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Eggnog Cake with Spiced Cream Cheese Buttercream and White Chocolate Rum Ganache

This eggnog cake is so festive and perfect for the holidays! It's frosted with a spiced cream cheese buttercream, and topped with white chocolate ganache!

Course Dessert
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes
Author Spices in My DNA

Ingredients

For the cake

  • 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup light brown sugar, loosely packed
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1/3 cup dark rum
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 1 cup eggnog

For the eggnog buttercream frosting

  • 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, softened to room temperature (3 sticks)
  • 4 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature
  • 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 2 tablespoons eggnog
  • pinch of salt

For the white chocolate rum ganache

  • 4 ounces white chocolate, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons heavy cream
  • 1 tablespoon dark rum
  • dash of vanilla extract

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350℉. Grease and flour three 8'' cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper. Set aside.

  2. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Whisk to combine.

  3. In a large mixing bowl, combine the eggs, granulated sugar, and brown sugar and whisk until smooth. Add the butter, vanilla, rum, sour cream, and eggnog and whisk until combined. Add the dry ingredients and mix with a rubber spatula until just combined. Pour the batter evenly into the pans and smooth out the tops with a spatula. Bake for 20-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let the cakes cool for 10 minutes, then remove them from the pans and let cool the rest of the way on a cooling rack.

  4. Make the frosting. Add the butter and cream cheese to the bowl of a stand mixer and whip on medium high for 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy. Reduce speed to low and gradually add the powdered sugar until combined. Add the vanilla, nutmeg, eggnog, and salt and increase speed to medium-high and whip for 4-5 minutes or until super fluffy.

  5. To make the ganache, add white chocolate, heavy cream, and rum to a medium microwave safe bowl. Microwave for 20 seconds, stir, and then microwave for another 20 seconds or until completely melted. Stir until smooth and pourable. Let cool for 5-10 minutes.

  6. To assemble the cake, place one layer on a plate or the cooling rack (just so you don't mess up the plate you are serving on, or the cake stand!), and spread the top with the frosting. Top with another layer and spread top with frosting. Top with the third layer and spread with another layer of frosting, leaving a little bit left for the sides of the cake. Use the leftover frosting to "half" frost the sides, to create a "semi-naked" effect. Use an offset spatula or bench scraper to smooth out the sides of the cake. Pour the cooled ganache over the cake and let it drip down the sides. Garnish with twigs, red berries, branches, sprinkles, crushed peppermint candies, sugared cranberries, or whatever your heart desires!