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.
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. 🙂
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 bean – vanilla 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):
- Butter and flour a 10-inch Bundt pan.
- Whisk the dry ingredients together in a bowl.
- 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.
- Add the dry ingredients and eggnog with the extract to the wet ingredients.
- Pour the batter into the pan and bake in a preheated 350° F oven.
- 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.
Vanilla Bean Eggnog Bundt Cake
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
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
-
Nordic Ware Platinum Collection Anniversary Bundt Pan
-
Vaniila Beans Grade A by Slofoodgroup Tahitian Vanilla Beans Vanilla Tahitensis Grown in Papua New Guinea (various sizes available) (5 Tahitian vanilla beans)
-
Pyrex Prepware 2-Cup Measuring Cup, Red Graphics, Clear
-
Pyrex Glass Mixing Bowl Set (3-Piece)
-
KitchenAid 6 Qt. Professional 600 Series Bowl-Lift Stand Mixer
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 🙂
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!
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!!
Brenda: I think that would work fine!
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
Wow. I really love the look of this cake, even though I don’t like eggnog as a drink.
This looks so, so, so good. I want.
Would there be a way to make this without eggnog? Thanks!
Bridget: I would suggest finding a regular bundt cake recipe if you don’t want to use the eggnog.
Looks yummy! What size of bundt pan does this recipe use?
Just a regular size Bundt pan.
Ummm, now that does look good! I need to make it now
Thanks, Rachel!
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.
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!