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.
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
- 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
- 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.Â
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!
Ingredients
- 2 sticks unsalted butter – room temperature
- â…“ 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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Monique Franklin
I made this cake in a loaf pan during the Thanksgiving holiday using 1/2 recipe because my son asked me to make an Egg Nog pound and I wasn’t sure if he would like it turns out he loved it and everyone that ate it all up enjoyed.
Wonderful! So happy everyone enjoyed the recipe and I so appreciate the stellar rating.
Merry Christmas,
~Donya
Alice James
I need to know if that is selfrising flour or all-purpose
All-purpose.
Enjoy the recipe,
~Donya
Kathleen Q Thygeson
YUMMY!!!!
Donya
Hey there Kathleen!
Thank you so much for your interest in this recipe and for your fantastic rating! I really hope you do give this recipe a try, it’s an absolutely perfect dessert to serve throughout the holiday season, I’d love to hear how everything turns out! I really appreciate your kind words of support, let me know if you have any questions, I’d be more than happy to help!
~Donya
Judy
What flour do you use in egg nog pound cake? Also no baking power or soda, love all your receipe.
Hey July.
Use all-purpose flour. I use Martha White most of the time. Make the recipe according to the directions. It will turn out beautifully!
Merry Christmas,
~Donya
Edith
Thank you Donya, I was wondering about the baking powder and salt, that is usually added to cakes for their rising.
I’m not sure about your question but the recipe as posted is how I make it and it comes out fantastic every time. Hope you enjoy it!
~Donya
Stewball
A lot of pound cakes are made without baking powder or soda. Apparently the trick is to well beat for it to become airy. I hope you didn’t mind me butting in.
Jane
Hi Donya. Could I use cake flour? This cake sounds delicious! Jane
Hey Jane. You can use cake flour but will need to add 2 tablespoons to every cup of cake flour that you use. I hope this makes sense. Everyone in the house says that this is the best pound cake that I make! I hope you enjoy it. Let me know.
Merry Christmas!
XO,
~Donya
Christine G Nolan
Which kind of tube pan is best? I have a silicone, a dark one and a light colored on.e. Does the cooking time change?
I personally would like to make it in a loaf pan.
Hey Christine! I use a traditional light colored, aluminum tube pan. If you want to use a loaf pan, that’s fine too. You’ll have enough batter for 2 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 over cooked. Hope all this helps!
Merry Christmas!
~Donya
Jeannie
Please specify what type of flour to use in this recipe. I did not see it calling for any kind of baking soda or powder so I assumed you used self-rising flour. Wrong! My cake flopped and ran all over my oven. Guess I should use All Purpose. Is that correct?
So sorry your cake did not turn out! Correct – DO NOT USE SELF RISING FLOUR. Follow the recipe exactly using AP flour. You DO NOT need to add any additional leavening,the cake will turn our perfectly.
I hope you’ll give this recipe another try. Feel free to message me on FB with additional questions or send me an email.
Good luck!
XO,
~Donya
Judy
Thanks so much. I have a lady I bake cakes for thought I would try the egg nog and take her some to try.
Merry Christmas
You are welcome, Judy!
Merry Christmas,
~Donya
Chris
What type of glaze is on the cake? How come it’s not in the directions?
Apologies Chris. It was an honest mistake. The recipe is update with glaze instructions.
~Donya
Quatisha Walker
Hi you didn’t say how to make the syrup to go on top of the cake you said that you used eggnog and confectioners sugar.
Thanks for catching, Quatisha. I’ve update the recipe!
Have a great day.
XO,
~Donya
Diane
Or maybe put some bourbon in the icing as long as it is an adults only cake, LOL
I love it, Diane! This cake is so easy to make we could do one with bourbon icing and one without!
Merry Christmas!
XO,
~Donya
Wendolyn
I have a question for you. Can you use salted butter instead?
Donya
Hey there Wendolyn!
Yeah, you can absolutely use salted butter instead! I’ve made it in the past with salted butter, and it doesn’t really make a significant difference in flavor or texture, so feel free to use salted butter instead. I hope you enjoy the recipe, let me know how it turns out, and if you have anymore questions I’d be happy to help! Have a Happy Thanksgiving!
~Donya
Pamela Warner
Can you use solid coconut oil for the solid shortening?
Thanks