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.

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