This vanilla bean eggnog Bundt cake is a stellar way to use up leftover eggnog from the holiday season. A rum or bourbon glaze drizzled on top would be a great alternative to the traditional dusting of powdered sugar.

Side view of a slice of Vanilla Bean Eggnog Bundt Cake on a plate. This Christmas cake is dusted with powdered sugar before serving.

I won’t lie to you.

Eggnog exists in our house at Christmastime. We love it! And ever since I found Hood’s vanilla eggnog a few years ago, we always have a carton on hand from the Thanksgiving weekend, when we put up the tree, right through New Year’s and into January. 

This particular vanilla eggnog tastes like a vanilla milkshake which probably makes it all that much more addictive. So we’re not all that ashamed that it’s such a mainstay in our during the holiday season.

But frankly, I’m not here to lament about eggnog today. I’m also not here with a healthy meal post to kick off the new year. No apologies from me. 🙂

Top view of the whole Vanilla Bean Eggnog Bundt Cake. The cake is dusted with powdered sugar.

I’m here to talk about this vanilla bean eggnog cake that so many of you were excited about when I mentioned it on Facebook last week. It’s a bundt cake recipe that, if you’re like me and go right for the crunchy bottom, you’ll absolutely love.

Ingredients for this Eggnog Bundt Cake

This is a fantastic recipe to use up that leftover eggnog. And aside from the eggnog, all of the other ingredients are basic baking staples. Here’s what you’ll need:

  • all-purpose flour
  • baking powder
  • table salt
  • spices – ground cinnamon and ground nutmeg
  • unsalted butter
  • granulated sugar or vanilla sugar
  • whole vanilla beanvanilla bean paste can be used instead
  • eggs
  • eggnog – You’ll only need 1 cup for this cake! Don’t we all usually have just a wee bit left in the container right before we toss it?
  • flavored extract – see more info about this below

Flavored Extracts

If you’ve taken a moment to look at the variety of extracts in the baking aisle these days, you’ll know there are a ton to choose from for your recipes.

This recipe calls for eggnog extract, which will boost the eggnog flavor in the cake. It’s not always that easy to find in a regular grocery store but you can usually find it at King Arthur Baking used to carry it but it appears they don’t any longer.

In place of the eggnog extract, you can add some pure vanilla extract and rum extract, both of which can be easily found in most grocery stores or online.

How to Make this Bundt Cake

This cake comes together quickly and the result is a rich pound cake-like Bundt with hints of nutmeg and cinnamon. Here’s how you’ll make it (keep scrolling down to the recipe card for the full set of instructions):

  1. Butter and flour a 10-inch Bundt pan.
  2. Whisk the dry ingredients together in a bowl.
  3. Beat the butter, sugar, vanilla bean seeds in a stand mixer. You’ll need a heavy duty mixer for this recipe; a hand mixer won’t work properly. Then mix in the eggs one at a time.
  4. Add the dry ingredients and eggnog with the extract to the wet ingredients.
  5. Pour the batter into the pan and bake in a preheated 350° F oven.
  6. Cool the cake completely before serving.

What I love About this Recipe

The eggnog flavor in the cake shines through beautifully, especially on the crunchy bottom of the cake (which is actually the top of the cake in the pan and my favorite part of a Bundt cake). And with some lightly dusted powdered sugar, all you’ll need is a fork and a cup of tea, coffee, or a latte to round out this delightful dessert.

Looking for More Eggnog Recipes?

You may want to try this elegant yet simple eggnog icebox cake made with homemade wafer cookies or for a holiday breakfast, this eggnog French toast. Both are delish! 

And as a perfect hot drink to go with this cake, you must try a homemade eggnog latte! So simple to make, this drink is made with actual eggnog unlike what you’ll find at chain coffee shops.

Side view of a slice of Vanilla Bean Eggnog Bundt Cake on a plate. This Christmas cake is dusted with powdered sugar before serving.

Vanilla Bean Eggnog Bundt Cake

Yield: 12-16 servings
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

This vanilla bean eggnog Bundt cake is a stellar way to use up leftover eggnog from the holiday season. A rum or bourbon glaze drizzled on top would be a great alternative to the traditional dusting of powdered sugar.

Ingredients

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp Kosher salt
  • ½ tsp ground cinnamon
  • ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
  • 2 sticks (16 tbsp) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 vanilla bean pod, split and seeds removed
  • 3 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 1 cup eggnog (vanilla, if you can find it)
  • ¼ tsp eggnog flavor OR 1 tsp pure vanilla extract and 1 tsp rum extract

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350° F. Butter and flour a 10-inch Bundt pan. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg; set aside.
  2. In the bowl of stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter, sugar, and vanilla bean seeds at medium speed until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time, scraping down the bowl after each addition.
  3. In a small bowl or glass measuring cup, stir together the eggnog and eggnog flavor (or vanilla extract and rum extract). With the mixer on low speed, alternately stir in the dry ingredients and eggnog mixture, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Be sure to mix in each only until they are just incorporated, about 10 seconds each – do not overmix. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
  4. Spoon the batter into the prepared Bundt pan and level off the top with a spatula. Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until a long toothpick or sharp knife reveals just a few crumbs stuck to it upon testing for doneness. Cool for 10 minutes in the pan on a wire rack then invert the cake onto the rack and cool completely before serving. Well-wrapped, the cake will last for 3-4 days at room temperature.

Notes

adapted from The Naptime Chef

Recommended Products

As a member of the Amazon Associate affiliate program, I earn a small percentage from your qualifying Amazon purchases when you click the Amazon links on this page. I'm not informed of who purchases what, just of what products are purchased.

How much do you love this recipe?

Follow Smells Like Home on Pinterest and click that little Pin button at the top of this recipe card to save this recipe and share with your Pinterest followers!

You Might Also Like:

Leave a Comment

  • January 2, 2012 at 6:11 PM

    OMG I LOVE YOU!!!! I saw a recipe on pinterest for an eggnog bundt cake and I was SO excited.. until I opened it and it used box cake mix (wa waa waaaaaa). I scoured Google looking for a “real” cake (and by scoured I mean I went PAST page 1) and found nothing. I was staring at the leftover eggnog in the fridge just yesterday and was wishing for that recipe, and now today I have it, thanks to you! You have no idea how elated I am 🙂

  • January 4, 2012 at 9:12 PM

    Hi, Tara-
    What a beautiful cake (pound cake- eggnog- what’s not to love?) and a beautiful blog! I see a few new recipes in the future:) Best and happy cooking in 2012!

  • Brenda
    January 4, 2012 at 9:31 PM

    Do you think it would be ok to use eggnog that has brandy in it? I just have some homemade stuff that a friend made, but I don’t want to take the chance on ruining the cake!!

  • January 7, 2012 at 5:22 PM

    That’s such a pretty slice of cake and the eggnog flavor sounds like a good choice. I have a sweet treat linky party going on at my blog till Monday night and I’d love it if you’d come by and link your cake up. http://sweet-as-sugar-cookies.blogspot.com/2012/01/sweets-for-saturday-51.html

  • January 10, 2012 at 3:55 PM

    Wow. I really love the look of this cake, even though I don’t like eggnog as a drink.

  • January 11, 2012 at 1:59 PM

    This looks so, so, so good. I want.

  • Bridget
    March 13, 2012 at 8:06 PM

    Would there be a way to make this without eggnog? Thanks!

    • March 14, 2012 at 11:35 AM

      Bridget: I would suggest finding a regular bundt cake recipe if you don’t want to use the eggnog.

  • stacy
    December 18, 2012 at 1:34 PM

    Looks yummy! What size of bundt pan does this recipe use?

    • December 19, 2012 at 8:49 AM

      Just a regular size Bundt pan.

  • Rachel Page
    June 9, 2015 at 3:19 AM

    Ummm, now that does look good! I need to make it now

  • Joycelyn
    December 31, 2020 at 1:08 PM

    Hello
    Have you ever made this recipe and split the batter between two loaf pans? There’s only two of us now unlike the days of our children still being youngsters at home where a bundt cake would be gone in a couple of days. Since my spouse and I are light eaters with one of us having Diabetes, I’d want to freeze one loaf and a half of the other loaf to prevent spoilage. I’m pretty sure it the adjustment from pan to pans could be done but thought I’d get your opinion first plus your thoughts on less, or just the same, baking time.
    Thank you
    PS..
    Happy New Year to you and yours!
    Stay well
    And Lets home the new year to come will bring healing and peace to everyone and most of all an end to this god forsaken virus.

    • Tara
      October 13, 2022 at 10:27 AM

      Hi Joycelyn! You definitely could split the batter. Baking in loaf pans will take about 50 minutes. I would start checking the batter for doneness at 45 minutes. Hope that helps!