Eggnog Bundt Cake is so pretty, festive and fun for the holiday season! With eggnog and rum in the batter and in the glaze, it's rich and delicious, inside and out.
It's always fun to have special cakes to make during the holiday season.
Much like my Cranberry Orange Cake with Amaretto Glaze or my White Chocolate Rasperry Cake, the eggnog cake is a beautiful dessert to serve after Christmas dinner, or at any other holiday gathering.
Always popular around Christmastime, eggnog is a festive holiday drink that's typically made with milk or cream, egg yolks, sugar, rum or whiskey, and warming spices.
With a pound cake-like texture and all of those flavors, this recipe is almost like the delicious holiday drink in cake form.
The Ingredients
- unsalted butter
- neutral oil - I use grapeseed. (Vegetable is okay too.)
- granulated sugar
- non-alcoholic eggnog - Use your favorite! And if you want to make your own, this is a great recipe.
- sour cream
- dark rum
- pure vanilla extract
- eggs
- poppy seeds - The poppy seeds add a very delicate crunch to the cake.
- all-purpose flour
- baking powder
- salt
- ground cinnamon
- ground nutmeg
- powdered sugar
(See recipe card below for quantities.)
How to Make it
- Set the oven to 350°F and grease the inside of a bundt pan with butter.
- Add oil, sugar, eggnog, sour cream, rum, and vanilla to a large mixing bowl. Use a whisk to mix everything together until it's a smooth consistency. Add the eggs and whisk just until they are thoroughly blended into the batter and then mix in the poppy seeds.
- In another larger mixing bowl add the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Make a well in the center and pour in the eggnog mixture. Whisk to blend.
- Pour the batter into the buttered bundt pan and bake in the preheated 350°F oven until the edges are golden, the top has risen, and it's beginning to crack, about 45 minutes.
- Let the cake cool for about 15 minutes or so in the pan, then invert it onto a cake stand or platter.
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk eggnog with melted butter, rum, nutmeg and salt. Place a fine mesh sifter over the bowl and about a third at a time, add the powdered sugar to it. Whisk to blend. The glaze should be smooth, thick, and pourable.
- Once the cake has cooled, use a spoon to drizzle the glaze on top in a circular motion so that it drips down the sides.
(More detailed instructions are in the recipe card below.)
Recipe Tips
- This cake serves 12 medium-large slices -- if you're serving it along with other dessert options, you would likely slice it more thinly and therefore have more servings.
- The glaze will be thick - it doesn't all seep into the cake and/or to the bottom. If you'd like it thinner, you can add a bit more melted butter.
- The batter may appear a tiny bit lumpy when you add it to the bundt pan -- do not worry as it will even out as it bakes.
Substitutions
- Gluten free? If you're gluten-free, substitute the flour with Cup4Cup Gluten-Free Multi Purpose Flour, or another all-purpose gluten-free flour that you know is tried and true.
- If you'd like to omit the rum in the cake batter, add a ½ teaspoon more of both the nutmeg and cinnamon. In the glaze, you can replace it with 1 to 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract.
- I use butter to grease the pan, while I use oil in the cake batter. The oil creates an especially moist cake texture, and I like the little bit of the butter flavor on the "crust" of the cake. You can use oil for both if you'd like, but I would not recommend substituting the oil in the cake.
Making it Ahead and Storage
Yes, the eggnog cake can be made ahead.
- Room temperature. In a tightly sealed container, the cake can be kept at room temperature for three days.
- Refrigerator. In a tightly sealed container, the cake can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week. Note though that it will lose some moisture and not be quite as good. (Though, still quite tasty!)
- Freezer. Wrapped tightly, you can store it for about a month in the freezer. Defrost it overnight at room temperature the day before you want to serve it. (If it’s not a leftover, and you plan to serve it for the first time from the freezer, do not glaze it until just before you’re ready to serve it.)
You'll be a big hit if you bring this eggnog bundt cake to a holiday party -- or serve it at yours!
More amazing bundt cakes:
Eggnog Bundt Cake Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
For the cake
- 1½ teaspoons unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup neutral oil (vegetable, grapeseed)
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1¼ cup of your favorite non-alcoholic eggnog
- ½ cup sour cream
- 2 tablespoons dark rum
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs
- ⅓ cup poppy seeds
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¾ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
For the glaze
- 2 tablespoons of your favorite non-alcoholic eggnog
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
- 2 teaspoons dark rum
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
Instructions
For the cake
- Set the oven and prepare the pan. Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease the inside of a bundt pan with the butter, making sure to get it inside all of the crevices. Set it aside.
- Make the batter. Add the oil, sugar, eggnog, sour cream, rum, and vanilla to a large mixing bowl. Use a whisk to mix everything together until it's a smooth consistency.Add the eggs and whisk just until they are thoroughly blended into the batter and then mix in the poppy seeds.In another larger mixing bowl add the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Make a well in the center and pour in the eggnog mixture. Whisk just until all of the dry ingredients are thoroughly blended in. (Do not over mix!)
- Add batter to the pan and bake. Pour the batter into the buttered-bundt pan and bake in the preheated 350°F oven until the edges are golden brown, the top has risen, and is beginning to crack, about 45 minutes.
- Cool. Let the cake cool for about 15 minutes or so in the pan, then place a plate (or platter) that's at least a few inches bigger than the cake, upside down on top of the pan. Invert the cake onto the plate -- do this gently and don't remove the pan from the cake until you can feel that the cake has released and is firmly on the plate.The cake should be completely cooled to room temperature before you add the glaze (see below instructions).
For the glaze
- Make glaze. In a small mixing bowl, whisk the eggnog with the melted butter, rum, nutmeg and salt. Place a fine mesh sifter over the bowl and about a third at a time, add the powdered sugar to it. Use the bottom of a large metal spoon to gently move the sugar around until all of it has gone through the sifter and into the bowl. Use the whisk to mix until it's smooth. Repeat this process twice, until all of the sugar has been added and mixed in. The glaze should be smooth, thick, and pourable.
- Drizzle glaze. Once the cake has cooled, use a spoon to drizzle the glaze on the cake in a circular motion around the top.
NOTES
NUTRITION
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Nicole Presley
Can't you save me a slice? My Momma would ruin Christmas for a slice of this beautiful Bundt!!!! Valentina does it again! 🙂 xoxoxo Amiga.
Kaye Kittrell
This sounds absolutely divine!!
Julia Marks
I don't many recipes for cakes because I rarely make them. I'm a muffin person. Or bread. But this one, I am already counting the days until I can get out to the store to buy the supplies. It's Christmas time (almost) after all. What could be a better excuse for cooking up and offering this tempting treat?
valentina
Thanks so much, Julia! This recipe would actually work really well in a muffin or loaf pan, too. Happy Holidays! 🙂
Sophie
Ooh Valentina!
What a georgous & tasty glazed Bundt cake!! Beautiful & a must make too! 🙂 MMMMMMM! Perefct for entertaining!
valentina
Thank you, Sophie! Hope you have a happy holiday season! xo
Judy at Two Broads Abroad
This looks and, I'm sure, tastes divine. Love the combination. Have a great holiday.
valentina
Thank you Judy! Happy holiday's to you, too! XO
Hofterzielbeek
Wow, this cake looks amazing. Definitely trying this. 🙂
valentina
I hope you do, and love it! Thank you!
David
Thanks for reposting! Sounds like a perfect party cake! And I love the little hand-painted plate!
valentina
Thanks so much, David. (I love that plate, too.) 🙂
Christina Conte
I can't see or hear "bundt cake" and not think of My Big Fat Greek Wedding! 🙂 Your bundt cake looks so good, I could use a piece with my tea right now!
valentina
Ha! Love that. I could always use a piece with my coffee. Thank you. 🙂
Frank
How can you go wrong with an eggnog glaze, am I right? I'd love a piece right now with my morning coffee to get me into the holiday mood. 🎄
valentina
Thanks, Frank. It's So perfect with coffee -- especially for breakfast. 😉
Deb|EastofEdenCooking
Adding poppy seeds to the flavors of egg nog is genius! I'd love a slice of this beauty to go with my morning coffee.
Coco in the Kitchen
This is the only way I'm having eggnog!
valentina
I'm so with you! 🙂
David @ Spiced
This is my kind of cake, Valentina! Before I started the blog, I toyed with the idea of starting a bundt cake bakery. Seriously! I was gonna call it "I like big bundts." I love a good bundt cake, and the eggnog flavor here is excellent...plus I like that you put a bit of rum in that glaze. Nailed it! 🙂
valentina
That is such a fantastic name, David! I think you should hold on to that idea and use it one day. Love it. 🙂 And thank you for visiting.
John / Kitchen Riffs
Love the shape of a bundt cake! And love the flavor of poppy seeds -- they're so nice in baked things. And eggnog? Yes! The perfect seasonal recipe. 🙂 Really good stuff -- thanks.
valentina
Thank you, John! 🙂
2pots2cook
Wow !Now this is a Bundt Cake ! Pinning !
valentina
Thank you! 😀
Ron
Holiday drink in cake form, I'm in. We always make eggnog for Christmas (we don't get the commercial stuff here) and I'll be using some to try this cake. It'll be a perfect holiday Fika snack.
valentina
Ron, even better if you make your own! Enjoy during a relaxing Fika. 🙂
Jeff the Chef
What a beautiful cake! I love the flavor of eggnog, but I don't like the texture of milk - especially thick milks (like whole milk, for instance), so eggnog isn't for me. But! An eggnog cake would certainly be!
valentina
Hi Jeff, I get it about the milk -- that thickness isn't always the most pleasant to drink. And yes, it's excellent in the cake. 🙂 Thanks so much for visiting my site!
Gerlinde @sunnycovechef
Your bundt cake looks and sounds absolutely divine and I have some dairy free almond eggnog (my niece is lactose intolerant) in the fridge. If I find time I will try this recipe.
valentina
Thanks so much Gerlinde! I hope if you tried it, you and your niece loved it. Wish you and yours a very happy new year! 🙂
Kristina
My sweet tooth can hardly stand it either! I wish I could reach through the screen and grab this all myself.
valentina
Thanks so much, Kristina! 🙂
Marissa
I just sent my mom a link to this recipe - she makes something similar, but not with eggnog. This year we'll try your version instead - looks divine!
valentina
Thanks so much, Marissa. I hope you mom loves it and that it lives up to hers. 🙂 ~Valentina
Chef Mimi
This is beautiful! And I love how you made the glaze with eggnog. Years ago I bought a beautiful Bundt mold pan and now I really need to finally use it!
valentina
Hi Mimi. Thanks! Yes, get out the pan. We're big bundt cake fans over here -- I know it's primarily the shape that's different -- but the mold creates more of the crust/edge. More to love! 🙂 ~Valentina
Kathy
What a great winter dessert! I love the eggnog in the cake and in the glaze. So much flavor.
valentina
Thanks so much, Kathy. Enjoy! 🙂 ~Valentina
Dawn
Love all the fun desserts that pop up this time of year, and this yummy eggnog cake is no exception! Such a great use of eggnog, too. Wish I had a big slice of this cake with an eggnog latte...that would be perfect right about now!
valentina
Eggnog latte! I want one! Thanks, Dawn. 🙂 ~Valentina