This White Chocolate Eggnog Pound Cake recipe is simple to make and perfect for celebrating the Holidays or any special occasion! This cake is so moist and buttery, and it pairs beautifully with the eggnog glaze. Enjoy and Happy Holidays!
Probably the most difficult task in this recipe is separating the eggs – you use 6 whole eggs and then add 6 yolks. The easiest way to do this is to break the eggs over a second bowl and pour them into your cupped hand. Open your fingers just enough to let the whites run through but holding the yolk. Place the yolk in the bowl with the whole eggs and repeat.
This recipe makes a lot of batter, nearly to the top of the large bowl!
Bundt cakes are so easy because the pan creates beautiful designs and they only need a simple glaze or even just a sprinkling of powdered sugar to give you a gorgeous, elegant dessert!
They are also really easy to transport if you are traveling over the holidays or heading to a potluck. Everyone loves them!
Be sure to thoroughly butter and flour the bundt pan, being careful to coat every nook and cranny. This cake tends to stick and the extra layer of flour makes all the difference.
You will have a beautiful pale yellow batter that nearly fills a large mixing bowl. Be sure to use a 12-cup bundt pan, this makes a lot of batter and may overflow a smaller pan. If there is any question (it will fill the large pan about 3/4 full) place the bundt pan on a baking sheet to catch any spillovers. It is much easier to clean the pan than the bottom of the oven!
This is a heavy batter with a dozen eggs in it and I strongly suggest you use a large stand mixer if you have one. It will be able to handle the mixing and give you the lift from the long beating of the eggs. Be sure to beat the eggs fully before you add the flour.
If you’re like me and are 1 egg yolk short, you can approximate it by using 1 tbsp heavy cream or melted butter mixed with 2 tbsp water. I just didn’t want to take the time to run to the store for one egg, so I punted and it worked just fine!
This cake has an eggnog glaze and to boost the flavor I added eggnog flavoring to the cake batter. I love the flavoring products from LorAnn Oils. They are very high quality and I’ve used their products for years.
If you want to make this during the rest of the year or don’t want to buy a specialty flavoring, use all vanilla extract in the cake and use milk instead of eggnog to make the glaze.
If you like, you can also make this a citrus cake easily by just adding zest to the liquid ingredients. Orange or lemon would be a beautiful addition to the cake and you can use complimentary flavored oils if you want.
If you don’t care for white chocolate, you can just leave the chips out of the recipe. Use this as a base recipe and make small changes to alter the flavor profile. Just be sure to keep the same ratios of liquids to dry ingredients, that is key!
With all of the mixing, baking, and cooling time required, start this cake earlier in the day to give yourself plenty of time. You can even make the cake a day ahead if you want and glaze it the second day.
I hope you give this cake a try – it would be perfect for Christmas, New Year’s Eve, or any special occasion!
If you try this recipe, let me know! Please leave a star rating in the recipe card, comment below, and don’t forget to snap a pic and tag it @theheritagecook on Instagram! Seeing your creations makes my day and I love hearing from you!
Ingredients needed for White Chocolate Eggnog Pound Cake:
- Cake: butter, sugar, eggs and egg yolks, vanilla, eggnog extract or flavored oil, salt, gluten-free flour, mini white chocolate chips
- Eggnog Glaze: powdered sugar, nutmeg, eggnog, butter, vanilla, eggnog flavoring (optional)
PRO Tip:
Do NOT over-bake this cake or it will be very dry! Start checking it a little early and pull it when a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.
PRO Tip:
When waiting for the cake to be fully cooled, test it by feeling inside the center, that is the last part to cool. Be sure it is cooled all the way through before glazing!
How to make White Chocolate Eggnog Pound Cake:
- Make the Cake: Beat the butter until smooth, add in the sugar and beat until light and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs with the extra yolks, vanilla, eggnog oil if using, and salt. Pour into a large measuring cup with a spout.
- Slowly pour the egg mixture into the butter mixture with the mixer on low, adding it very gradually and letting it become fully incorporated before adding more. Scrape the bowl and beat on medium for another 1 to 2 minutes.
- Reduce to low and gradually, 1/4-cup at a time, add the flour mixing after each addition. Scrape the bowl and beat on medium for 1 minute. Fold in the white chocolate. Spread the batter in the well buttered and floured 12-cup bundt pan, smoothing the top.
- Bake at 350°F (180°C) for 70 to 75 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center of the thickest part of the cake comes out with a few moist crumbs. Do NOT overbake this cake!
- Leave the cake in the pan 20 minutes sitting on a wire cooling rack then carefully invert it onto the wire rack and leave to cool completely.
- Make the Glaze: Whisk together the powdered sugar and nutmeg with the melted butter, vanilla, and 1 tbsp of the eggnog until smooth. Add more eggnog thinning to a thick pourable glaze. Lift the whisk and the glaze should leave a ribbon trail for a few seconds before blending back into the glaze in the bowl. If too thick add more eggnog, if too thin, add more sugar.
- Transfer the cooled cake to your serving plate. Pour the glaze over the top of the cake and it will naturally drip down the sides. Decorate the top if desired and let the glaze set for an hour at room temperature or 20 minutes in the refrigerator. Slice and serve.
PRO Tip:
My favorite place to buy baking flavorings is from LorAnn Oils. They are extremely high quality and intense so you only need a little to get the flavor you want. I buy the screw-on eye dropper lids and use those so I can control the amount I’m adding. Just be sure to order the correct size for the bottles of flavorings you are buying and that the oils are in a glass bottle.
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Gluten-Free Tips:
*You can adjust any baking recipe to gluten-free by using 120 grams per cup of my favorite gluten-free flour blend. If you are using another brand of flour or regular flour, whisk it, spoon it lightly into a measuring cup until mounded, level off the top with a knife, and weigh the flour left in the cup. Use that weight as your standard per cup of that specific flour. Do this for each flour blend you use. Commercial gluten-free blends such as Pamela’s All-Purpose Artisan Blend, Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1, or King Arthur Measure for Measure are all good choices.
You will get the best and most consistent results by using a digital kitchen scale and weighing your ingredients, especially when you are baking.
All recommended ingredients are gluten-free as of the writing of this article. Always check to be sure the products haven’t changed and are still safe to consume.
White Chocolate Eggnog Pound Cake (GF)
This White Chocolate Eggnog Pound Cake recipe is simple and perfect for celebrating the holidays! This cake is so moist and buttery, and it pairs beautifully with the eggnog glaze. Enjoy and Happy Holidays!
Ingredients
Cake
- 2 cups (4 sticks; 452 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 3-1/2 cups (700 g) granulated sugar
- 6 large whole eggs + 6 large egg yolks (you will need 12 eggs; discard extra whites or use in meringue cookies or a pavlova)
- 2-1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp eggnog extract (or use drops if using flavored oil from LorAnn) to taste
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 3-1/2 cups (438 g) gluten-free all-purpose flour or regular all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (177g) mini white chocolate chips
Eggnog Glaze
- 2 cups (250g) powdered sugar or icing sugar, plus more if needed
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg or to taste, optional
- 3 tbsp melted butter
- Splash vanilla extract or bourbon
- 1 to 3 tbsp eggnog (use just enough to make a fairly thick pouring glaze)
Instructions
1. Set a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F (180°C). Generously grease and flour a 12-cup (2.84 L) bundt pan. Don't forget the center column! Shake out excess flour and set aside.
2. Prepare the Cake: Place your butter in the bowl of your stand mixer and beat the butter until it is creamy and smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add in the sugar. Beat until the ingredients are well combined and light and fluffy, about 1 to 2 minutes.
3. In a separate bowl, combine your eggs, the additional yolks, vanilla extract, eggnog extract or oil, and salt. Use a fork to lightly beat until all egg yolks are broken up and salt and vanilla are incorporated. Transfer to a 2-cup (473 ml) measuring cup if desired to make it easier to add gradually to the batter.
4. With your mixer on low speed, gently pour the egg mixture into your batter in a steady stream, allowing it to become incorporated before adding more (or add the egg mixture in about 6 parts, allowing each part to become well incorporated before adding more). Once all of the egg mixture is incorporated, pause to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and the beater(s), then increase speed to medium-high and beat for another 1 to 2 minutes.
5. Reduce the mixer speed to low and slowly add the flour, about 1/4-cup at a time, mixing between additions until the flour is fully incorporated. Scrape down the sides and bottom of bowl and beater(s) then beat again on medium speed until well-combined and continue beating for another minute. Fold in the white chocolate.
6. Scoop the batter evenly into the prepared bundt pan, using a spatula to smooth the top surface of the batter.
7. Transfer to the hot oven and bake on the center rack of your oven for 70 to 75 minutes or until a wooden skewer inserted in the center of the thickest part of the cake comes out with a few moist crumbs (do NOT over-bake this cake or it will be dry).
8. Allow cake to cool for at least 20 minutes in the pan on a wire rack and the cake should pull away from the edges of the bundt pan. Carefully invert the pound cake onto a cooling rack and allow to cool completely.
9. Make the Glaze: In a bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and nutmeg (if using), with the melted butter, vanilla, and 1 tbsp of the eggnog, stirring and adding more eggnog until you have a fairly thick but pourable glaze. Lift the whisk and the glaze should leave a ribbon trail for a few seconds before blending back into the glaze in the bowl. If it's too thick, add more eggnog; if too thin, add more powdered sugar.
10. Transfer the cooled cake to your serving plate. Pour the glaze over the top of the cake, letting it drip down the sides. Decorate with sprinkles etc. if desired and let the glaze set up for about an hour or you can put in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes before slicing and serving.
Recipe found at www.theheritagecook.com
Notes
* You can adjust any recipe to gluten-free by using 120 grams per cup of my favorite gluten-free flour blend. If you are using another brand of gluten-free flour, whisk the mix, spoon it lightly into a measuring cup without a spout until mounded, level off the top with the back of a knife, and weigh the flour left in the cup. Use that weight as your standard per cup of that specific flour. Do this for each flour blend you use. Commercial blends such as Pamela's, Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1, or King Arthur Measure for Measure are all good choices.
You will get the best results by using a digital kitchen scale and weighing your ingredients, especially when you are baking.
All recommended ingredients are gluten-free as of the writing of this article. Always check to be sure the products haven’t changed and are still safe to consume.
Adapted from recipes by Sugar Spun Run – Best Pound Cake and Perfect Bundt Cake
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
16Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 228Total Fat: 9gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 163mgSodium: 166mgCarbohydrates: 29gFiber: 1gSugar: 11gProtein: 8g
The nutritional information for recipes on this site is calculated by online tools and is merely an estimate. If you need nutritional calculations for medical reasons, please use a source that you trust.
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