High Altitude Eggnog Cake with a Buttercream Christmas Tree

Just in time for Christmas, I’ve made this stunning high altitude eggnog cake with eggnog buttercream. I flavored the eggnog cake with brown sugar and vanilla bean paste, spiced with nutmeg and cloves, and of course, plenty of eggnog. There’s more eggnog in the buttercream, too, with notes of freshly grated nutmeg and vanilla bean. And a buttercream Christmas tree, decorated with sprinkle “ornaments” and a sparkling sugar star, turns this cake into a gorgeous centerpiece dessert for your Christmas celebration.

And for a complete, step-by-step guide to decorating today’s cake, see my Buttercream Christmas Tree Cake Tutorial.

Looking for more high altitude Christmas cakes? You’ll love this cute snowman cake, hot chocolate cake with homemade marshmallows, and a chocolate peppermint North Pole cake.

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Choosing the Right Eggnog

Eggnog is one of my absolute favorite treats that I look forward to every Thanksgiving and Christmas. Occasionally, we’ll make homemade aged eggnog, spiked with a shocking amount of rum, cognac and bourbon. Actually, the aging process of a month or longer really mellows out the harshness of the alcohol for a smooth, delicious homemade eggnog that goes down pretty easy.

When choosing a store bought eggnog, be sure to check the ingredients, and sample a few different brands to determine the best one. It should be rich and creamy, sweet but not too sweet, with a good balance of vanilla and spice.

• Worst. The worst options are going to include non-dairy eggnog, which won’t contain any milk or eggs. You’ll find the taste seriously lacking in authentic eggnog flavor. Don’t even consider any low-fat or “light” options, either. And avoid the pumpkin spice flavored eggnog, unless you want your eggnog cake to taste like pumpkin spice.
• Best. The best options will be premium, name-brand eggnog by Meadow Gold, Turkey Hill, Trader Joe’s and Southern Comfort. These brands are also pretty easy to find at most major grocery stores.

Ingredients

Cake.

• Unsalted Butter. The butter adds flavor and richness, as well as lightens the cake batter when it’s creamed with the sugar.
• Granulated Sugar + Dark Brown Sugar. Sweetness, moisture, and a hint of molasses from the brown sugar.
• Eggs. Eggs add richness and structure to cake batter.
• Vanilla. I like to use a good-quality vanilla bean paste for this eggnog cake, but you can also use vanilla extract. Real vanilla beans are an excellent option, too.
• Cake Flour. Cake flour has a lower percentage of protein than all-purpose flour, making a lighter, fluffier cake.
• Coarse Kosher Salt. A little salt balances the sweetness in cakes.
• Baking Powder. Adds lift to the cake so it rises.
• Nutmeg + Cloves. Freshly grated nutmeg has the best flavor, but you can use pre-ground, too. If you like a little less spice, use half the amount called for in this eggnog cake recipe.
• Eggnog. Make sure to review the recommendations in the above section for choosing the best eggnog for your cake.
• Sour Cream. Sour cream adds a tangy richness that’s so good in cakes.

Buttercream.

• Unsalted Butter. I like to use unsalted butter for my buttercream, so I can add a little salt, if needed to balance the sweetness.
• Powdered Sugar. Sweetens and thickens the buttercream.
• Meringue Powder. Stabilizes the buttercream and improves its texture.
• Nutmeg. Use freshly grated nutmeg for the best flavor.
• Vanilla. As in the cake, you can use vanilla extract, vanilla bean paste or fresh vanilla beans.
• Eggnog. See above section for choosing the best eggnog.

Instructions

The Cake.

• I use the standard creaming method for mixing the cake batter for my eggnog cake. So first, you’ll need to cream the butter with the sugar for about 10 minutes. This seems like a long time, but this step incorporates air and volume into the cake, keeping it light and fluffy.
• Then beat in the eggs and vanilla.
• The last step is to add the dry ingredients, alternating with the eggnog and sour cream, and mix on low just until combined.
• Divide the batter between the pans and bake the cakes until a cake tester comes out clean. Be sure to cool completely before frosting!

The Buttercream.

• Starting with room temperature butter, beat the butter for 1 minute until smooth.
• Then add the powdered sugar, meringue powder and nutmeg.
• Add the eggnog and vanilla, increase the speed to medium high and whip for 4-5 minutes, scraping the bowl occasionally, until very light and fluffy.

For a complete, step by step cake decorating tutorial for today’s cake design, see my Buttercream Christmas Tree Cake Tutorial post.

Decorating

Essential Tools.

• Piping Bag
• Tip #1M
• Sugar Pearls and Sprinkles, in various sizes and colors
• Gold or Silver Sparkling Sugar
• Wax Paper
• Small Star Shaped Cutter, or Knife

Piping the Buttercream Christmas Tree.

To pipe the Christmas tree, fit a piping bag with tip #1M, and fill with buttercream. Start at the bottom of the cake, piping swoops upwards to create the branches of the tree. Pipe the bottom row first, then the next row, working your way up the side of the cake. The top branch of the tree should be the last branch you pipe.

Before the buttercream crusts over, decorate the Christmas tree with sugar pearls and sprinkle “ornaments”.

Making a Buttercream Star.

For the star, spread a small amount of buttercream onto a piece of wax paper. The buttercream should be about 1/4 inch thick or slightly thinner. Sprinkle with sparkling sugar, and press it gently into the buttercream. Freeze the buttercream on the wax paper for about 10 minutes, until firm.

Use a mini star cutter to cut a star from the frozen buttercream. If you don’t have a star cutter, you can just use a knife. Carefully lift the frozen star off the paper, and place on your cake to top the Christmas tree.

Be sure to read all of my BAKING FAQs where I discuss ingredients, substitutions and common questions with cake making, so that you can be successful in your own baking! I also suggest reading these comprehensive posts on making Perfect American Buttercream, How to Stack, Fill, Crumb Coat and Frost Layer Cakes and How to Use Piping Bags.

You Might Also Like

Please check out my Amazon Shop for a curated collection of some of my favorite cake pans from trusted brands, baking tools, ingredients, pretty things and fashion finds. I recommend products that I buy and use every day!

Did you love today’s recipe? Please rate the recipe and let me know in the comments what you thought! Also, be sure to follow Curly Girl Kitchen on Instagram, and tag me when you try one of my recipes so I can see all your delicious creations!

High Altitude Eggnog Cake

Heather Smoke

A rich and buttery eggnog cake, flavored with vanilla bean, cloves and freshly grated nutmeg, frosted with fluffy eggnog buttercream.

All recipes on Curly Girl Kitchen are developed for high altitude at 5,280 feet. See FAQs for adjusting to higher or lower elevations.

5 from 2 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 25 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 55 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings16

Equipment

• Stand Mixer

Bake ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients

 

Cake

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• ½ cup dark brown sugar, lightly packed
• 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla bean paste, or vanilla extract
• 3 cups cake flour, or all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
• 1 tsp coarse Kosher salt (if using table salt, use half the amount)
• 2 ¾ tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
• ¼ tsp ground cloves
• 1 ⅓ cups eggnog, room temperature
• ⅔ cup full-fat sour cream

Buttercream

• 2 cups unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 1 tbsp meringue powder
• ¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
• ¼ – ⅓ cup eggnog
• 2 tsp vanilla bean paste, or vanilla extract

Instructions

 

Cake

• Preheat the oven to 350 F, and spray the bottoms of three 8-inch cake pans with non-stick spray.
• In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar on medium speed for 10 minutes, scraping the bowl occasionally.
• Beat in the eggs, one at a time, beating each for 10 seconds before adding the next. Scrape the bowl down, add the vanilla bean paste, and beat for 10 more seconds.
• In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, salt, baking powder, nutmeg and cloves.
• With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the eggnog and sour cream, starting and ending with the flour. Use a spatula to scrape the bowl well and incorporate any stray bits of flour.
• Divide the batter between the pans. Bake on the center oven rack for about 25-30 minutes, until a cake tester or toothpick comes out clean.
• Set the pans on a wire rack, cover loosely with a clean kitchen towel, and cool completely before frosting.

Buttercream

• In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the butter for 1 minute until smooth.
• With the mixer on low, add the powdered sugar, meringue powder and nutmeg, and mix until combined.
• Add the eggnog and vanilla, increase the speed to medium high and whip for 4-5 minutes, scraping the bowl occasionally, until very light and fluffy.
• Remove the cooled cakes from the pans. Fill, stack and frost the cake with the buttercream.
• CHRISTMAS TREE

  To pipe the Christmas tree, fit a piping bag with tip #1M, and fill with buttercream. Start at the bottom of the cake, piping swoops upwards to create the branches of the tree. Pipe the bottom row first, then the next row, working your way up the side of the cake. The top branch of the tree should be the last branch you pipe.

  Before the buttercream crusts over, decorate with sprinkle "ornaments".
• STAR

  For the star, spread a small amount of buttercream onto a piece of wax paper. The buttercream should be about 1/4 inch thick. Sprinkle with sparkling sugar, and press it gently into the buttercream.

  Freeze the buttercream on the wax paper for about 10 minutes, until firm.

  Use a mini star cutter to cut a star from the frozen buttercream. If you don't have a star cutter, you can just use a knife. Carefully lift the frozen star off the paper, and place on your cake to top the Christmas tree.

Notes

Leftover cake should be stored in an airtight container or cake carrier for up to 3 days.  The assembled and frosted cake can also be frozen for several months.

Keyword Christmas Cake, Eggnog, High Altitude

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