Eggnog Cake

This festive eggnog cake is three light and fluffy layers of cake sandwiched between decadent buttercream frosting. Garnish with fresh and candied cranberries for a beautiful and delicious holiday dessert that everyone is sure to enjoy!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 35

Cook Time 25

Total Time 1

Servings

Calories 438kcal

Author Sara Welch

Ingredients

For the cake

3 cups cake flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon nutmeg freshly grated if possible
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 1/3 cups eggnog
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
cooking spray

For the frosting

1 cup butter softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
5 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup eggnog or more if needed

Optional garnishes

1/3 cup fresh or candied cranberries see notes for candied cranberry instructions
rosemary sprigs

Instructions

For the cake

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line the bottom of three 8-inch cake pans with parchment paper cut into circles to fit the pans, then coat the pans with cooking spray.
Place the flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg and salt in a large bowl and stir to combine.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, vegetable oil, eggnog and vanilla.
Slowly mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until the mixture is just combined. Be careful not to overmix your batter.
Pour the batter evenly between the three pans. I recommend using a kitchen scale to make sure each pan has the same amount of batter.
Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the cake is light golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean or with a few crumbs attached.
Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then carefully invert the cakes onto a cooling rack, and cool completely.

For the frosting

Beat the butter and vanilla extract together with an electric mixer for 1-2 minutes or until light and fluffy.
Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, until everything is combined.
Beat in the eggnog. You want your frosting to be smooth, creamy and spreadable. If your frosting is too thick, you can add more eggnog, 1 teaspoon at a time. If your frosting is too thin add more powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time until you reach your desired consistency.

For assembly

Place one cake layer on your serving plate. Spread a thin layer of frosting over the cake layer, then add a second layer on top. Spread another thin layer of frosting over the second cake layer, then place the third layer on top.
Use an offset spatula to cover the rest of the cake in frosting. You can also use a piping bag if you prefer. Decorate as desired with garnishes such as candied cranberries and rosemary, then cut into slices and serve.

Notes

1. No cake flour on hand? You can use all purpose flour instead, but subtract 3 tablespoons of flour and add 3 tablespoons of cornstarch.
2. You will want flat cake layers so that the cake stacks properly. I recommend using bake even cake strips, which wrap around the sides of the pans and prevent the cakes from getting rounded tops as they bake. Another option is to use a cake leveler tool to shave the rounded tops off the cake layers.
3. This recipe calls for 8 inch pans, but it also works with 9 inch cake pans. Reduce the cooking time by 5 minutes if you're using 9 inch pans.
4. You can also make cupcakes instead of a layer cake. Fill each well of a greased muffin tin 3/4 of the way full, then bake for 20-22 minutes.
5. To make candied cranberries, combine 1/2 cup of sugar and 1/2 cup of water in a medium pot. Bring the mixture to a boil and let it cook for 3 minutes. Add 1 cup cranberries to the sugar syrup. Remove the pot from the heat, and let the cranberries sit in the sugar for one minute. Take the cranberries out of the sugar syrup, then let them dry on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper for one hour. Roll the cranberries in 1/3 cup granulated sugar, then they're ready to use.

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