.
This eggnog cake is a real show stopper. It turns out so beautiful. I just ordered a similar cake mold and I can’t wait to try this recipe. Eggnog is one of my favorite flavors this time of year.