Eggnog Bundt Cake

If you don’t care to drink eggnog, why not bake with it instead? Eggnog is baked right into the batter and the frosting is made with eggnog too, ensuring that this Eggnog Bundt Cake lives up to its name! Optionally, this recipe permits a splash or rum or an alcohol-free version too!

Eggnog Bundt Cake reminds me of the boxed cake mixes you buy at the store. Even though this cake is made using real ingredients, the texture reminds me of baked Duncan Hines! It simply had to be a part of the 12 Bundt Cakes of Christmas series! It’s super light and fluffy despite the addition of the eggnog. This cake is sure to impress everyone lucky enough to get a slice. The cream cheese frosting with the eggnog mixed right into it easily puts this cake on my top 10 list.

I opted to use a store-bought eggnog rather than make my own. I also used an alcohol-free version. If you like the taste of rum in your eggnog, you can certainly use it in this cake as well. I’ve just never liked the taste or smell of rum. Here’s a great homemade eggnog recipe that you can use in this recipe.

When I thought about how I wanted to display this cake, the blue cake stand kept calling to me from our cabinet. It’s a little large for this particular bundt cake. But, for some reason, I could not get the blue cake stand out of my head. That’s the only reason why I chose to add blue and gold sprinkles to the top of my cake. They are completely optional. You might not want to use them if you’re planning to serve this cake for dessert at a grown-up holiday party.

But, as you know, Dear Reader, I’m not one to shy away from using sprinkles! Besides, it’s a Christmas bundt cake! And, Elvis sang about a Blue Christmas all the way to the bank. So, the blue cake stand won in the end! I also wasn’t shy about using all of that delicious frosting! I transferred the frosting to a large resealable bag and cut the tip. Then, gently squeezing the bag, I worked it back and forth, covering the top of the cake. I let the excess frosting drip into the middle of the cake and down the sides.

You can also serve the frosting in a bowl and allow guests to add a dollop or two to their serving of cake. It’s up to you, after all, it’s your cake!

EGGNOG – LOVE IT OR HATE IT?

There seems to be only two classes of people when it comes to eggnog. We either love it or we hate it. There’s rarely a person who’s in between. Personally, I can’t drink it, but I love the flavour. It’s a little too thick for my liking. That’s why I prefer to bake with it – point in case, Eggnog Bundt Cake!

For this recipe, you’ll need just over a cup of eggnog. Most of the prepared eggnog that I see in stores are sold in one-litre bottles. That’s a lot of eggnog if you’re purchasing it only to bake with. You can substitute the eggnog if you wish. Since eggnog is thick and creamy, you’ll want something that has a similar consistency. If you want to use milk, use whole, fatty milk. I would not recommend using anything less than 3%. Alternatively, you can use half and half.

The best substitute that I have found for eggnog in baking is buttermilk. Not only is the consistency present, but I like the tangy flavour of the buttermilk in baked goods too. If you’re adding a little bit of rum, fatty milk or buttermilk will do the trick nicely.

INGREDIENTS NEEDED TO PREPARE THIS RECIPE

The following is a list of the ingredients needed to prepare this recipe. For exact amounts and measurements, refer to the printable recipe card located near the bottom of this post.

• Butter – Make sure your butter is at room temperature!
• Brown Sugar 
• Sugar
• Eggs – Whenever you set out to bake, make sure your eggs are at room temperature too – just like your butter!
• Vanilla Extract – You can use rum here if you prefer.
• Eggnog
• Flour – No need for anything special. Just use regular all-purpose flour. I have not tried this recipe with any other type of flour.
• Baking Powder and Baking Soda
• Salt
• Ground Spices – You will need ground nutmeg and ground cinnamon. 

FOR THE FROSTING:

• Cream Cheese – When baking with cream cheese it is always best to use brick style rather than whipped or cream cheese in a tub.  The brick style is firmer and more condensed.  Cream cheese adds texture and flavour to baked items.
• Butter – Again, be sure to use room-temperature butter!
• Confectioner’s Sugar – This superfine sugar is sometimes called powdered sugar.  It is used in frostings quite often.  When dusted lightly onto cakes and cookies, it adds just a touch of sweetness, but more importantly, it looks very visually appealing!
• Vanilla Extract – Or rum.
• Eggnog
• Sprinkles – Optional.

HOW TO MAKE AN EGGNOG BUNDT CAKE

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare a bundt pan by coating the inside well with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl, beat together the butter and both sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time until fully incorporated. Beat in the vanilla extract and eggnog until just mixed through. Add in the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ground nutmeg and ground cinnamon. Beat until just incorporated. Do not over-mix the batter.

Transfer the batter to the prepared bundt pan and smooth out the top. Tap the pan firmly a few times onto a cutting board and place it in the oven. Bake for 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Remove the cake from the oven and allow it to cool in the bundt pan for 20 minutes. Turn out onto a wire cooling rack to finish cooling.

Once the cake is completely cooled, prepare the frosting by beating together the butter and the cream cheese until light and fluffy. Add the confectioner’s sugar one cup at a time, fully incorporating it into the butter mixture after each addition. Next, add the eggnog and vanilla extract. Beat until combined. Pour over the completely cooled cake. Garnish as preferred.

SUBSCRIBE NOW SO THAT YOU NEVER MISS OUT ON NEW RECIPES!

So, welcome, Dear Reader, to Lord Byron’s 12 Christmas Bundt Cake series! I’m updating this paragraph right here to let you know that even though this original cake series was published in 2019, there have been many holiday recipes shared since then. Some of my favourite recipe collections from previous years are my 75 Homemade Gifts from Your Kitchen, my 50 Make Ahead Freezer Friendly Christmas Recipes, and my 30 No-Bake Christmas Recipes post.

You really don’t want to miss one of these recipes, so if you have not yet subscribed to Lord Byron’s Kitchen, I encourage you to do so. That way, a new recipe will be emailed to you every day. You won’t have to bother to come looking for it! Like in previous holiday recipe countdowns, I like to mix up the recipes in the series so that there is something for everyone. Are you ready!!??

STORING, PACKAGING, & FREEZING

When it comes to most cakes, they taste best at room temperature, but they don’t hold up well to being left out on your countertop for long periods of time. Cakes will stay fresh in a covered cake stand or food-safe container with a lid for 3-5 days if left to sit on your kitchen countertop. You can store them in a food-safe container in your fridge. When you want to serve the cake, take it out of the fridge and let it sit at room temperature for 30-60 minutes.

If you plan to freeze your Eggnog Bundt Cake, you certainly can! I would not recommend adding the frosting or decorative sprinkles until you take the cake out of the freezer to thaw. To freeze almost any cake, wrap the completely cooled cake well in two layers of plastic wrap. Then, wrap it tightly in a layer of aluminum foil. This helps to create a better seal. The goal is to keep all of that freshness locked in!

QUESTIONS?

If I have not answered all of your questions in the text above, don’t hesitate to reach out to me! You can contact me by sending me a message in the comments section further down the page. I will try my best to answer as soon as possible! You might reach me even faster by following me on Facebook and sending me a private message. Scroll down below the recipe card to find my Follow Me on Social Media box and never miss another recipe!

Finally, as I stated previously, every day I will be posting a new recipe. If you miss one, don’t fret. You can find my entire collection of Christmas Recipes right here! There are over 200 Christmas recipes and counting. There’s something for everyone! Cheers!