Eggnog Cake
A rich eggnog layer cake with hints of cinnamon and nutmeg, paired with creamy eggnog buttercream.
- Prep Time: 50 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
- Yield: One 8″ Round Cake (3 layers)
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: Cake
INGREDIENTS
For the Eggnog Cake
- 3 cups cake flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 3 eggs plus 1 egg yolk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 ¼ cup Promised Land Dairy Holiday Nog Milk
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
For the Eggnog Buttercream
- 6 egg whites
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 1 ¼ cups unsalted butter, cubed, slightly softened
- ½ cup salted butter, cubed, slightly softened
- 3 tablespoons Promised Land Dairy Holiday Nog Milk
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
INSTRUCTIONS
Preparation of the eggnog cake
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter and lightly flour three 8-inch round cake pans. Line with parchment paper circles.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar with the paddle attachment on medium speed. Beat for about 4 minutes until pale and fluffy.
- On low speed, add the eggs one at a time. Mix well after each egg. Scrape down the bowl if necessary.
- Add the vanilla extract. Mix everything well.
- In a separate measuring cup, mix the milk and vegetable oil.
- Add the flour mixture in three stages, alternating with the milk and oil mixture, starting and ending with the flour mixture. Do not over-mix. Stop the mixer and scrape out the bowl.
- Divide the batter evenly among the three 8-inch round cake pans.
- bake for 28-30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool in the tins for 10 to 15 minutes, then cool on a wire rack.
Prepare the eggnog buttercream
- Place the egg whites and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer and whisk to combine.
- Place the bowl over a pan of simmering water to create a double boiler. Heat the egg mixture, stirring constantly, until it reaches 160 degrees on a candy thermometer. Carefully transfer the bowl to the stand mixer.
- Whisk the egg white mixture on high speed for 8 to 10 minutes, until the bowl is no longer warm to the touch and the meringue mixture is fluffy, glossy, and forms a stiff peak.
- Switch to the paddle attachment. On low speed, slowly add the cubed butter and mix until incorporated.
- Add Holiday Nog, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla. Continue mixing on low to medium speed until silky and smooth, about 3 to 5 minutes.
Assemble the cake
- Place one cake layer on a serving platter or cake stand and cover with about a cup of frosting.
- Repeat with the second cake layer, more icing, and then the last cake layer. Spread and frost the cake with the remaining frosting.
- Decorate with buttercream leaves, broken cinnamon sticks, and whole nutmeg, if desired.