It's That Time of Year: Eggnog Spice Cake

 

That cartoon is how I feel about eggnog.  I don't like it.  However, I'm willing to try it in cake and I know I will like it.  To get in the Christmas holiday mood, Rob chose to make an eggnog spice cake with custard filling and eggnog buttercream.  

Eggnog Spice Cake with Custard Filling and Eggnog Buttercream by Pam Lolley from Southern Living

Ingredients

Custard Filling

• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ¼ cup cornstarch
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 2 cups half-and-half
• 4 large egg yolks
• 3 tablespoons salted butter

Cake Layers

• 1 cup salted butter, softened
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 3 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting pans
• 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ¾ cup whole milk
• ½ cup refrigerated eggnog
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Vegetable shortening, for greasing pans

Eggnog Buttercream

• 1 cup salted butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 (2-lb.) package powdered sugar, divided
• ¼ cup refrigerated eggnog
• ½ - ¾ cup heavy cream, divided
• Grated fresh nutmeg (optional)

 

 

Directions

 

Instructions Checklist

• Step 1

  Prepare the Custard Filling: Whisk together granulated sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a heavy saucepan. Whisk together half-and-half and egg yolks in a glass bowl. Gradually whisk half-and-half mixture into sugar mixture. Cook over medium, whisking constantly, until mixture starts to bubble, 7 to 8 minutes. Cook, whisking constantly, 1 minute; remove from heat. Whisk in butter. Transfer to a medium bowl. Place plastic wrap directly on warm filling to prevent a film from forming. Let stand 30 minutes; chill 4 to 24 hours.

• Step 2

  Prepare the Cake Layers: Preheat oven to 350°F. Beat butter with a heavy-duty electric stand mixer on medium speed until creamy. Gradually add granulated sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition. Stir together flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a large bowl. Stir together whole milk and eggnog in a glass measuring cup. Add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with milk mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture, beating on low speed just until blended after each addition. Stir in vanilla.

• Step 3

  Divide batter evenly among 4 greased (with vegetable shortening) and floured 9-inch round cake pans. Bake in preheated oven until a wooden pick inserted in center of cakes comes out clean, 16 to 19 minutes. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes. Transfer from pans to wire racks, and cool completely, about 1 hour.

• Step 4

  Prepare the Eggnog Buttercream: Beat butter with a heavy-duty electric stand mixer on medium speed until creamy. Gradually add vanilla extract and 1 cup of the powdered sugar. Stir together eggnog and ½ cup of the cream in a small bowl. Gradually add remaining powdered sugar to butter mixture alternately with eggnog mixture, beating on low speed until blended after each addition. Beat on high speed until smooth and fluffy. Beat in up to ¼ cup cream, 1 tablespoon at a time, if necessary to reach desired consistency.

• Step 5

  Assemble the cake: Place 1 cup of the buttercream in a large piping bag. Place 1 Cake Layer on a serving platter; pipe a ½-inch-thick ring of buttercream on the very outer edge of the cake. Spread ⅓ cup of the filling inside the ring. Repeat procedure with 2 more layers. Top with fourth layer. Spread top and sides of cake with a very thin layer of buttercream. Chill 30 minutes.

• Step 6

  Place remaining buttercream in a large piping bag fitted with a large star tip. Pipe 1 ½-inch-wide tight zigzags up sides of cake, starting at the base each time and making sure each zigzag touches the one beside it. If desired, sprinkle cake with nutmeg.

The finished bake looks and tastes wonderful.  I have a new opinion of eggnog, thanks to the baker extraordinaire. 

                    

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