This moist and delicious Rum and Eggnog Cake is made from scratch then coated with a rum and eggnog glaze. Rum and Eggnog Cake is a classic adult treat around the holidays. As such, this cake is not intended for consumption by children. The cake is easy to make and is the perfect holiday dessert.
This cake is somewhat dense in texture and is lovely and moist with a tender crumb. I recommend no substitutions or omissions of any ingredients in this cake except as/if specifically stated in the recipe.
This recipe calls for custard powder which is an essential ingredient in this cake so do not omit it. The custard powder contributes to the lovely moist, rich, texture of the cake and adds flavor. While custard powder (which may also be labeled as vanilla custard powder) is sold under different labels, the most common one found locally in my region, here in Canada, is Bird’s Custard Powder which can be found in supermarkets in either the baking ingredient aisle or where jello and puddings can be found. It is also the ingredient used in my Custard Sandwich Cookies and Nanaimo Bars and makes a lovely custard dessert on its own, especially if topped with a favorite jam or fruit curd.
Either amber or dark rum can be used in this recipe and be sure to use full fat eggnog (not fat reduced). This is meant to be a rich cake. Every ingredient in the ingredient list has been specifically chosen and tested for its contribution to a moist, flavorful well-structured cake.
A small 8”- 9” diameter fluted tubular shape baking pan (like the one shown below), with a funnel center to create a center hole in the cake, and having a 5-6 cup capacity, is ideal for this cake. If you have a small Bundt pan of the same diameter and cup capacity, it can certainly be used and so could a funnel or tube pan with the same size diameter and capacity.
This is not a large cake so, if a typical wide standard sized Bundt or tube pan, for example, was used, the cake would not be very thick. I have several different designs and sizes of fluted tubular baking pans and the one above is my preferred pan for this cake. It is 9.4”, or 24cm, in diameter and, of my tests of this recipe, I find it is a good size for the amount of ingredients in this cake recipe. The pan has a 6-cup capacity so there is ample room for the cake to rise and bake. A 5-cup capacity pan will also work. I don’t recommend a pan with less than a 5-cup capacity or one with a larger capacity than 6 cups for this recipe.
Fluted baking pans come in many designs and sizes and can often be found at stores like HomeSense, Winners, Marshalls, Michaels, Bulk Barn, Canadian Tire, HomeGoods (US), TJ Maxx (US), specialty kitchen shops, and even supermarkets. Thrift/second-hand stores sometimes have them, too. The one photographed above is a non-stick cast aluminum fluted pan that I got one year after Christmas at a No Frills grocery store for about $6.00, a significant markdown from its original price.
Regardless what pan is used, one that has the funnel in the center that creates a hole in the cake’s center is highly recommended as this is a dense cake and dense cakes do best with the funnel center and are less likely to fall or sink during baking.
Once the cake is baked, cool it for 10 minutes in the pan then transfer the cake to a wire cooling rack. Let the cake cool completely to room temperature before spooning, or slowly pouring, the room temperature rum and eggnog glaze over it. It helps, for easy clean-up, to put a rimmed baking sheet or pizza pan under the cake (still on the wire cooling rack) while applying the glaze. Let cake rest for a few minutes to allow the glaze to set then carefully transfer cake to a serving plate. Or, if you wish, you can set the cake on a rimmed cake plate then apply the glaze, allowing it to puddle down around the base of the cake where it will add additional flavor and moistness to the cake base.
A skewer can be used to poke holes at various points on the top of the cake and the glaze can then drip through into the cake interior. I don’t tend to do this as I find the holes mar the top of the cake and I don’t care for wet spots of glaze within the cake texture which is moist enough on its own. I find a good coating of the glaze over the exterior of the cake is all that is needed.
While I recommend applying the glaze to the cake as it adds additional flavor and moisture to the cake, if you don’t wish to use the glaze, you can simply leave the cake perfectly plain (as shown in the photo above) or sift icing sugar (aka confectioner’s sugar or powdered sugar) over the cake at time of serving (seen below).
A dollop of Eggnog Sauce alongside a slice of this cake is also tasty. Click here for my recipe for Eggnog Sauce that I serve with Steamed Cranberry Pudding. If garnishing the cake with chopped pecans, use part of the glaze over the cake first then sprinkle with nuts and finish with another coat of glaze.
This cake is rich and, depending on the size of pieces cut, should yield approximately 8-10 servings.
[Printable Recipe Follows at End of Post]
Rum and Eggnog Cake
Ingredients for Cake:
2/3 cup butter, softened at room temperature
½ cup brown sugar, packed
¼ cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 large egg yolk, room temperature
1¼ tsp pure vanilla extract
2 tbsp full fat sour cream, room temperature
1 cup + 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
¼ cup superfine almond flour (no substitutes)
2½ tbsp custard powder (no substitutes)
1½ tsp baking powder
Scant ½ tsp baking soda
Scant ¼ tsp salt
½ tsp nutmeg
½ tsp mace*
2/3 cup full fat eggnog
1/3 cup amber or dark rum
Ingredients for Rum and Eggnog Glaze:
¼ cup butter
1/8 cup granulated sugar
1/8 cup brown sugar
1/8 cup pure maple syrup
1/8 cup full fat eggnog
Smidgeon of nutmeg and mace (optional)
1/8 cup amber or dark rum
½ tsp pure vanilla extract
Chopped pecans for garnish, if desired
Method for Cake:
Bring butter, eggs, sour cream, and eggnog to room temperature.
Position oven rack in center of oven and preheat oven to 325°F.
Grease an 8” – 9” fluted tubular shape baking pan (having 5-6 cup capacity), ensuring all crevices are very well greased. Alternatively, spray pan with cooking oil.
In bowl, sift or sieve all-purpose flour, almond flour, custard powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices together. In small bowl combine the eggnog and rum together. Set dry and wet ingredients aside.
In bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat the butter at medium speed until silky smooth and pliable. Gradually add the brown and granulated sugars and beat for a couple of minutes, stopping as necessary to scrape sides of bowl. Add the eggs and egg yolk, one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down sides of bowl to ensure all ingredients are incorporated. Blend in the vanilla and sour cream until well mixed.
Add the dry and wet ingredients to the batter in three additions, starting and ending with the dry ingredients. Beat, at medium speed, after each addition only until ingredients are incorporated. Beat 30 seconds longer after all ingredients have been added.
Transfer batter to prepared pan, smoothing top with a knife or offset spatula. Place pan in oven and bake cake for approximately 45-50** minutes, or until cake tester inserted near center of cake comes out clean, cake springs back from a light touch, and cake shows signs of leaving the sides of the pan. Let cake rest in pan for apx. 10 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Method for Glaze:
Place butter, sugars, maple syrup, and eggnog in saucepan and, over medium heat, bring mixture to a boil then reduce heat to medium-low and boil gently for about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the rum and spices and boil on medium low for 1 minute. Remove mixture from heat and stir in vanilla. Cool glaze to room temperature. For easy clean-up, put a rimmed baking sheet or pizza pan under the cake (still on the wire rack) while applying the glaze. Or, if you wish, you can set the cake on a rimmed cake plate then apply the glaze, allowing it to puddle down around the base of the cake where it will add additional flavor and moistness to the cake base.
If garnishing cake with chopped pecans, glaze cake with part of the glaze first then add the nuts and finish with another coat of glaze.
Yield: 8-10 slices
*Note 1: If mace is not available, use the following spice mixture: 1/8 tsp cardamon, 1/8 tsp cloves, 1/16 tsp each of ginger, allspice, and cinnamon.
**Note 2: The baking time in this recipe is a guideline only as every oven heats and bakes differently and the size, shape, and baking pan material and construction will affect actual baking time.
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Rum and Eggnog Cake Recipe
This easy-to-make, moist and delicious, Rum and Eggnog Cake, coated with a rum and eggnog glaze, is the perfect holiday dessert.
Ingredients
Ingredients for Cake:
- 2/3 cup butter, softened at room temperature
- ½ cup brown sugar, packed
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 large egg yolk, room temperature
- 1¼ tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp full fat sour cream, room temperature
- 1 cup + 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup superfine almond flour (no substitutes)
- 2½ tbsp custard powder (no substitutes)
- 1½ tsp baking powder
- Scant ½ tsp baking soda
- Scant ¼ tsp salt
- ½ tsp nutmeg
- ½ tsp mace*
- 2/3 cup full fat eggnog
- 1/3 cup amber or dark rum
Ingredients for Rum and Eggnog Glaze:
- ¼ cup butter
- 1/8 cup granulated sugar
- 1/8 cup brown sugar
- 1/8 cup pure maple syrup
- 1/8 cup full fat eggnog
- Smidgeon of nutmeg and mace (optional)
- 1/8 cup amber or dark rum
- ½ tsp pure vanilla extract
- Chopped pecans for garnish, if desired
Instructions
Method for Cake:
- Bring butter, eggs, sour cream, and eggnog to room temperature.
- Position oven rack in center of oven and preheat oven to 325°F.
- Grease an 8” – 9” fluted tubular shape baking pan (having 5-6 cup capacity), ensuring all crevices are very well greased. Alternatively, spray pan with cooking oil.
- In bowl, sift or sieve all-purpose flour, almond flour, custard powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices together. In small bowl combine the eggnog and rum together. Set dry and wet ingredients aside.
- In bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat the butter at medium speed until silky smooth and pliable. Gradually add the brown and granulated sugars and beat for a couple of minutes, stopping as necessary to scrape sides of bowl. Add the eggs and egg yolk, one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down sides of bowl to ensure all ingredients are incorporated. Blend in the vanilla and sour cream until well mixed.
- Add the dry and wet ingredients to the batter in three additions, starting and ending with the dry ingredients. Beat, at medium speed, after each addition only until ingredients are incorporated. Beat 30 seconds longer after all ingredients have been added.
- Transfer batter to prepared pan, smoothing top with a knife or offset spatula. Place pan in oven and bake cake for approximately 45-50** minutes, or until cake tester inserted near center of cake comes out clean, cake springs back from a light touch, and cake shows signs of leaving the sides of the pan. Let cake rest in pan for apx. 10 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Method for Glaze:
- Place butter, sugars, maple syrup, and eggnog in saucepan and, over medium heat, bring mixture to a boil then reduce heat to medium-low and boil gently for about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the rum and spices and boil on medium low for 1 minute. Remove mixture from heat and stir in vanilla. Cool glaze to room temperature. For easy clean-up, put a rimmed baking sheet or pizza pan under the cake (still on the wire rack) while applying the glaze. Let cake rest for a few minutes to allow the glaze to set then carefully transfer cake to serving plate. Or, if you wish, you can set the cake on a rimmed cake plate then apply the glaze, allowing it to puddle down around the base of the cake where it will add additional flavor and moistness to the cake base.
- If garnishing cake with chopped pecans, glaze cake with part of the glaze first then add the nuts and finish with another coat of glaze.
Recipe Notes
Yield: 8-10 slices
*Note 1: If mace is not available, use the following spice mixture: 1/8 tsp cardamon, 1/8 tsp cloves, 1/16 tsp each of ginger, allspice, and cinnamon.
**Note 2: The baking time in this recipe is a guideline only as every oven heats and bakes differently and the size, shape, and baking pan material and construction will affect actual baking time.
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