Beautiful in its simplicity, dappled with warming spices, and blanketed with a creamy frosting that strikes just the right balance of sweetness and tang, this Eggnog Bourbon Cake goes as well with an afternoon cup of coffee as it does with a gala Christmas feast.
Eggnog Bourbon Cake
Makes 1 (9-inch) cake
Ingredients
- 2⅓ cups granulated sugar, divided
- 3 tablespoons water
- 2 tablespoons bourbon
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 4 large eggs
- 3¾ cups cake flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Eggnog Frosting (recipe follows)
- Garnish: grated fresh nutmeg
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, bring ⅓ cup sugar, 3 tablespoons water, and bourbon to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat, and let cool completely.
- Preheat oven to 350°. Spray 2 (9-inch) round cake pans with baking spray with flour.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and remaining 2 cups sugar at medium speed until fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes, stopping to scrape sides of bowl. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and nutmeg. Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture, beating just until combined after each addition. Stir in vanilla. Divide batter between prepared pans (smoothing tops if necessary).
- Bake until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 28 to 30 minutes. Let cool in pans for 10 minutes. Remove from pans. Brush with bourbon mixture, and let cool completely on wire racks. Spread Eggnog Frosting between layers and on top and lightly on sides of cake. Garnish with nutmeg, if desired.
Eggnog Frosting
Ingredients
- 2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
- 1 (2-pound) package confectioners’ sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 6 to 8 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat cream cheese at medium speed until creamy, 3 to 4 minutes. In another large bowl, whisk together confectioners’ sugar and nutmeg. Gradually add sugar mixture to cream cheese, beating until smooth. Beat in enough heavy cream, 1 tablespoon at a time, to make frosting a spreadable consistency. Beat in vanilla.
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