Eggnog Pound Cake

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.

Eggnog pound cake with white icing drizzled, served on a white cake stand.

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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.

What Is Eggnog?

Eggnog is one of my favorite holiday drinks—it’s creamy, sweet, and full of cozy flavors like nutmeg and cinnamon. It’s made with milk, cream, sugar, and whipped eggs, creating a rich, velvety texture. I love adding a splash of rum, brandy, or bourbon for an extra festive touch, but it’s just as delicious without the alcohol.

Eggnog Pound Cake Ingredients

Large white eggs, all purpose flour in a glass bowl, vegetable shorting, vanilla extract in a glass bowl, granulated sugar in a wooden bowl, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, eggnog and sticks of butter on a white counter.

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.

Recipe 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

Photo 1-butter creamed with a hand mixer, photo and white sugar added to butter mixture mixed with hand mixer, photo 2-batter and flour in clear glass bowl with hand mixer, photo 3-batter poured into a dark metal bundt pan, photo 4-baked cake resting on a white cake stand.

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

Photo 1 is a white bowl with eggnog icing and copper spoon for serving, Photo 2 ia a baked eggnog pound cake being drizzled with icing from a spoon.

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

What brand of eggnog is best to use?

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.

What can I use if I don’t have a tube pan?

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.

Can I use cake flour instead of all-purpose flour?

You can use cake flour but will need to add two tablespoons to every cup of cake flour that you use.

What kind of tube pan is best?

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.

Eggnog Pound Cake with a white icing drizzle served on a white cake stand resting on a wooden board.

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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.

Slice of eggnog pound cake with white icing drizzle on a white desssert plate.

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!