Cinnamon Spiced Eggnog Cake.
Hello!
I’m so excited to share this recipe with you guys!
I set out to create a spice cake base that could be adapted to whatever flavors were floating my fancy and this baby is the real deal.
For this cake I used Gretchen Price’s Aquafaba Swiss Meringue Buttercream recipe (linked below). It’s one of my favorite frosting recipes and the only change I made is to add a 1/4tsp of Agar in with the sugar and Aquafaba.
Eggnog in the stores is my first sign that Christmas is coming. For this recipe I used So Delicious Holiday Nog and it is the best nog I’ve had aside from the Silk Soy Nog, but I have an allergy to concentrated soy so I can’t have that kind.
Something that I must admit is that I’m only completely obsessed with eggnog. It’s one of the few things that I miss about not being vegan. A good nog is the way to any girl’s heart if I must say and I’m no exception.
This Holiday Nog saved Christmas.
Putting it into a cake was just me leveling up.
Bonus points for Pierce Brosnan wearing the Santa Hat.
Something I will share is that despite all my baking experiments I have yet to figure out how to successfully double a cake recipe without ruining my day. It was late, it was Christmas Eve and there may have been wine and math involved. Baaaad idea.
Long story short, the results of my efforts to double this recipe to make a towering cake ended up like this.
Giving up and making the cake in two bowls is not failure!
This cake has taken on many forms since I first started working on this recipe.
I brought this beauty with me to Christmas dinner this year and my family, who I view as the most honest critics, raved over it. It’s got punchy flavor and the frosting is smooth and creamy with just the right amount of spice.
One thing I know all cake makers know about is the horror and heart palpitations that come with transporting your creations. I made this box out of the spoils of my Amazon addiction and I’ll tell you it was the longest car ride ever.
Without further ado, here she is.
Cinnamon Spiced Eggnog Cake
Yield: 2 6-inch Cakes
Ingredients for the Cake:
227g Cake Flour
150g Brown Sugar
1tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1/4 tsp Salt
1/2 Cup Eggnong
1/4 Cup Canned Coconut Milk*
1/2 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
2 tsp Vanilla Extract ( I used Lor Ann Butter Vanilla Emulsion)
1/4 Cup Apple Sauce
1 Tbsp Molasses
2 tsp Ground Ginger
1.5 tsp Ground Cinnamon
1/4 tsp Ground Nutmeg
1/4 tsp Ground Cloves
170g Vegan Butter (softened)
1 Tbsp Follow Your Heart Vegan Egg Powder*
Notes:
*Almond milk will work in a pinch, but canned coconut is the best option. Have not tried with any other non-dairy milks.
*Follow Your Heart Vegan Egg is my cake savior. When I baked and developed my cake recipes at my previous home, I was determined not to use any expensive/hard to find additions in my recipes. My oven at my new place is just a bit temperamental and I find the Vegan Egg adds just that extra bit of stability to keep the cake together.
TLDR: Feel free to leave it out if you don’t have it on hand.
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350F/175C. Brush the inside of 2 six inch cake pans with the nonstick medium of your choice ( I use the bakery pan grease recipe from Gretchen Price’s cookbook).
Measure and weigh all the ingredients and set aside.
In a separate small bowl, whisk together vanilla, molasses and apple sauce. Set aside.
Whisk together vinegar, eggnog, and milk and allow to sit for 5 minutes.
In a large bowl with a hand mixer, cream together butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy and almost doubled in size (about 4 minutes). A stand mixer can also be used for faster results.
While continuing to mix, slowly stream eggnong, milk and vinegar mix into the creamed butter and sugar. Ensure that the milk is being fully incorporated by the mixer or the batter may curdle.*
Sift together all dry ingredients (including Vegan Egg) and in three parts, add them to the wet ingredients making sure to fully incorporate each time.
Once all the dry ingredients are added, beat on medium speed for about 2 minutes. If using stand mixer, mix on medium-low speed for no more than one minute. Be mindful not to over mix!
Divide batter equally between the two pans, tapping gently on the counter 2-3 times to release any large air bubbles.
Bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick or cake tester inserted into the middle comes out clean.
Cool in the pan for 10 minutes before inverting onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Place cakes into the freezer for 1 hour before beginning to decorate. This is an optional step, but I find really cold cakes are nicer and easier to handle and this cake is a bit on the delicate side.
Finish and decorate the cake as you like with the buttercream!
*If the mixture curdles, scoop out a 1/4 cup from the bowl and warm it in the microwave for 15 seconds. Slowly stream the melted butter into the curdled batter while mixing, and it should come back together.
