Eggnog Pound Cake

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This soft and moist Eggnog Pound Cake takes your favorite Christmas drink and turns it into a heavenly dessert! Complete with a smooth and creamy eggnog icing, this crave-worthy cake is sure to spread some holiday cheer.

Looking for more ways to use eggnog? Try these Eggnog Cookies or this Eggnog Cheesecake recipe!

Tender Eggnog Pound Cake with Homemade Glaze

One of the food-related things I look forward to most during the holidays is eggnog. I’m a huge fan of its richness, creaminess, and lightly spiced flavor. But there’s only so much eggnog one person can drink. So I decided to turn it into a cake – and now I can eat it too!

I assure you that this cake does not skimp on the eggnog. You can taste it in both the cake itself and the creamy glaze drizzled on top. The cake even uses a little nutmeg to enhance the eggnog flavor even more. I really can’t imagine a more perfect way to represent eggnog as a dessert! This dreamy pound cake is a simple yet elegant holiday treat that the whole family will devour.

What You’ll Need

You’ll notice that this cake doesn’t use a leavening agent such as baking powder or baking soda. Since pound cakes are supposed to be dense, they’re better off without it.

For the Eggnog Pound Cake

• Unsalted Butter: This should be brought to room temperature. If you only have salted butter on hand, you can use that and omit the additional salt in the recipe.
• Sugar: Sugar adds more than just sweetness and flavor – it also adds moisture and improves the cake’s texture.
• Eggs: Large.
• All Purpose Flour: Measure your flour with a food scale to ensure accuracy.
• Nutmeg: Wouldn’t be eggnog without nutmeg!
• Salt: Never underestimate salt. It adds flavor to your baked goods while keeping them nice and moist. Only leave this out if you’re using salted butter.
• Eggnog: This cake uses just the right amount of eggnog so that you can taste it, but it doesn’t make the cake too heavy.
• Vanilla Extract: For additional flavor.

For the Eggnog Icing

• Butter & Sugar: These form the base of the glaze.
• Eggnog: Use whatever brand you like.
• Corn Syrup: To add shine. You can substitute this for honey if you’d like.
• Powdered Sugar: To help thicken the icing.

How to Make Eggnog Pound Cake

You’re going to love how quickly and easily this Christmas cake comes together. The batter is made in just one bowl, and so is the icing!

Make the Cake

1. Prep for Baking: Preheat the oven to 325°F and grease a 10-14 cup bundt pan with non-stick baking spray.
2. Cream Butter & Sugar: In a large mixer bowl, cream the butter and sugar on medium speed until the mixture becomes light and fluffy. This will take about 5 minutes.
3. Add Eggs: Add the eggs one at a time, mixing after each addition until the egg is well incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to make sure everything is well combined.
4. Add Dry Ingredients: With the mixer on low, carefully add in the flour, nutmeg and salt. Mix until the wet and dry ingredients are just combined.
5. Add Eggnog & Vanilla: Add the eggnog and the vanilla extract and mix until combined.
6. Bake: Spread the batter evenly into a bundt pan and bake the cake for 78-82 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out moist but mostly clean.
7. Let Cool: Allow the cake to cool in the bundt pan for about 10 minutes, then invert it onto a cooling rack and let it come to room temperature.

Make the Icing

1. Combine Butter, Sugar, Eggnog & Corn Syrup: Combine all of the ingredients except for the powdered sugar in a small saucepan.
2. Bring to Boil: Heat the mixture on low until the sugar is melted, then turn the heat to medium and bring it to a boil.
3. Cook: Boil the mixture for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, then remove it from the heat and immediately pour it into a heat-proof bowl.
4. Add Powdered Sugar: Whisk in 1 1/4 cups or so of the powdered sugar and allow the icing to cool a bit. It should thicken but still be pourable. Mix in additional powdered sugar a little bit at a time if needed for more thickness.
5. Drizzle Over Cake: Drizzle the icing over the cooled cake while the icing is still a little warm.

Tips for Success

I have a few takeaways that will help you get this eggnog pound cake just right. Let’s break them down:

• Use Room Temperature Butter: Don’t forget to bring your butter to room temperature before you try to cream it with the sugar. You’ll have to cream the mixture until it lightens in both color and texture, and you’ll have trouble doing so if the butter is cold. Bringing the eggs to room temperature is also a good idea, as it helps them combine with the other ingredients more easily.
• Measure the Flour Accurately: If you don’t have access to a food scale, you can avoid over-measuring your flour by using the spoon and level method of filling your measuring cup. Too much flour will result in too dense of a cake or a dry cake.
• Fine-Tune the Icing Consistency: This is a fairly thin icing that should drizzle nicely on the cake, but it should not be so thin that it slides off. If your icing is too thin, add additional powdered sugar until it’s the right consistency to drizzle. If you find the icing to be a little thick, just add a touch more eggnog to thin it back out.
• Add the Icing While it’s Warm: If your icing cools to room temperature before you add it to the cake, it will be too firm to pour in a nice drizzle. Your cake, however, should be completely cooled.

Serving Suggestions

Once the icing is on the cake, you’re ready to serve up a spectacular dessert. But if you’d like to add something extra to it, you certainly can!

• Top with Chopped Nuts: Feel free to sprinkle some chopped nuts over your iced bundt cake for added flavor and a little crunch. Almonds, walnuts, cashews and pecans are all good options.
• Pair with Ice Cream: Can anyone say no to cake and ice cream? Try pairing your pound cake with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for an unforgettable holiday dessert.
• Serve with Coffee: I thoroughly enjoy having a slice of this cake with my afternoon cup of joe. When I really want to indulge in something sweet, I’ll whip up this Caramel Blended Coffee.

How to Store Homemade Pound Cake

This pound cake can be stored at room temperature for up to 2 days without the icing. I recommend wrapping it tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil to best preserve its freshness, but an airtight container will do. If you’ve already added the icing to your pound cake, keep it in the fridge instead.

Can I Freeze This?

Yes – but probably not ideal with the icing. Wrap your cooled pound cake in two layers of aluminum foil or plastic wrap and freeze it for up to 3 months. You could also wrap it in a single layer and keep it in a freezer-safe container. Thaw out frozen pound cake in the fridge before icing it.

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More Festive Christmas Cakes to Try

Christmas wouldn’t be the same at my house without a festive cake for dessert! The following recipes have definitely earned their status as family favorites.

• Peppermint Brownie Ice Cream Cake
• Christmas Tree Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake
• Pumpkin Cheesecake Layer Cake