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Christmas Spice Cake with Eggnog Buttercream Recipe

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★★★★★

4.6 from 85 reviews

This festive Christmas Spice Cake features a moist, warmly spiced cake layered with a rich and fluffy eggnog buttercream frosting. Accented with a luscious white chocolate ganache drizzle, this dessert is the perfect centerpiece for holiday celebrations, combining traditional winter spices with the creamy sweetness of eggnog.

Ingredients

Scale

Spice Cake

  • 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
  • 1 tablespoon unsulphered molasses
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 ¾ cups light brown sugar
  • 1 ½ cups 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 the Cake Pans: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour three 8-inch cake pans and set them aside to ensure the cakes don’t stick.
  2. Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and the ground spices including cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, clove, and black pepper until well combined.
  3. Cream Wet Ingredients: Using a stand mixer or hand mixer on medium speed, combine light brown sugar, vegetable oil, molasses, and unsweetened apple sauce until smooth and lump-free. Add the eggs one at a time along with vanilla extract, mixing on low speed for 1 to 2 minutes until fully incorporated.
  4. Combine Wet and Dry Mixtures: Gradually add the dry spices and flour mixture to the wet ingredients in three batches on low speed. Mix just until combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl to evenly integrate the batter.
  5. Bake the Cakes: Evenly divide the batter among the three prepared cake pans. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow cakes to cool completely on wire racks.
  6. Prepare Eggnog Buttercream: Beat unsalted butter on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy. Reduce speed to low and gradually add the confectioner’s sugar, one cup at a time. Slowly pour in eggnog one tablespoon at a time, then increase speed to medium and add ground nutmeg. Beat for 2 minutes. Slowly add heavy cream, starting at low speed, then increase to medium-high and whip the frosting until light and fluffy, about 1 to 2 minutes.
  7. Make White Chocolate Ganache: Heat the heavy cream in a small saucepan until it just begins to simmer. Pour the hot cream over the white chocolate chips in a heatproof bowl. Stir gently until completely smooth. Let the ganache cool for 10 to 20 minutes until it is cool but still pourable.
  8. Assemble the Cake: Once the cake layers are completely cooled, spread a generous layer of eggnog buttercream between each cake layer. Frost the top and sides of the entire cake with the remaining buttercream. Pour the cooled white chocolate ganache over the top of the cake, allowing it to gently drip down the sides. Smooth the ganache lightly on top.
  9. Optional Garnish: After the ganache has set, lightly sprinkle additional ground spices on top for an extra festive touch.

Notes

  • Ensure cakes are completely cool before frosting to prevent buttercream from melting.
  • You can substitute light brown sugar with dark brown sugar for a deeper molasses flavor.
  • If you prefer, use a stand mixer or hand mixer for creaming and frosting to achieve the best texture.
  • Keep the ganache at a pourable but cool temperature to control drip length on the cake.
  • This cake can be made a day in advance and stored covered in the refrigerator for enhanced flavors.

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

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