Eggnog, espresso, and holiday spice meet in this fluffy, tender cake bursting with flavor and frosted with brown sugar spice buttercream. Essentially, it’s Christmas in a to-die-for cake.

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I’m just a tiny bit excited about this cake. I made it recently on a whim. A tumultuous whim, to be honest. I got it in the oven a little late, which made us late for my (outdoor, socially distanced) birthday brunch with friends. I also divided the batter a little unevenly and ONE of the three layers just would. not. bake. Eventually, I was so frustrated I started tearing up a bit. That’s when I turned off the oven, left that last stubborn layer inside with the door cracked (a risky move I don’t recommend but that happened to mostly work this one time) and basically threw myself into the car. Yeah, not my finest moment.

But man, was this cake worth it.

It’s fluffy and eggnog-y with hints of warm spices and espresso. There’s brown sugar in the cake and the frosting, giving it all a warm, slightly caramelized taste. Plus, something about brown sugar in cakes makes them so tender and moist. While I respect that many people despise that word, there’s just no other way to describe this cake! Alternate suggestions are welcome so I can properly describe the opposite-of-dry factor in future cakes. 😉

Oh, and the best part? This is a great way to use up any extra eggnog you may have. I don’t know about your family, but most years I drink one glass, maybe two, then forget we have eggnog. It’s not that I don’t like it, it’s that it’s heavy and kinda high in calories. Luckily, using it in a cake works well to share those calories. Probably.

How to make eggnog latte cake

When you take your eggnog out to come to room temperature, whisk it with the espresso powder until fully combined. If any pieces clump up, let them sit for a bit then whisk again later. Eventually, the powder will absorb into the eggnog if you let it sit and whisk a couple times, but don’t worry if it never gets completely smooth.

First, sift and whisk together your flour, baking powder, salt, and spices. Sifting is key to creating a fluffy cake. Set that aside.

Next, beat the butter on high for about 30 seconds to smooth it out. This is especially helpful if your butter isn’t quite soft yet (but it should be close—beating can only warm it up so much). Add the sugars and beat for 2-3 minutes, until light and fluffy, scraping down the sides and the bottom halfway through.

Add the eggs, one at a time, beating on medium (ish, I sometimes turn it higher) until completely blended and fluffy, about 30 seconds, scraping the bowl after each egg. Add the vanilla and mix until fully blended. It should be fluffy and well-combined. If needed, scrape the bowl again and turn it up to high for a few seconds to smooth it out, as the eggs sometimes take some extra beating to fully blend in.

Add 1/3 of the flour mixture then beat on low to combine. Then add half the eggnog/espresso mixture and mix again just until combined (don’t worry if it looks curdled, it’s not). Repeat this process, adding another 1/3 of the flour, then the remaining eggnog, then the remaining flour, mixing briefly after each addition. Scrape the bowl one more time and mix on high for a few seconds to ensure there isn’t any batter that looks separated or curdled (it’s not really curdled, it just may not be fully blended and needs a teeny tiny bit more mixing—just until it’s mostly smooth).

Divide evenly between your prepared cake pans (I used three 6” but two 8” or 9” work, too). Bake until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool in the pans for 5-10 minutes then remove to a cooling rack (although I forgot and left them to cool in the pans and it was fine!).

While the cake cools, make the brown sugar spice buttercream. You can make the brown sugar mixture while the cake is baking, since that needs to cool before you make the rest of the buttercream.

Once the cake is completely cool—not even warm to the touch—you can fill and frost it to your liking. I did a pretty thick layer of frosting and regret nothing. 😂

Enjoy!

Tips for this recipe

Sub strong coffee for espresso powder

The latte part of this cake was another part of my whim. For some reason it sounded really good to try eggnog latte before ever making an eggnog cake. You absolutely can leave the espresso powder out. Or, if you can’t find any but want that hint of coffee flavor, you can replace up to 1/4 cup of the eggnog with a strong shot of espresso or double strength coffee. The key is to not increase the overall liquid—you want 1 cup eggnog and espresso, whether that’s 1 full cup eggnog plus espresso powder or 1/4 cup actual espresso with 3/4 cup eggnog.

Use room temperature ingredients

I cannot stress enough how important it is to make sure everything is room temperature. In the coldest months I leave my butter, eggs, and dairy out 1-2 hours, whereas in the summer I can get away with 30 minutes. Plan ahead so your cake will rise properly and have the right crumb (which is created partly by the ingredients coming together correctly).

Sift your dry ingredients

This is one of my top baking tips. It’s important to sift the dry ingredients so you get a light, fluffy cake crumb. I’ve tried it both ways and trust me, sifting makes a difference.

Don’t over mix the batter

I know this is the most frustrating tip ever. Like, how would you know??? I try to give you a time or stopping point so you know if you’re mixing too long. In this batter, it’s about how blended it looks. The butter and sugar is hard to over mix (although beyond 3 minutes is more than you need). After that, you’re looking for fully combined, fluffy batter when adding the eggs. Once it’s smooth (scraping the bowl might be necessary), you’re good. Once you add the flour, it actually smooths out, while adding the eggnog creates a slightly curdled look. This is where you can just ignore the texture and just mix until combined. When you do the next addition of flour, it’ll smooth it back out, as will scraping the bowl and mixing on high for a few seconds at the end. That’s the key—mix just a few seconds then see how smooth it is.

My cake tools

Here are my must-have tools I use for making this cake. Affiliate links provided.

Stand mixer or handheld mixer

Silicone liners for 8” cake (or for 6” cakes)

Offset spatula

8” aluminum cake pans or 6” aluminum cake pans (I’ve found nonstick doesn’t bake as evenly)

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Eggnog Latte Cake

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prep time: 10-15 minutes
cook time: 20-30 minutes (depending on pan size)
total time: 45 minutes (plus cooling time)

Servings: 12-16 (makes three 6” layers or two 8” to 9” layers)

Ingredients:

1 cup eggnog, room temperature
1 tablespoon instant espresso powder (see note)
2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, sifted
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon ground sea salt (kosher salt)
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon (can reduce if you only want a hint)
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 ½ sticks (6 ounces or ¾ cup) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup packed light brown sugar (can sub dark, but it will make the cake denser)
½ cup granulated white sugar
3 large eggs, room temperature
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
one batch brown sugar spice buttercream

Instructions:

When you take your cold ingredients out to come to room temperature, whisk the eggnog and espresso powder (if using). If there are clumps of espresso powder, let it sit for 20 minutes then whisk again, as it will have absorbed some liquid in that time. If it still isn’t smooth after an hour, don’t worry. It’ll smooth out when mixing the batter.
When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350. If your oven bakes fast/hotter than normal, you may need to reduce this to 325. Lightly grease and flour three 6” or two 8” or 9” cake pans and line with parchment paper or silicone cake liners (my fave!).
Sift then whisk together the flour, baking powder, sea salt, cinnamon, and spices. Whisk until the mixture is evenly light brown from the spices. Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or a large mixing bowl using a hand mixer), beat the butter on high for about 30 seconds, until smooth. Add the brown sugar and white sugar and beat on high until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Scrape the bowl halfway through.
Add the eggs, one at a time, beating on medium until well-combined and scraping the bowl between each addition. Add the vanilla and beat on medium again until fully combined. If needed, beat on high for a few seconds just until smooth (room temperature ingredients help it come together more easily).
Add ⅓ of the flour mixture and mix on low just until barely combined. Then, add ½ the eggnog/espresso and beat on low just until combined. Don’t worry if it looks a little separated. Continue this process, adding another ⅓ of the flour, then the rest of the eggnog, then the rest of the flour, mixing just until barely combined each time. After it’s all added, scrape the bowl then turn the mixer to medium for 1-2 seconds to help smooth it out. Don’t mix it too long. It doesn’t have to be silky smooth, just not separated or curdled looking (it’s not curdled, it’s just that this type of batter sometimes has that separated look).
Divide evenly between your cake pans and smooth the top with a spatula. Bake for 20-25 minutes if using 6” pans or 25-30 minutes if using 8” or 9” pans, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Check early, though, as ovens and climate can drastically alter bake time. Cool in the pans for at least 5-10 minutes then remove to a cooling rack until completely cool.
While the cake cools is a perfect time to make the brown sugar spice buttercream, since it requires some cooling time itself. If you plan to chill the cake layers in the fridge or freezer to speed things up, then be sure to cook the brown sugar and cream mixture before you start the cake itself (ideally when you take your cold ingredients out to soften). Be sure to chill the cake after filling it and spreading a crumb coat, as the filling needs to set before you frost the outside.

Enjoy!

Cake layers can be made ahead, wrapped well in plastic wrap (I suggest a double layer), and stored on the counter overnight, in the fridge for 2-3 days, or frozen for 1-2 months. Frosting can be made ahead, stored in an airtight container, and stored at room temperature overnight, in the fridge for up to a month, or in the freezer for up to 3 months, but you will want to let it come to room temperature then whip it with a mixer for a couple minutes to fluff it back up. Leftover cake should be covered with plastic wrap touching the cut section of the cake plus more to cover the whole cake (or in a cake container--but keep the cut sides touching plastic wrap) and stored on the counter unless the filling requires refrigeration.