Eggnog Layer Cake

What Makes This the Best Eggnog Cake Recipe

• Soft, super moist layers. Simple tricks like creaming the butter and whipping the egg whites help this cake maintain its light, airy texture.
• Made with real eggnog. Whether you use homemade or store-bought, there’s no mistaking the eggnog flavor in this cake recipe!
• Perfect for Christmas. This is the ultimate cake for the holidays, in flavor and in how impressive it looks on a dessert table. It’s the perfect dessert for Christmas or New Year’s.
• Easy method. Despite the layers, you’ll be surprised by how simple this eggnog cake is to make from scratch. I share all my best tips for baking a layer cake at home.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Here are the ingredients you’ll need to make this exceptionally tasty eggnog layer cake at home. Scroll down to the recipe card for actual amounts of each ingredient.

• All-Purpose Flour – Be sure to measure it accurately so that you don’t end up with a dry cake. I recommend using a food scale, but you can also use the scoop and level method. Just don’t pack the cup with flour.
• Baking Powder – Check the expiration date on your package of baking powder. If it’s expired, I recommend buying fresh so that the cake rises properly.
• Spices – Ground nutmeg, plus a pinch of salt. You could use cinnamon, too.
• Unsalted Butter – Let your butter sit out on the counter for at least an hour to come to room temperature. If your butter is too cold, it won’t cream correctly with the sugar.
• Sugar – Granulated white or light brown sugar works the best here.
• Vanilla Extract – For a “spiked” eggnog flavor, try replacing half of the vanilla extract with rum extract.
• Sour Cream – Full-fat sour cream makes this cake ultra moist. Don’t skimp on the fat!
• Eggnog – The Southern Comfort brand is our favorite, so that’s what I typically use, but feel free to use whichever eggnog is available. Most eggnog comes alcohol-free (unless it says otherwise on the label), making this cake family-friendly.
• Egg Whites – Separate the egg whites from the yolks (this is easiest to do while the eggs are cold from the fridge), and afterward let the whites come to room temperature. Pro tip: You’ll have the perfect number of egg yolks leftover to make tiramisu, or use them to make a batch of lemon curd.

Eggnog Buttercream Frosting

• Unsalted Butter – Ensure the butter you’ll use to make your frosting is at room temperature.
• Powdered Sugar – Sifting the powdered sugar is optional, but I recommend it if your sugar has sat for a while or if it seems lumpy. Sifting prevents any lumps from making their way into your frosting.
• Eggnog – You can use the same eggnog you used for the cake here.
• Nutmeg – Again, feel free to substitute cinnamon if you’d like.

How to Make This Eggnog Cake

If you’re going to make only one layer cake this year, make it this one! Layer cakes can be a labor of love, but your friends and family will express their gratitude with every bite. If you love eggnog, this is the Christmas dessert for you. Let’s get started.

Bake the Cake Layers First

I like to get the eggnog cake baking while I prepare the frosting. Then, I’ll store the eggnog frosting covered until the cake layers are cool.

1. Stir together the dry ingredients. Combine the flour, baking powder, nutmeg, and salt in a medium-sized bowl. Set this aside for now.
2. Cream the butter and sugar well. In a separate bowl, cream the butter and sugar for 2-3 minutes so the mixture gets light and fluffy. This step is essential. It creates bubbles in the batter that will expand as the cake bakes, resulting in a light and fluffy crumb. If you don’t whip the butter enough, you’ll end up with a denser cake. 
3. Mix the cake batter. Mix the vanilla and sour cream into your whipped butter and sugar. Then, gradually add the dry ingredients, alternating with the eggnog and water. This helps preserve the air bubbles in the batter. Beginning and ending with the dry ingredients helps to keep the batter from curdling.
4. Beat and add the egg whites. Now, whip the egg whites in a bowl until they form soft peaks. Then, gently fold the whipped whites into your cake batter. I like to do this in two parts, stirring until no streaks remain.
5. Fill the pans and bake. Lastly, divide the batter evenly between three lined 8-inch cake pans. Bake your eggnog cakes at 350ºF for 20-25 minutes. Afterward, cool the cakes in the pans for a few minutes before removing them. They’ll need to finish cooling completely before you assemble the layer cake.

Make the Eggnog Frosting

While the cakes cool, prepare a batch of creamy eggnog frosting.

1. Beat the butter and sugar. Similar to the cake, this frosting starts by thoroughly whipping the butter until smooth and fluffy. Then, beat in half of the powdered sugar.
2. Add the remaining ingredients. Next, mix in the eggnog and nutmeg, followed by the rest of the powdered sugar. Beat the frosting until it’s light and creamy, adding extra eggnog as needed to get the right consistency.

If you’d prefer a different frosting for your cake, you could use classic vanilla buttercream or even chocolate buttercream frosting. This cream cheese frosting would add a sweet-tangy contrast.

Assemble the Cake

1. Trim the cakes. When the cakes are completely cool, remove the domed tops with a large serrated knife, so the layers are perfectly flat. 
2. Stack the layers. Place the first layer of cake on a cake stand or plate. Spread about one cup of eggnog buttercream evenly over the cake. Place the second layer on top. Add another cup of buttercream, smoothing it in the same way. Top with the third and final cake layer.
3. Frost the outside of the cake. Finally, frost the outside of the eggnog cake with the rest of the buttercream. If you’d like a little guidance on creating a smooth finish, check out my tutorial on how to frost a cake. 

How to Decorate an Eggnog Cake

Once you’ve frosted this eggnog cake, how you decorate it is up to you. You can be as simple or as fancy as you’d like! If you’re a beginner when it comes to decorating, these are some easy techniques I’d suggest:

• Pipe small shells. To pipe little shells around the top and bottom borders of the cake, like you see in the photos, I used an Ateco tip 847 for the top garnishes and a Wilton tip 21 for the bottom. 
• Drizzle with chocolate or caramel. Drizzle the top of the cake with homemade hot fudge sauce or caramel sauce, or try this bourbon caramel sauce for an adult version.
• Add sprinkles. You can’t go wrong with sprinkles! Choose whichever colors suit the occasion, such as red, white, and green for Christmas, or you can add sugar pearls or shaved chocolate.
• Top with cookies. Bake a batch of mini gingerbread cookies and use them to garnish the cake.

Can I Make Cupcakes Instead?

Yes! This recipe can easily be made into eggnog cupcakes. Prepare the batter as written, and bake in a lined cupcake pan instead. Fill the cupcake liners about 2/3 full with the batter. Bake the cupcakes at 350ºF for 16-18 minutes. You’ll only need about half the amount of frosting.

This eggnog cake recipe yields about 24 cupcakes. Feel free to halve the recipe to make 12 cupcakes instead if you wish.

Storage and Freezing

• Refrigerate. Store this eggnog cake in the fridge before serving, and any leftovers for up to 5 days afterward. I like to use a cake carrier that holds the whole cake, but you can also use a large, regular Tupperware container.
• Serve at room temperature. I like to take my cake or slices out at least 20 minutes before serving to let it return to room temperature. I find all cakes to be more moist and tastier that way.
• Freeze. I recommend freezing the baked and cooled, unfrosted cake layers rather than the fully assembled and frosted cake. This is a good option if you’re making this cake ahead of time. Wrap the cakes tightly in a double layer of plastic wrap, and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw the cake layers at room temperature before frosting.

Watch How to Make Eggnog Layer Cake

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Try These Other Eggnog Desserts

• Eggnog Latte Cupcakes
• Eggnog Cheesecake
• No Bake Eggnog Icebox Cake
• Eggnog Fudge