Christmas Spice Cake with Eggnog Buttercream
This Christmas Spice Cake is the essence of the season — warm, soft layers filled with holiday spices and finished with creamy, festive eggnog buttercream. A joyful dessert for celebrations or quiet winter moments.
Equipment
- Mixing Bowls
- Electric Hand or Stand Mixer
- Two 8-inch cake pans
- Offset Spatula
- Cooling Rack
Ingredients
For the Spice Cake
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground cloves
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 4 eggs room temperature
- 1 cup eggnog store-bought or homemade
For the Eggnog Buttercream
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup eggnog add more if needed
Optional White Chocolate Ganache
- 1/2 cup white chocolate chips or chopped
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour two 8-inch round cake pans.
- In a bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and black pepper. Set aside.
- In another bowl, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3–4 minutes.
- Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
- Alternate adding dry ingredients and eggnog, starting and ending with the dry mix. Mix just until combined.
- Divide batter evenly between the pans. Bake for 28–32 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely on wire racks.
- For the buttercream: beat butter until pale and fluffy. Gradually add powdered sugar. Drizzle in eggnog and beat until smooth and spreadable.
- Frost the cooled cake layers, smoothing the outside for a clean finish.
- Optional: For ganache, heat cream and pour over white chocolate. Let sit for 2 minutes, stir until smooth, and drizzle over chilled cake.
Notes
To make your own eggnog substitute, mix milk, a splash of cream, vanilla extract, and a pinch of nutmeg. The cake layers can be baked and frozen up to 2 months ahead.