Eggnog Cake with Gingerbread Brittle & Holiday Nog Cream Cheese Buttercream
Holiday nog meets gingerbread brittle for the kind of holiday dessert that’ll put you on the nice list – and everybody’s guest list! 🎄 This Eggnog Cake with Gingerbread Brittle & Holiday Nog Cream Cheese Buttercream makes has super moist, delicate, and not overly sweet cake layers to complement the crunchiest gingerbread brittle.
Ingredients you’ll need:
- all purpose flour
- baking powder
- baking soda
- salt
- nutmeg
- cinnamon
- butter
- olive oil
- granulated cane sugar
- light brown sugar
- eggs
- vanilla
- MALK Holiday Nog, or substitute with regular eggnog
- honey
- pecans
- candied ginger
- cream cheese
- powdered sugar
What is candy Brittle?
Candy brittle is a hard, crunchy candy made from caramelized sugar syrup with nuts or candied fruits mixed in. It’s created by cooking the sugar syrup to a hard crack stage, then adding ingredients like butter for richness, and lastly, baking soda to aerate the mixture before it hardens into a thin, breakable candy sheet. The result is a sweet and glossy candy that can easily be broken up into pieces for eating or used in other desserts, like this cake!
However, the candy brittle is totally optional for this cake recipe!
TIPS for Prepping Cake in Advance:
To prepare cakes in advance, I recommend baking the layers first and allowing them to cool completely before wrapping tightly in parchment paper then Saran Wrap. Store at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the freezer in a freezer-safe bag for up to 2 months. Thaw frozen cakes on the counter overnight before frosting.
For this cake specifically, the gingerbread brittle will only remain crunchy once assembled for 24 hours. So, it’s best to be assembled day of serving. Otherwise, it’s still very delicious just not as crunchy!
How to Store Leftover Cake:
You can store most cakes with a buttercream frosting on the counter for up to 3 days. For longer storage, slice the cake into individual pieces and store in a freezer-safe bag in the freezer for up to 2 months. Divide each layer with parchment paper to help prevent sticking.
Bake with me!
Eggnog Cake with Gingerbread Brittle & Holiday Nog Cream Cheese Buttercream
Ingredients
For the Eggnog Cake:
- 2 ¼ cups All Purpose Flour
- 2 ¼ tsp. Baking Powder
- ½ tsp. Salt
- ½ tsp. Ground Nutmeg
- ½ tsp. Ground Cinnamon
- ½ cup Unsalted Butter softened
- ¼ cup Olive Oil
- ¾ cup Granulated Cane Sugar
- ¾ cup Light Brown Sugar
- 3 large Eggs
- 1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
- 1 ¼ cups MALK Organics Holiday Nog
For the Gingerbread Brittle:
- 1 cup Granulated Cane Sugar
- ½ cup Honey
- ¼ cup Water
- 1 cup Pecans chopped
- ¼ cup Candied Ginger chopped
- 2 tbsp. Unsalted Butter
- Pinch of Salt
- 1 tsp. Baking Soda
For the Holiday Nog Cream Cheese Buttercream:
- 8 oz. Cream Cheese room temp.
- 1 cup Unsalted Butter softened
- 3-4 cups Powdered Sugar
- 2 tsp. Vanilla Extract or vanilla bean paste
- 3-4 tbsp. MALK Organics Holiday Nog
- ½ tsp. Ground Nutmeg
Instructions
- To Make the Eggnog Cake: Preheat oven to 350F. Butter two 8” cake pans then line the bottoms with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Mix well.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine the butter, olive oil, granulated cane sugar, and brown sugar. Beat for 2 minutes, until light and fluffy.
- While beating on LOW speed, add the eggs one at a time. Fold in the vanilla extract.
- Add half of the flour mixture and half of the Holiday Nog. Mix JUST until incorporated.
- Add the remaining flour mixture and Holiday Nog to once again mix JUST until combined. Try not to over mix the batter.
- Divide the cake batter between the prepared cake pans, then smooth out the tops with the back of a spoon.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the centers are set and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool for at least 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- To Make the Gingerbread Brittle: Prep all the ingredients, as well as a large baking pan lined with parchment paper.
- In a large saucepan, combine the sugar, honey, water, and salt. Mix until the sugar is dissolved.
- Using a candy thermometer, bring the mixture to 300F. Reduce heat to a simmer, then work quickly to stir in the butter, chopped pecans, and chopped candied ginger.
- Stir in the baking soda, then immediately pour onto the prepared sheet pan. Spread out to about ¼” thick. Let cool for 15-20 minutes, until hardened.
- Place in a resealable bag to break up into fine pieces. Set aside. If prepping in advance, store in a brown paper bag or airtight container away from direct heat and sunlight to preserve its crunch.
- To Make the Holiday Nog Cream Cheese Buttercream: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine the softened butter and cream cheese. Beat for 2-3 minutes, until smooth.
- Add the vanilla, nutmeg, and two cups of powdered sugar. Beat for 2 minutes.
- Continue adding another cup of powdered sugar, beating for 1 minute in between, until a light and airy buttercream. Add the Holiday Nog to help loosen up the frosting.
- To Assemble the Cake: Slice the cooled cake layers in half. Layer each cake with a generous amount of the buttercream, followed by the crumbled gingerbread brittle. Once you’ve add the final cake layer, use an offset spatula to frost a crumb coat. Place in the fridge for 15 minutes, then frost the cake with remaining buttercream as desired!
I truly hope you all enjoy this treasured recipe that has nestled its way into our hearts here in the ABM kitchen! ’till next time… xxL
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” ~ Jeremiah 29:11 NIV
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I like your recipes, you are so talented. Bless you!!
Last month I decided that I want to make some Christmas flavored desserts for the entire month of December and I wrote down that I wanted to make something with Eggnog and literally within two days I saw this recipe pop up in my youtube shorts and I knew the stars had aligned and I had to make this cake. I made it exactly as the directions stated and it turned out amazing!! I took it to my church function and all of the slices were gone in no time. My only regret is that I didn’t get to take a picture of it before it disappeared lol. Thank you Lauren so much for this recipe it is a hit. Also for anyone using a toaster oven to bake the cakes it took exactly 15 minutes each for mine to back as I had to cook the cakes one at a time.