Oh my goodness, the holidays are here, and that means the kitchen needs to smell like spices and comfort! Forget those overly fussy desserts you see on TV; I’m giving you the shortcut to holiday magic. This is the absolute easiest way you will ever make a truly spectacular eggnog-flavored cake. Seriously, it uses a mix, but nobody needs to know my secret! This Irresistible Eggnog Bundt Cake Recipe For Festive Gatherings is the one thing I bake every single year—it just tastes like Christmas morning wrapping up nicely in a perfect ring.
If you want rich flavor without spending half a day in the kitchen, you’ve landed in the right spot. It’s moist, it’s spiced just right, and it looks gorgeous just with a light dusting of sugar.
Why This Irresistible Eggnog Bundt Cake Recipe For Festive Gatherings Shines
I know, I know. Some bakers turn their nose up at cake mix, but let me tell you why this hack is gold for the holidays. When you’re running around trying to juggle gifts, family, and other cooking duties, you need a reliable win. This recipe makes it happen!
- It’s ridiculously moist. The combination of oil and eggnog keeps it tender, proving you don’t need fancy techniques for a great texture.
- The spice level is perfect—it tastes exactly like sipping a chilled glass of seasonal eggnog.
- Maximum flavor for minimum effort. That’s my kind of holiday baking!
Quick Prep Time for Your Irresistible Eggnog Bundt Cake Recipe For Festive Gatherings
This is perhaps my favorite benefit! You seriously only need ten minutes of hands-on work. Ten minutes! That time frame is why I rely on this for last-minute gatherings. You get a complicated-looking Bundt cake ready for the oven before you’ve even picked out the background music for your party. That speed is why this Irresistible Eggnog Bundt Cake Recipe For Festive Gatherings is a secret weapon.
Simple Ingredients for a Classic Holiday Dessert
We aren’t messing around with creaming butter or sifting flour twelve times. We start with a basic, trusty yellow cake mix. That gives us a strong foundation. Then, we just boost it with the cozy, creamy flavorings of the season. It’s smart baking, not complicated baking!
Gathering Ingredients for Your Irresistible Eggnog Bundt Cake Recipe For Festive Gatherings
Okay, let’s talk stuff. Because this recipe is so simple, the quality of what few ingredients you *do* use really shines through. You mainly need a standard box of yellow cake mix, which is great because you probably have an emergency one stashed somewhere! The other main players are veggie oil, four large eggs, and of course… the star of the whole show, the eggnog!
When you’re buying the eggnog, try to get the creamiest one you can find. If you happen to be shopping for holiday eggnog cinnamon rolls too, grab a second carton! Better quality eggnog means a richer, more decadent final cake.
- 1 box (15.25 ounces) yellow cake mix
- 1 cup eggnog
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 4 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar for dusting
Ingredient Notes and Substitution Guidance for Your Irresistible Eggnog Bundt Cake Recipe For Festive Gatherings
If you want to really punch up the holiday spirit in this Irresistible Eggnog Bundt Cake Recipe For Festive Gatherings, you have my permission to spike the batter! Take out half a cup of that regular eggnog, and swap it in with a nice rum or even some brandy. It just deepens the flavor profile beautifully.
Don’t skip the nutmeg and cinnamon either. Those aren’t just filler spices; they are what trick your brain into thinking you’ve made a complicated spice cake—this is the essence of eggnog right here!
Essential Equipment for the Irresistible Eggnog Bundt Cake Recipe For Festive Gatherings
You don’t need a whole suite of fancy gadgets for this one, thank goodness! The absolute MVP in your kitchen for this recipe is your 10-inch Bundt pan. Seriously, if you own one, use it! It gives the cake that classic, celebratory look for your Irresistible Eggnog Bundt Cake Recipe For Festive Gatherings.
Next, grab a big mixing bowl, a whisk or your electric mixer, and that wooden pick we always talk about for testing doneness.
Now, listen up, because pan prep is critical for Bundts. Since this cake has a bit of sugar and moisture, we need to be thorough so it doesn’t stick and ruin your gorgeous ring shape! I always use soft shortening or butter, and make sure I get it into every single little groove and crevice. Then, dust it heavily with flour. If you want extra insurance, check out how I prep pans for other cakes like my cranberry orange Bundt cake—prepping it perfectly means a stress-free release!
Step-by-Step Instructions for the Irresistible Eggnog Bundt Cake Recipe For Festive Gatherings
Alright, time to pull out that bowl! This is where the short amount of hard work pays off. First things first, you need to get that oven ready. Preheat to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (that’s 175 Celsius if you’re using the metric side of the room). And remember what I said about the pan? Make sure that 10-inch Bundt pan is thoroughly greased and floured! A sticky cake is my nightmare, and I don’t want that ruining your beautiful Irresistible Eggnog Bundt Cake Recipe For Festive Gatherings.
Next, we combine everything in one spot. Dump in your yellow cake mix, that cup of creamy eggnog, your vegetable oil, those four eggs, and don’t forget the spices—the nutmeg and cinnamon. Don’t worry about warming anything up separately; a big bowl and a whisk are all you need.
Gently pour that beautiful, pale yellow batter into your prepared pan. It should fill it about two-thirds of the way up, which is perfect for a Bundt. Now, pop it in the oven!
Mixing Tips for the Perfect Irresistible Eggnog Bundt Cake Recipe For Festive Gatherings Batter
Here is the part where you need to show some restraint! When I say mix until *just* combined, I mean it. You see those wet and dry ingredients starting to merge? Stop right then! If you overmix your Irresistible Eggnog Bundt Cake Recipe For Festive Gatherings batter, you start developing the gluten in the flour too much. That turns a potentially lovely, tender cake into something a bit rubbery. We want fluffy holiday joy, not dense chewiness!
Baking and Cooling for Cake Success
The baking time is usually between 40 and 45 minutes. You need to check it with a wooden pick inserted right into the middle. If it comes out clean, you’re done! Yay! But don’t rush to the cooling rack yet. This is key advice for every Bundt cake you’ll ever make: let it rest right in that hot pan for a full 10 minutes.
This 10-minute cooling period lets the cake firm up just slightly so it doesn’t collapse when inverted. After that ten minutes, go ahead and flip it onto your wire rack to cool completely. If you try to rush it out early, you’ll end up with a pile of crumbs, and nobody wants that aftermath of their amazing baking project.
Once it’s completely cool—and I mean cool to the touch—then you can dust it with that powdered sugar. It looks so elegant, and it’s ready for your coffee table! If you need more tips on handling delicate batters, you should definitely check out my guide on sour cream coffee cake techniques; cake physics are cake physics!
Tips for the Most Delicious Irresistible Eggnog Bundt Cake Recipe For Festive Gatherings
Even though this cake is super simple, a few tricks make the difference between ‘good’ eggnog cake and ‘wait, what did you put in this?’ amazing cake. First, I always, always make sure my four eggs are at room temperature before I even start mixing. Cold eggs can sometimes make the batter seize up slightly when they hit the oil, and we definitely don’t want that for our Irresistible Eggnog Bundt Cake Recipe For Festive Gatherings.
Also, take a quick sniff test of your eggnog! If it looks a little off or smells sour, don’t risk it. Since the eggnog is doing the heavy lifting for flavor and moisture, you want it to be fresh and robust. A small investment there really pays off!
If you’ve ever made my vanilla bean pistachio cake, you know I harp on ingredient quality, and it’s true here too. If you want to be fancy, you can slightly increase the cinnamon and nutmeg by half a teaspoon each for an even stronger holiday kick. Trust me, the aroma while this bakes is incredible!
Serving Suggestions for Your Festive Baking
This cake honestly looks stunning all by itself with just that simple dusting of powdered sugar; it really shows off that beautiful Bundt texture! But if you want to dress her up a little for company, I have a couple of favorite tricks.
Sometimes, especially if I’m serving it for brunch, I’ll just sprinkle a tiny bit more ground nutmeg right over the top of the powdered sugar. The color contrast is lovely!
For an evening dessert, I sometimes pair a slice with a few tart raspberries or blackberries on the side—the slight tang is fantastic against the sweet spice. And speaking of pairing, if you want a grown-up beverage to go with it, you should check out this amazing recipe for a creamy root beer rum cocktail. It screams holiday cheer matched with an undeniable warmth!
Storage and Make-Ahead Options for Your Irresistible Eggnog Bundt Cake Recipe For Festive Gatherings
This cake is fantastic because you really can bake it ahead of time, which is a huge gift when you’re hosting during the holidays. Once the cake is completely cool—and I mean totally cool after you’ve inverted it—wrap it up carefully with plastic wrap or put it in an airtight container. You can keep this Irresistible Eggnog Bundt Cake Recipe For Festive Gatherings on the counter at room temperature for about two or maybe even three days.
Because it’s so moist, it stays fresh really well! If you want to push it longer, yes, you can absolutely freeze leftover slices. Just wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and then foil. It freezes beautifully for about a month, and you can just thaw it overnight on the counter when you’re ready for another slice of holiday cheer!
Frequently Asked Questions About This Irresistible Eggnog Bundt Cake Recipe For Festive Gatherings
I always get the same kinds of questions when folks try this cake for the first time, especially since we rely on a cake mix base. Don’t you worry, I’ve got the answers right here to ensure your holiday baking goes off without a hitch!
Can I use homemade eggnog instead of store-bought in this recipe?
You certainly can! Homemade eggnog is usually richer and sometimes thicker than the store-bought kind. If yours is very thick, I’d suggest thinning it down by adding an extra splash of milk or a tiny bit more regular eggnog until it feels similar to the thickness advertised on the carton.
How do I prevent my Irresistible Eggnog Bundt Cake Recipe For Festive Gatherings from sticking?
This is the big one! Please do not skip prepping that pan. I swear by coating it thoroughly with butter or shortening, getting it into every nook, and then dusting it with flour. If you’re nervous, skip the flour and use a good quality baking spray that contains flour in the ingredients—it works wonders for releasing this Irresistible Eggnog Bundt Cake Recipe For Festive Gatherings!
I also sometimes use a little trick I learned making an apple crisp cheesecake; I’ll trace the inside of the pan onto parchment paper, cut it out, and lay that circle right on the bottom after greasing. Never fails!
Just remember, that 10-minute cooling time in the pan is your final defense against sticking!
Nutritional Estimates for This Festive Dessert
Okay, so we all know this cake is made with a little love and a lot of sugar, so we aren’t shooting for diet food here! But if you’re curious about what’s in a slice of that beautiful festive cake, here is the general breakdown based on my best calculations using the standard box mix.
- Calories: 310
- Fat: 15g
- Carbohydrates: 42g
- Protein: 4g
- Sugar: 35g
Please remember these are just ballpark figures, folks! The exact numbers change wildly depending on what brand of cake mix you grab and what kind of eggnog is in your fridge. If you spike it with rum, all bets are off! Enjoy it because it tastes wonderful, not because it fits perfectly into your macros!
Print
Eggnog Bundt Cake
- Total Time: 55 min
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
A simple recipe for a moist Bundt cake flavored with eggnog, suitable for holiday gatherings.
Ingredients
- 1 box (15.25 ounces) yellow cake mix
- 1 cup eggnog
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 4 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius). Grease and flour a 10-inch Bundt pan.
- In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, eggnog, vegetable oil, eggs, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Mix until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Pour the batter into the prepared Bundt pan.
- Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes before inverting it onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- Once cool, dust the top of the cake with powdered sugar before serving.
Notes
- For a richer flavor, you can substitute 1/2 cup of the eggnog with rum or brandy if desired.
- If you do not have a Bundt pan, you can use a standard 10-inch tube pan.
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 45 min
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 310
- Sugar: 35
- Sodium: 250
- Fat: 15
- Saturated Fat: 4
- Unsaturated Fat: 11
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 42
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 4
- Cholesterol: 65
Keywords: eggnog cake, bundt cake, holiday dessert, spice cake, nutmeg, cinnamon