Eggnog Cake
Eggnog Cake – Browned butter, eggnog cake with eggnog buttercream and cinnamon chip ganache.
Happy December, everyone!
It’s time for a revisit of an old cake. This week, I’m sharing my Eggnog Cake. I first made this cake two years ago and while I loved it then, I knew I could improve it.
Eggnog Cake
The first time I made an Eggnog Cake, I used a recipe from The Cake Blog and copied the white chocolate birch log design too. It’s such a cute design and much easier than you would think at first glance. However, as much as I liked it, I just remember thinking, “I think this could be even better.”
I also tried another recipe from Tessa Huff, which I also liked, but felt like I could change up a bit. So, I decided to merge the two recipes and come up with one of my own.
For the cake layers, I wanted a really rich flavor. I’ve combined actual eggnog, browned butter and lots of yummy spices. For the frosting, I also added a bit of eggnog and cinnamon. And to take this cake to the next level, I added my cinnamon chip ganache between each layer!
Baking Note
When baking any cake, especially one that is a white or yellow based cake, it’s so important to watch the cake like a hawk while it bakes. Those last 5 minutes are crucial and if your oven runs hot, you can easily over cook the cake layers. Over cooking the cake layers is often why the cake tastes dry. To avoid this, make sure you take the cake out of the oven when a few moist crumbs come out on a toothpick when inserted into the center of the cake.
The flavor in this cake is just out of this world good.
Video Tutorial
Enjoy!
Eggnog Cake
Browned butter, eggnog spice cake with eggnog buttercream and cinnamon chip ganache.
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 3 cups (339 g) cake flour
- 1 tablespoon (12 g) baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon (3 g) salt
- 2 1/2 teaspoons (6.6 g) cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon (2.64 g) ginger
- 3/4 teaspoon (2.3 g) nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon (1 g) ground cloves
- 1 cup (226 g) browned butter, made ahead and softened
- 1 1/4 cups (250 g) granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup (55 g) brown sugar
- 5 eggs, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons (8.4 g) vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cup (335 g) eggnog, at room temperature
For the Buttercream
- 4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups (339 g) unsalted butter, slightly cold and cut into cubes
- 6 cups (750 g) powdered sugar, measured and then sifted
- 6 tablespoons (100.5 g) eggnog
- 1 teaspoon (2.64 g) cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon (1 g) nutmeg
- 2 teaspoon (8.4 g) vanilla extract
- *This buttercream recipe makes enough to fill and cover your cake. If you want to add additional piping you’ll want to make an extra ½ batch.
For the Ganache
- 1 cup 150 g Hershey’s cinnamon baking chips
- 1/4 cup 57.75 g heavy whipping cream
Instructions
For the Cake
- In a medium saucepan, melt the one cup of butter over medium-high heat. Continue to cook, swirling occasionally, until the butter is browned and fragrant. The butter will foam up a bit and there will be bit of browned butter at the bottom of the pan when it’s done. Remove the pan from the heat and transfer the butter to a heat-safe container. Refrigerate until the consistency of softened butter. (I made my browned butter the night before baking and took it out of the fridge a few hours before I started so it had time to soften).
- Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F. Spray your 3 8-inch or 4 6-inch pans with nonstick spray, line the bottom of each pan with parchment paper rounds and spray again. Set aside.
- In a medium sized bowl, combine and whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the browned butter until smooth. Add the granulated sugar and brown sugar, and increase the speed to medium-high. Beat the butter and sugars for about 3 to 5 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix again for another 30 seconds.
- With the mixer on medium-low, add the eggs, one at a time, mixing until combined in between each addition. Add the vanilla. Mix until incorporated and scrape down the bowl again.
- Turn your mixer to low speed. Add the flour mixture alternating with the eggnog, starting and ending with the flour. Mix on low speed for 30 seconds or until combined. Do not over beat your batter.
- Using a kitchen scale, evenly distribute the cake batter between the pans. Bake for about 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs on it. Let the cakes cool on a wire rack for about 10 minutes before removing them from the pans to cool completely. Can be individually wrapped in plastic wrap and stored in the freezer for up to two weeks.
For the Buttercream
- 1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the butter and cream cheese until smooth.
- With the mixer on low, gradually add the remaining ingredients until combined.
- Turn the mixer to medium-high and continue to beat the buttercream until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
- Use a wooden spoon to mix frosting to get rid of air pockets.
For the Ganache
- In a microwave safe bowl or over the stove, heat the cream until simmering. Pour the cream over the cinnamon chips and stir until the chips are melted and the mixture is smooth and silky.
- The mixture cool slightly before using. It will thicken up during this time.
Assembly
- After leveling your cakes, if needed, spread a dab of frosting on your cake board, and place the first cake layer, top side up, on top.
- Cover the first cake layer with about ¾ cup eggnog buttercream, and then drizzle with the cinnamon chip ganache. To make sure the ganache doesn’t come out the sides of the came, use your offset icing spatula to create a little barrier around the edge of the cake or pipe a rim of frosting around the edge of the cake.
- Repeat step 2 with your second cake layer. The final cake layer should be placed top side down.
- Apply a thin layer of frosting around the cake. Freeze the cake for 10 to 15 minutes to set the crumb coat.
- Continue frosting the cake with the remaining buttercream.
- Use extra cinnamon chip ganache as a drip on top.
Your cake has four layers but in the assembly you said there will only be a third cake if using six inch…did you double the recipe or halve each cake?
So in the instructions, I’m saying that you’ll repeat the stacking process with the second and third cake layers as you add the filling and then use the final (fourth) cake layer to top it off (if you’re using 6-inch pans). That final (fourth) cake layer should be placed top side down.
I don’t have access to cinnamon chips. What can I use instead?
Could I add cinnamon to the melted white chocolate or would that not work?
Yeah, definitely, start with a small amount and taste test along the way.
Hi! Love your cakes! I was wondering what the leaves and berries are on top of this cake? Thanks!
Thank you. It’s cranberries and sage leaves.
This cake was so tasty and I loved the comforting smell and taste of eggnog throughout the cake and icing! I wish eggnog was available in stores all year round but I can’t wait to make it again this fall. Yum!
The baking powder? States 4 grams… But 4 grams is a teaspoon. Should this read 12 grams?
Tsp or tablespoon ? Which one?
Thank you!
One tablespoon so 14g! It’s fixed!
Can you please tell me what Eggnog 268 is?
Thanks Jane
It was typo. Just regular egg nog.
Courtney, this cake is delicious! I halved it and made it in 6 inch tins because we’re a household of 2. I’m not sure about bake time cause I just watched the oven verrrry closely. It was so festive and clearly tasted like egg nog. Note for anybody else looking to make it: It’s very sweet and indulgent (because… egg nog). We just cut our slices on the smaller side and loved it sooo much! I dropped some slices off at some family members and got rave reviews back from them as well!
Thank you so much!
I may just be completely overlooking it, but where is the actual recipe on this page?
Thank you,
Brianna
https://cakebycourtney.com/eggnog-cake/#wprm-recipe-container-144 did you scroll down?
I can ‘t find where it says what size cake pan to use. Sorry if I missed it but can you advise please?
Thanks!
3 8-inch pans or 4 6-inch pans!
I made this cake using gluten-free flour for Christmas dinner. Everyone loved it, and it worked wonderfully with gluten-free flour. The texture was excellent. It tastes like Christmas!
I love that!
This cake was delicious and perfect for Christmas. My cake layers turned out very dry, which I am sure was my fault from likely baking too long. However, I saved the cake by drizzling Egg Nog over each cake slice to serve. Oh my word!!! It was so good! Thanks for this amazing recipe!