Celebrate the holidays with Eggnog Pound Cake, flavored with rich eggnog and warm spices of cinnamon and nutmeg. There’s just something special about homemade pound cake, and this one is an outstanding addition to any holiday celebration.
Satisfy every sweet tooth with a dessert bar featuring this delicious pound cake alongside my warm Bread Pudding, Snowball Cookies, and Grandma’s Apple Crisp.
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Deliciously Festive Eggnog Pound Cake
I’m not sure if it stems from my Southern roots or not, but I openly admit that I have a love affair with pound cake. While you can’t go wrong with a traditional recipe, like Lemon Pound Cake, Million Dollar Pound Cake or Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Pound Cake, switching things up a bit is also okay and easy.
All it takes is swapping out one ingredient – eggnog for milk – and my original cake recipe has an amazingly new flavor. If you’re not a fan of eggnog, don’t worry! It doesn’t have an overbearing taste and instead compliments the spices quite nicely. This will become a family favorite recipe beyond the Thanksgiving and Christmas seasons.
Eggnog Pound Cake Ingredients
- Unsalted Butter – This must be room temperature, so take out two sticks the night before making the pound cake.
- Shortening – I use vegetable shortening in solid form.
- Eggs – Large eggs work best for this pound cake recipe and should be at room temperature.
- Sugar – You’ll need granulated sugar and confectioner sugar for the recipe.
- All-Purpose Flour – A nice helping of all-purpose flour is needed – 3 cups to be exact – and will need to be sifted.
- Eggnog – The highlight of this recipe is eggnog, and you can use any brand you prefer.
- Spices – nutmeg, cinnamon, and vanilla extract harness the season’s flavors.
- Homemade Glaze – You only need two ingredients to make this delicious and quick glaze – powdered sugar and eggnog.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and measurements.
Variations and Additions
- Easily sweeten up this eggnog pound cake by adding a variety of fruit toppings. Cranberries, strawberries, and peaches are delicious suggestions.
- Add a nice crunch with a nutty topping. Crushed candied pecans and walnuts are sure to do the trick.
- Play around with even more spices by adding allspice, clove, or star anise. Always start with a little bit because you can always add more.
- Add a splash of dark rum, brandy, or rum extract for even more eggnog flavor.
How To Make The Best Eggnog Pound Cake
- Heat oven to 325 degrees. Prepare a tube pan or bundt cake pan and set aside.
- Using a stand mixer or hand mixer, cream butter and shortening together. Mix in sugar and whip until light and fluffy. Add in eggs, one at a time, blending thoroughly. Continue to mix while adding in nutmeg, cinnamon, and vanilla. With the beater running, add flour and eggnog alternating into sugar mixture, starting and stopping with flour.
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes. Test for doneness by inserting a skewer or toothpick that should come out clean when cooked completely.
- Place the cake on a wire rack to cool for 20 minutes, then remove from pan.
Two Ingredient Eggnog Glaze
- While the cake is cooling, make the glaze. In a small bowl, whisk together confectioner sugar and eggnog until smooth.
- Drizzle over cooled cake.
Often Asked Questions And Answers
Southern Comfort (how fitting) and Prairie Farms are the most popular in my local grocery stores but feel free to use whatever brand you prefer.
Two loaf pans will work. You can also use this recipe to make cupcakes, or mini loaves to give away to friends and family as a sweet holiday gift.
You can use cake flour but will need to add two tablespoons to every cup of cake flour that you use.
I use a traditional aluminum tube pan or a bundt pan. If you want to use a loaf pan, that’s fine too. You’ll have enough batter for two cakes. I divide the cake batter in half and bake the cakes at the same time. I do take off about 10 minutes – start checking then to make sure they are done but not overcooked.
How To Store And Freeze Homemade Pound Cake
The best way to store pound cake is on the counter, covered, or in a sealed container. Keeping it in the refrigerator is unnecessary, and I’ve found that it dries the cake out.
This cake, like Gingerbread Cake, freezes beautifully! After baking and cooling, wrap the cake in plastic wrap tightly. Store it in the freezer for up to 3 months. Before serving, let it thaw overnight in the fridge, then place it on the counter to come to room temperature. Make the glaze, drizzle over the cake, and serve.
More Pound Cake Recipes
If you tried this Eggnog Pound Cake Recipe or any other recipe, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. Thanks!
Recipe With Instructions
Ingredients
- 2 sticks unsalted butter – room temperature
- ⅓ cup vegetable shortening (solid form)
- 5 large eggs – room temperature
- 3 cups sugar
- 3 cups flour – sifted
- 1 cup eggnog
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Glaze
- 2 cups confectioners sugar
- 3-4 tablespoons eggnog
Instructions
- Heat oven to 325 degrees. Prepare a tube pan by coating with cooking spray and dusting with flour.
- Using a stand or hand mixer, cream butter and shortening together. Mix in sugar and whip until light and fluffy. Add in eggs, one at a time, blending thoroughly. Continue to mix while adding in nutmeg, cinnamon and vanilla.
- With beater running, add flour and eggnog alternating into sugar mixture, starting and stopping with flour. Pour into prepared 10 inch tube pan. Bake for approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes. Test for doneness by inserting a skewer that should come out clean when cooked completely.
- Let cake cool for 20 minutes then remove from pan. When cake is completely cooled, store covered.
Glaze
- In a small bowl, mix together confectioners sugar and eggnog until smooth. Drizzle over cooled cake.
Notes
- The best way to store pound cake is on the counter, covered, or in a sealed container. Keeping it in the refrigerator is unnecessary, and I’ve found that it dries the cake out.
- This cake freezes beautifully! After baking and cooling, wrap the cake in plastic wrap tightly. Store it in the freezer for up to 3 months. Before serving, let it thaw overnight in the fridge, then place it on the counter to come to room temperature. Make the glaze, drizzle over the cake, and serve.
- I use a traditional aluminum tube pan or a bundt pan to make this cake. If you want to use a loaf pan, that’s fine too. You’ll have enough batter for two cakes. I divide the cake batter in half and bake the cakes simultaneously. I do take off about 10 minutes – start checking then to make sure they are done but not overcooked.
Nutrition
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Jean
Eggnog cake recipe. Is 3cups of sugar correct?
Joannie James
It was a big hit at Thanksgiving and requested again for Christmas 🎄
Merry Christmas,
~Donya
Susan Rozmus
Do I have to use shortening . Could I use all butter
I’ve never baked or tested with all butter.
~Donya
Homer Curry
The eggnog pound cake sounds delicious, but where can I find eggnog in June. Please help me if you can
Patty Tryc
Hello, can I use a bundt pan instead of a tube pan or would it be better to use two loaf pans. I don’t have a tube pan. Thanks, Patty
2 loaf pans work great.
Dawn
We loved this! I doubled this & put in 6 loaf tins to give away to friends. They sure enjoyed it!
Awesome!!
Patrice M.
I am a fan of the recipe!! I have made this into cup cakes and mini loaf cakes.
Karen
How do you store this? I want to make for Christmas but would like to be able to make it freeze it and then take it out the day before Christmas. I don’t want to me cooking/baking all day Christmas Eve
Hey Karen.
Make per the recipe but do not put the drizzle on. Wrap tightly in plastic or foil. Freeze. Take the cake out of the freezer the day before serving, let it come to room temperature, add the drizzle then serve.
Merry Christmas!
~Donya