This eggnog bundt cake is plush, perfectly spiced, and full of that nostalgic holiday flavor thanks to real eggnog and a splash of dark rum. With its moist crumb and simple dusting of powdered sugar (or a rich eggnog glaze), it’s a festive cake recipe that’s perfect for your holiday table.
This cake came from my love for eggnog, and a curiosity about how to turn that creamy delicious drink into a successful cake. And happily this eggnog cake, which is made entirely from scratch, was a big hit with friends, family, and co-workers and it now on the list for the annual holiday baking.
The combination of the eggnog and butter create a soft plush texture and personally I love this cake with just a dusting of powdered sugar. But if you want a bit more indulgence, the eggnog glaze is included too.
For more holiday cake recipe ideas try my lemon pound cake which is crowd pleaser any time of the year, my apple cider bundt, fall favorite, or the mini cranberry orange bundt cakes.
Baker’s Note: Adjusting for the Sugar in Eggnog
Different eggnog brands have vastly different sugar levels, some, like the brand I used, have 21 grams per half cup, others can have 30+ grams. This matters because sugar doesn't just add sweetness; it affects the cake's structure and browning.
When I developed this recipe, my eggnog had 21 grams of sugar per 1/2 cup. With 1 cup of eggnog in the batter, that added 42 grams of sugar before I even measured the granulated sugar. To keep the cake balanced in both flavor and structure, I reduced the granulated sugar in the recipe by 1/4 cup (50 grams).
Why I Added Lemon Juice to This Cake
Lemon juice might not be the first thing you think of with eggnog, but in this cake, it does essential work. When I tested this recipe without it, the flavor felt one-dimensional, rich but a little flat. I knew it needed contrast, something to lift the flavors and prevent that heavy sweetness.
I reached for lemon juice. Acid balances sweetness and sharpens spices, and I was curious whether it would work in an eggnog cake. In my next test, I added just a tablespoon, and it made all the difference. The sweetness became balanced, and the nutmeg and cinnamon suddenly stood out clearly instead of blurring together.
Ingredients for This Eggnog Cake
These are the ingredients you'll need for this bundt cake:
- Cake Flour: Provides a light tender crumb and works really the amount of fat in this cake. If you don't have or can't find cake flour, you can use an equal amount, by weight, of bleached all-purpose flour or unbleached AP flour. The unbleached flour will create a denser texture.
- Full-Fat Eggnog: I've reduced the butter in this recipe because of the amount of fat in the eggnog. The amount of fat in the eggnog when combined with the butter helps create a dense, but moist cake. If you use a reduced version you'll end of with a cake that is leaning towards dry and not as tender. Also I have reduced the amount of sugar in the recipe because of the amount of sugar in the eggnog.
- Ground Spices: Ground cinnamon and nutmeg are essential to reinforcing that distinctive eggnog flavor. For the best results, check your spices before you make this cake, especially if it's been a while since you've used your spices.
How to Make Eggnog Bundt Cake from Scratch
For this recipe, I used the Nordicware Bavaria Bundt Pan, a 10-cup pan. You can use your favorite 10-cup bundt pan for this cake recipe.
Step 1: Whisk together the flour, baking powder, spices and salt in a bowl.
Step 2: Place the sugar and room temperature butter in the bowl of a stand mixer.
Step 3: With the paddle attachment cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Step 4: Beat in the eggs one at time. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl to make sure the batter is well combined.
Step 5: Mix in the vanilla and rum
Step 6: Alternate the addition of the dry ingredients and eggnog and mix until the ingredients are well combined.
Step 7: Spray the inside of the bundt pan with Baker's Joy and spoon the batter into the pan. Use an offset knife to even the level of the batter.
Step 8: Bake the cake for 40-45 minutes until the internal cake temperature registers 200-202°F. Rotate the 180 degrees halfway through the baking time.
Step 9: When the cake is done, remove it from the oven and let it cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Invert the cake onto a cooling rack lined with parchment paper. Let the cake cool completely before serving.
Tips for Making This Eggnog Bundt Cake at Home
Here are my tips for making this cake. See my post of the Essential Tips for Making Great Bundt Cakes with even more information on making beautiful bundts
- Use room temperature ingredients. This helps the batter mix evenly and creates a smoother, more cohesive texture. Cold eggs or butter can lead to curdled batter or uneven baking.
- Weigh your ingredients. Especially the flour. It’s easy to accidentally pack in too much with cups, which can dry out the cake. If you're not already using a scale, this is a great recipe to start.
- Prep the pan carefully. Bundt pans need extra attention. I use a mix of melted butter and flour to coat every detail of the pan with a pastry brush. It’s simple but reliable—just don’t let the cake sit too long after baking, or it may stick.
- Let it cool, but not too long. Cool the cake in the pan for 15 minutes before inverting it. Any longer and it’s more likely to cling to the pan.
Did you make this cake? If yes, please leave a rating and a comment below.
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Happy Baking and Happy Holidays!
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Rich Eggnog Bundt Cake (From Scratch)
Equipment
- Nordicware 10 cup Bundt Pan
Ingredients
Pan Release
- 1 tablespoon (14 grams) unsalted butter melted
- 1 tablespoon (10 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour
Eggnog Cake
- 3 cups (342 grams) cake flour sifted
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2-1/4 cups (450 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 cup (227 grams) unsalted butter room temperature (65-68°F)
- 5 large (250 grams) eggs room temperature (65-68°F)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) dark rum
- 1 tablespoon (30 ml) lemon juice
- 1 cup (240 ml) full-fat eggnog room temperature
Eggnog Rum Glaze
- 1 1/2 cups (180 grams) powdered sugar sifted
- 1 teaspoon rum extract
- 3 tablespoons (45 ml) eggnog
Instructions
Prep the Bundt Pan
- Melt the butter in the microwave. Add the flour and stir the mixture together until it is well combined and forms a paste. Brush the inside of the bundt pan with the pan release with a pastry brush, making sure to get all the crevices.
- If using an intricately designed pan you can also use Baker's Joy, but don't spray the pan until after the cake batter has been mixed and you're ready to add it to the pan.
Make the Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Crack the eggs into a separate bowl. Put the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg together in another bowl and combine with a whisk.
- Place the sugar and the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer and beat on medium-high speed until lighter in color and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
- Scrape down the bowl. Add eggs one at a time on low speed and then increase to medium until each egg is well incorporated. Stop the mixer after adding the first 3 eggs and scrape the bowl from the bottom to ensure the ingredients are well mixed. Add the remaining 2 eggs one at a time and scrape down the bowl after adding and beating in the last egg.
- Add the rum and vanilla and mix on medium until well combined.
- Whisk together the eggnog and lemon juice in a measuring cup. Add one-third of the dry ingredients and mix on low speed until well combined, but do not over mix. Add one-half of the eggnog and mix on medium speed until well combined. Add half of the remaining dry ingredients, then the rest of the eggnog. Add the remaining the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl and mix on low speed for about 30 seconds to ensure everything is thoroughly combined.
Bake the Cake
- Scoop the batter into the prepared bundt pan. Bake for 45-50 minutes until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. The cake will also begin to pull away from the sides of the pan once it is removed from the oven.
- Remove the pan from the oven and cool the cake in the pan for 15 minutes. Do not let the cake cool too long in the pan or it will stick. Place a cooling rack over the cake pan and invert the cake onto the rack. Cool the cake for 90 minutes.
- Line a wire cooling rack with parchment paper. Place the rack over the cake pan and invert the cake onto the rack. Cool the cake for at least 90 minutes. Make sure it is completely before if adding the eggnog rum glaze.
How to Serve the Cake
- You can either serve the cake with a dusting of powdered sugar or add a glaze. The pattern of the bundt pan I used is really decorative so I used powdered sugar. If you prefer a glaze see the recipe below for eggnog rum glaze.
Eggnog Rum Glaze (Optional)
- Combine the powdered sugar, the rum extract, and 2 tablespoons of eggnog. Stir until the glaze is smooth. If you want a thinner glaze, add the remaining tablespoon of eggnog and stir until incorporated.
Missy Tepe says
I've made the egg nog cake it was awesome
Cheryl Norris says
Hi Missy
Thank you for trying the recipe and letting me know how much you enjoyed it.
Otta says
Where is the rum and vanilla in the cake instructions? I only see them in the glaze.
Cheryl Norris says
Hi Otta
So sorry about that omission. Add the vanilla and rum after the eggs are beaten in. I have updated the recipe. And thank you for visiting my food blog.
Diann says
I made this for Xmas in a new silcone bundt pan I had never used. I felt like it was too heavy and it took much longer to bake than suggested. The flavor was good. Im glad I tried it. I might make again in a proven bundt pan to see if there is a difference.
Cheryl Norris says
Hi Diann
Thank you for visiting my food blog and trying a recipe. I really appreciate it and I'm glad you enjoyed the eggnog cake. I've never made a bundt cake using a silicone mold so it's good to know about the longer baking time. Thanks.
Jann says
I tried the recipe but it came out dry. However the flavor was nice. I will try it again with rum in the cake batter and maybe a little oil or something to keep it moist.
Cheryl Norris says
Hi Jann
It sounds like you may have used too much flour in the recipe or overbaked the cake. Both of these will lead to a dry cake.
susan yarnall says
Hi Cheryl
How do you use the pan release - the ingredients are listed but not the instructions - just Bakers Joy.
Thanks, and have wonderful holiday!
Cheryl Norris says
Hi Susan
I'm sorry for that oversight. Thanks for letting me know. I have updated the recipe instructions. Melt the butter in a small bowl. Stir in the flour until the ingredients are well combined, then use a pastry brush to coat the inside of the bundt pan.
Ann Croft says
Spectacular cake! Oh, my gosh - best thing I have EVER baked, and I have baked a lot! I was looking for some way to use left-over eggnog from Christmas so I chose this recipe. The grocery store eggnog I bought had way less sugar than 42 grams so I only decreased sugar for high altitude (I'm in Salt Lake City) and it turned out so beautiful. It did fall a bit around the center - I may have aerated the batter a little too much) but I turned it out of the pan 15 minutes after removing it from the oven and it came out whole and left no crumbs in the pan. Thanks for the butter/flour paste tip - worked great. Crispy on the outside, tender but dense on the inside. BEST!! One issue with the recipe - it calls for 1 tsp. nutmeg in the ingredients list but directions say to add 1/2 tsp with the flour. I couldn't figure out where to add the rest of the nutmeg so I just mixed it in with the powdered sugar I dusted over. Also, I used brandy instead of rum 'cause that's what I had on hand.
No, I don't know the author - this is an honest review
Cheryl Norris says
Ann
I'm so glad that you liked the recipe and thank you so much for writing such a heartfelt review. I appreciate it.
Your comment prompted me to correct the directions on the nutmeg. I redid the recipe and increased the nutmeg, but overlooked that change in the directions.
Karen Velthaus says
Good morning, I came upon your recipe in search of how to use up my eggnog. This sounds like a great one to try. I received a new Bundt pan as a gift but it is a baby Bundt pan. Any ideas on how many ounces to use per cake?
Also, thank you soooo much for using weight measurements instead of cups/tsp measurements.
Cheryl Norris says
Hi Karen
Thanks for your interest in this recipe. The amount of batter will depend on how many cups your mini bundt holds.
Since this recipe requires a 10-cup bundt pan, divide the number of cups that your mini bundt holds by 10. Multiple the ingredient amounts by this number to come up with the amounts. Be careful not to fill the bundt pan more than 3/4 full. If you have too much batter use the extra for cupcakes.
I hope this helps.
suzanne says
Wow! This was wonderful! I'd seen a recipe for eggnog bundt cake, but didn't particularly like it, so I searched around and found this one. Followed the recipe exactly - even weighed ingredients. We skipped the icing and used bourbon instead of rum though. The texture was perfect. And it smelled amazing while baking! We have decided to try in smaller pans to share as gifts. Thank you!
Cheryl Norris says
Hi Suzanne
Thank you for visiting the blog and making this cake. I'm so glad to read that you found this bundt cake wonderful and enjoyed it. After days of dealing with a broken water heater, your comment brought a smile to my face.😄
Vanessa P Chapin Mills says
Any suggestions for making this gluten free?
Cheryl Norris says
Hi Vanessa
I haven't tested a gluten-free version, however one my favorite gluten free baking sites is The Loopy Whisk. She has a gluten free almond-orange bundt cake that uses gluten-free flour. You could try using her recipe as a basis for making my eggnog cake gluten free. If you use Bob's Red Mill gluten free flour it comes with xanthum gum already mixed it.
Kate says
Hi Cheryl,
Thank you for an incredible recipe! I was looking for something special for a Christmas party that we're having next weekend, over here in our little village in Devon, England. Never having baked a bundt cake or made eggnog before, I decided to have a practice run. My family were in raptures over the flavour and texture, and declared it their favourite cake, ever. I turned out perfectly and I can't wait to impress the party guests.
Kate
Cheryl Norris says
Hi Kate
Thank for trying this cake recipe and this wonderful compliment. I'm so glad you and your family enjoyed it a lot ("favorite cake, ever"), and that you plan to make it again. Yay!!
Terry miller says
Cake was pretty, but nothing special. In fact it was pretty dry. Even with a glaze.
Cheryl Norris says
Hi Terry
I'm sorry to hear that you did not like this cake. If it was "pretty dry" you may have overbaked it.
Jackie says
I’m making half of the recipe. How many eggs should I use 2 or 3?
Cheryl Norris says
Hi Jackie
If I was cutting this recipe in half I would go with 2 whole large eggs (100 grams) and one large egg yolk (20 grams). Make sure you weigh your eggs since the weight can vary especially for egg yolks. Let me know if you have any more questions.
RL says
Question: Is it cake flour or all purpose flour? The picture of ingredients say all purpose but recipe list of ingredients say cake flour. Does it make a difference?
Cheryl Norris says
Hi RL
It's cake flour and that's called out in the recipe instructions. I'm sorry about the confusion in the picture. I will correct that.