Easy Eggnog Pound Cake for the Holidays
Making a pound cake with eggnog is an easy way to create a delicious holiday dessert that’s full of the classic sweet flavor.
Eggnog pound cake is a versatile dessert you can serve after Christmas dinner, at a holiday potluck, a dessert swap, or anytime you want a festive dessert without a lot of effort.
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Each year as Christmas draws closer, I always get so excited when I find eggnog stocked in the grocery stores.
Although I enjoy drinking it, I mostly use it in baked goods and desserts this time of year.
It’s such a fantastic way to give a traditional holiday flavor to desserts, plus it helps provide flavor and improve texture.
That’s where this eggnog pound cake recipe comes in! If you love the dense, tender crumb of a classic pound cake, you’ll find that in this cake, but with the addition of sweet cinnamon and nutmeg flavors.
Plus, pound cakes are effortlessly lovely, so they’re a great option for holiday entertaining.
You can serve this cake on its own or with a scoop of ice cream for a delicious and festive treat.
More Favorite Eggnog Dessert Recipes:
- Eggnog Bundt Cake – This recipe uses cake mix as an easy shortcut.
- Homemade Eggnog Bread – A simple loaf you can serve for breakfast or dessert, and it makes a great gift, too.
- Eggnog Ice Cream Pie – If you need a no-bake dessert, give this creamy pie a try.
How to Make Eggnog Pound Cake
It’s really easy to whip up this dessert.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Unsalted butter
- Granulated sugar
- Eggs
- Vanilla extract
- Rum extract (optional)
- All-purpose flour
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Ground nutmeg
- Eggnog
- Powdered sugar
How to Make It:
Find the full printable recipe available below
Mix wet ingredients. First, you’ll start by beating together butter and sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy.
Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each. Then add the extracts and mix.
Add dry ingredients. Then, you’ll combine the dry ingredients in a separate bowl.
With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the dry ingredient mixture, alternating the flour mixture with the eggnog.
Bake. Then, you’ll spread the batter into a greased and floured bundt pan. Bake it until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Cool and glaze. Let the cake cool completely, then prepare the glaze.
Whisk together powdered sugar, eggnog, vanilla extract, and a tiny pinch of nutmeg until it’s nice and smooth.
If the glaze is too thin, you can add a little more powdered sugar. If it’s too thick, add a little bit more eggnog.
Then drizzle the glaze over the cake and let it sit for about 15 minutes so the glaze can harden to a satiny finish.
Then slice and serve!
Notes and Adaptations:
- Leftover cake can be covered and stored at room temperature for up to 3-4 days.
Recommended Equipment:
Eggnog Pound Cake
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 1 cup unsalted butter (softened to room temperature)
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 4 eggs (at room temperature)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon rum extract (optional)
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 cup eggnog (at room temperature)
For the Glaze:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2-3 tablespoons eggnog
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- pinch ground nutmeg
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F. Grease and flour a 12-cup bundt pan (or spray with Baker’s Joy spray), ensuring all of the crevices are coated.
- Add butter and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or a large mixing bowl if using an electric hand mixer). Beat together until very light and fluffy, about 4-5 minutes.
- Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
- Add in the vanilla extract and rum extract (if using). Mix well to incorporate.
- In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg.
- With the mixer on low speed, alternate adding the flour mixture and eggnog to the butter mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Mix just until combined.
- Spread the batter evenly into the prepared bundt pan. Bake for 65–75 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean (or with just a few moist crumbs).
- Remove from oven and let the cake cool in the pan for about 15 minutes.
- Run a knife along the edges of the cake to ensure it's loosened from the pan, then invert the cake onto a wire rack or serving plate to cool completely.
- Prepare the glaze by whisking together the powdered sugar, eggnog, vanilla extract, and nutmeg until smooth. If the glaze is too thin, add a little more powdered sugar. If it's too thick, add a little more eggnog. You can tit to be thin enough to drizzle, but not so thin that it will run right off the cake.
- Drizzle the glaze over the cooled cake, then let the glaze set for about 15 minutes.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Leftover cake can be covered and stored at room temperature for up to 3-4 days.
Nutrition
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More Easy Christmas Recipes:
- Christmas Sugar Cookie Cups
- Funfetti Christmas Bread
- Gingerbread Bundt Cake
- Cake Mix Gingerbread Cookies
Don’t forget to save this recipe to your holiday board on Pinterest!
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