Spice Cake with Eggnog Buttercream Frosting is a tasty dessert featuring warm spices such as ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves.
This moist cake is great for holiday gatherings. You can enjoy it with eggnog buttercream or smooth cream cheese frosting.
Why You'll Love This Spice Cake With Eggnog Buttercream Frosting
This cake is perfect for the holidays with its rich flavors and beautiful festive look.
- Warm Spices: This homemade spice cake includes cardamom, cinnamon, clove, ginger, and other warm spices that are perfect for the holidays.
- Fluffy Buttercream: Eggnog buttercream provides a rich, sweet finish that complements the spices beautifully.
- Easy Garnishments and Decorations: Sugared cranberries and rosemary sprigs top this cake, giving it a special Christmas addition to this easy spice cake recipe.
Ingredients in Spice Cake
- all purpose flour
- baking powder
- baking soda
- ground cinnamon
- ground nutmeg
- allspice
- cardamom
- ground ginger
- ground cloves
- salt
- softened butter
- white sugar
- brown sugar
- large eggs
- molasses
- vanilla
- buttermilk
Ingredients in Eggnog Buttercream
- room temperature unsalted butter
- powdered sugar
- eggnog
- vanilla extract
- nutmeg
- cinnamon
Sugared Cranberries Ingredients:
- cranberries
- water
- white sugar
- Optional garnishes:
Rosemary sprigs - Whole anise
- Cinnamon Sticks
Cream Cheese Frosting Variation
- ½ cup unsalted butter, room temp
- 8 oz cream cheese, room temp
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 4 cups confectioner’s sugar
- 1-2 tablespoons of milk, as needed
- Dust with cinnamon
See the recipe card for the full ingredients and directions.
How to Make Spice Cake with Eggnog Buttercream Frosting
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prep 3 - 9” cake pans with cooking spray containing flour. Set them aside.
- Whisk together the dry ingredients: all purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, cardamom, ginger, cloves, and salt in a small bowl. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the wet ingredients: beat the butter, sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add in the eggs, one at a time, and beat.
- Add in the molasses and vanilla and beat.
- Begin and end with flour while alternating the flour mixture and buttermilk.
- Pour batter equally between each prepared pan.
- Put the pans in the oven and bake for 20-22 minutes or until a toothpick stuck in the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Let the cake rest in the pans for 10 minutes before inverting and releasing it. Allow the cakes to cool completely on a wire rack.
How to Make Eggnog Buttercream Frosting
- In a large bowl, place the softened butter and beat it for 1-2 minutes until it becomes light in color.
- Add the powdered sugar and beat until smooth. Next, incorporate the eggnog, vanilla, nutmeg, and cinnamon, ensuring the mixture is smooth and creamy.
Sugared Cranberries
- Combine ½ cup of water in a large skillet with ½ cup of white sugar.
- Dissolve the sugar over medium-low heat, add the cranberries, and toss them with the sugar mixture.
- Remove the cranberries from the saucepan using a slotted spoon and place in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
- Place the 1 cup of granulated sugar in a large bowl and add the cranberries a bit at a time.
- Toss in the granulated sugar and allow the cranberries to dry completely before adding them to the top of the cake.
Assemble the Layer Cake
- Place the bottom layer on a cake stand with the flat side facing up to assemble the cake.
- Scoop about ½ cup to ¾ cup of frosting and spread it evenly over the cake.
- Repeat the same thing with the second layer. For the last layer, place it with the top side facing up.
- Spread a thin layer of frosting on top and around the edges of the cake using a spatula.
- Scrape the majority of the frosting off to create a barely frosted cake. Smooth the top layer.
- Decorate the top as desired with sugared cranberries, rosemary, anise, and cinnamon sticks.
- Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Remove the cake about 30 minutes before serving.
TIPS Frosting tips used #336 and 1M to create swirls and stars.
Tips for Layer Cakes
- Trim the cake layers' domed tops to make them flat using a cake leveler or serrated knife.
- Line your pans with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
- Ensure your frosting is the right consistency—easy to spread yet firm enough to hold its shape.
- Allow the cake layers to cool completely, then refrigerate them. Cold cakes are easier to frost and less likely to crumble.
- Spread a thin layer of frosting to catch crumbs, then refrigerate before the final coat.
- Use an offset spatula to achieve an even layer of frosting between the cake layers and around the sides.
How To Store Spice Cake With Eggnog Buttercream
To keep your spice cake with eggnog buttercream fresh, follow these storage tips:
If you plan to eat the cake within a day or two, place the cake in a cake carrier or wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, keeping it away from sunlight and heat.
For longer storage, wrap the cake in plastic wrap or place it in an airtight container to maintain moisture and prevent the buttercream from hardening.
For extended storage, wrap the cake or slices in plastic wrap, place them in a freezer-safe container, and label with the date. The cake can be frozen for up to three months.
To enjoy, transfer the cake from the freezer to the refrigerator to thaw overnight. Before serving, let it sit at room temperature for a few hours to soften the buttercream.
More Cake Recipes
This sweet potato bundt cake has delicious fall flavors and is a great choice during the fall and winter months.
Spice Cupcakes with cream cheese frosting uses a good spice cake base that has a tender crumb, and they're perfect for holiday get-togethers.
📖 Recipe
Spice Cake with Eggnog Buttercream
Spice Cake with Eggnog Buttercream Frosting is a tasty dessert featuring warm spices such as ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves.
Ingredients
Spice Cake
- 2 ½ cups all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon allspice
- ¼ teaspoon cardamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup butter, softened
- ¾ cup sugar
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- 4 eggs
- ¼ cup molasses (unsulphered)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup buttermilk
Eggnog Frosting
- 1 cup butter, room temperature
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- ¼ cup eggnog
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
Frosted Cranberries
- 1 cup cranberries, rinsed
- ½ cup water
- ½ cup granulated sugar + more for dusting
Optional garnishes
- Rosemary sprigs
- Whole anise
- Cinnamon Sticks
Instructions
Spice Cake Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prep 3 - 9” cake pans with cooking spray containing flour or line with parchment paper. Set them aside.
- Whisk together the dry ingredients: all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, cardamom, ginger, cloves, and salt in a small bowl. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the wet ingredients: beat the butter, sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add in the eggs, one at a time, and beat until incorporated.
- Add in the molasses and vanilla.
- Begin and end with flour while alternating the flour mixture and the buttermilk.
- Pour batter equally between all three prepared pans.
- Bake for 20-22 minutes or until a toothpick stuck in the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Let the cake rest in the pans for 10 minutes before inverting and releasing them.
- Allow the cakes to cool completely on a wire rack.
How to Make Eggnog Buttercream Frosting
- In a large bowl, beat the room temperature butter for 1-2 minutes until it becomes light in color.
- Add the powdered sugar and beat until smooth. Next, incorporate the eggnog, vanilla, nutmeg, and cinnamon, ensuring the mixture is smooth and creamy.
Sugared Cranberries
- Combine ½ cup of water in a large skillet with ½ cup of white sugar.
- Dissolve the sugar over medium-low heat, add the cranberries, and toss them with the sugar mixture.
- Remove the cranberries from the saucepan using a slotted spoon and place in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
- Place the 1 cup of granulated sugar in a large bowl and add the cranberries a bit at a time.
- Toss in the granulated sugar and allow the cranberries to dry completely before adding them to the top of the cake.
Assemble the Layer Cake
- Place the bottom layer on a cake stand with the flat side facing up to assemble the cake.
- Scoop about ½ cup to ¾ cup of frosting and spread it evenly over the cake.
- Repeat the same thing with the second layer. For the last layer, place it with the top side facing up.
- Spread a thin layer of frosting on top and around the edges of the cake using an offset spatula.
- Scrape the majority of the frosting off to create a barely frosted cake. Smooth the top layer.
- Decorate the top as desired with sugared cranberries, rosemary, anise, and cinnamon sticks.
- Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Remove the cake about 30 minutes before serving.
Notes
FROSTING TIPS: Frosting tips used are #336 and 1M to create swirls and stars.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
12Serving Size:
1 sliceAmount Per Serving: Calories: 699Total Fat: 33gSaturated Fat: 20gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 147mgSodium: 539mgCarbohydrates: 97gFiber: 1gSugar: 75gProtein: 6g
Nutrition calculation is a rough estimate and can vary depending on the cooking technique and the exact ingredients used. For informational purposes only.
Dana is an experienced recipe creator who crafts easy and delicious recipes for all levels of home cooks.
Her recipes range from classic comfort foods to healthy and nutritious meals, and she is always on the lookout for new and exciting ways to bring flavor and variety to the table.
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