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Best Christmas Spice Cake with Eggnog Buttercream Recipe

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★★★★★

4.4 from 110 reviews

This Best Christmas Spice Cake with Eggnog Buttercream is a festive and flavorful holiday dessert featuring a moist, warmly spiced cake layered with a creamy eggnog buttercream frosting. Finished with a luscious white chocolate ganache drizzle and a hint of seasonal spices, this cake is a perfect centerpiece for your Christmas celebrations.

Ingredients

Scale

Dry Ingredients

  • 2 ½ cups all purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ½ teaspoon ground clove
  • ¼ teaspoon pure ground black pepper

Wet Ingredients for Cake

  • 1 tablespoon unsulphered molasses
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 ¾ cup light brown sugar
  • 1 ½ cup unsweetened apple sauce
  • 4 large eggs
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Eggnog Buttercream

  • 1 ½ cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter
  • 4 ½ cups confectioner’s sugar
  • 7 tablespoons eggnog
  • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ¼ cup heavy cream

White Chocolate Ganache

  • 1 cup white chocolate chips
  • ½ cup heavy cream

Instructions

  1. Prepare Cake Pans: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour three 8-inch cake pans thoroughly, then set them aside to be ready for the batter.
  2. Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, clove, and black pepper until combined evenly. Set this dry mixture aside.
  3. Cream Wet Ingredients: In the bowl of a stand mixer or a large bowl with a handheld mixer, combine the light brown sugar, vegetable oil, molasses, and unsweetened apple sauce. Beat them on medium speed until the mixture is smooth with no lumps. Add the eggs and vanilla extract and mix on low speed for 1 to 2 minutes until well incorporated.
  4. Combine Wet and Dry: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture in three batches on low speed. Mix until just combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed to ensure everything is evenly mixed.
  5. Divide and Bake: Evenly pour the batter into the prepared cake pans. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  6. Cool Cakes: Allow the cakes to cool completely in their pans for a while, then transfer them to wire racks to cool fully. This is important before frosting to prevent melting.
  7. Make Eggnog Buttercream: In a large bowl, beat the unsalted butter on medium-high speed until it turns pale and fluffy. Gradually add the confectioner’s sugar one cup at a time on low speed. Slowly mix in eggnog one tablespoon at a time, then add the nutmeg and beat for 2 minutes to blend. Reduce speed to add the heavy cream slowly to avoid splashing. Increase speed to medium-high and whip the frosting for another 1 to 2 minutes until it is light, fluffy, and smooth.
  8. Prepare White Chocolate Ganache: In a small saucepan, bring the heavy cream to a simmer. Pour the hot cream over the white chocolate chips in a heatproof bowl. Stir gently with a spatula until the mixture is smooth and glossy. Let the ganache sit for 10 to 20 minutes until it cools but remains pourable. The cooler the ganache, the slower and thicker the drips on the cake.
  9. Assemble the Cake: Place one cake layer on your serving plate and spread a generous layer of eggnog buttercream on top. Repeat for the second and third layers, then frost the top and sides of the entire cake with the remaining buttercream.
  10. Decorate with Ganache: Lightly drizzle the cooled white chocolate ganache over the sides of the frosted cake, allowing it to drip naturally. Pour the ganache over the top and smooth lightly with a spatula.
  11. Optional Garnish: Once the ganache has set, lightly sprinkle the top of the cake with ground spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, or clove to enhance the festive aroma.

Notes

  • For best results, ensure the cake layers are completely cool before frosting to prevent the buttercream from melting.
  • Use unsweetened apple sauce to keep the cake moist without adding extra sugar.
  • You can adjust the spices to your taste preference by increasing or decreasing cinnamon or nutmeg.
  • The white chocolate ganache consistency can be adjusted by cooling longer for thicker drips or using it warmer for longer drips.
  • Molasses adds depth to the spice flavor; do not skip it.
  • This cake keeps well refrigerated for up to 3 days and can be brought to room temperature before serving for best texture.

Keywords: Christmas spice cake, eggnog buttercream, holiday cake, white chocolate ganache, festive cake, holiday dessert, spiced cake

Find it online: https://todayfoodrecipe.com/best-christmas-spice-cake-with-eggnog-buttercream-recipe/