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.

This moist cake is great for holiday gatherings. You can enjoy it with eggnog buttercream or smooth cream cheese frosting.

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

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prep 3 - 9" cake pans with cooking spray containing flour. Set them aside.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. Add in the molasses and vanilla and beat. 
5. Begin and end with flour while alternating the flour mixture and buttermilk.
6. Pour batter equally between each prepared pan. 
7. 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.
8. 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.

TIPS Frosting tips used #336 and 1M to create swirls and stars. 

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

Dana

Spice Cake with Eggnog Buttercream Frosting is a tasty dessert featuring warm spices such as ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves.

5 from 2 votes

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Prep Time 25 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 12 slices

Calories 688 kcal

Equipment

• 1M Piping Tip
• Hand Mixer
• 9-Inch Round Cake Pan

Ingredients

  

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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℉. 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. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 688kcal | Carbohydrates: 94g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 21g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 141mg | Sodium: 510mg | Potassium: 226mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 72g | Vitamin A: 1075IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 121mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutritional information is an estimate based on third-party calculations. Actual values may vary due to ingredients, measurements, and serving sizes.

© Mama Needs Cake

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