Well, it’s here.  Ready or not.  The big guy in the red suit is checking his list, loading up his sleigh and getting ready for a busy ride around the world.  Meanwhile, we’re over here in Boston checking our shopping lists, twice, because facing that crowd twice is not on anyone’s nice list.

What’s on my shopping list?  Ingredients for this Christmas Spice Cake with Eggnog Buttercream.  The happy to my holidays.  I’ve made this spice cake, hmmm, roughly 5 times this month.  Trust me, my pants aren’t happy about it, but my mouth is doing just spectacularly.  Luckily my coworkers are very willing to test the samples.  Aren’t they just the best?

Let’s talk about the Christmas Spice Cake

There are a few standard cakes in my repertoire.  My very favorite chocolate cake that’s been used in this Salted Caramel Pretzel Cake or this Pumpkin Buttercream Cake…or honestly anything I ever make anything chocolate cake.  And then this summer these Red Velvet Cupcakes got added to the list.  But now, you guys, we have a third cake to induct to the go-to list. Christmas Spice Cake.

We’re calling it Christmas Spice Cake because it’s got all those warming spices that make us think of cozy slippers and falling snow, but really it can be whenever-you-want spice cake.  Let’s be honest, whenever cakes are always the best cakes.

The tricky awesome part about Christmas Spice Cake is the wonderful combination of spices that perk up your tongue.  When you read the ingredients, your eyebrows are going to raise at the black pepper.  But trust me.  It provides just the subtlest kick of warm heat without even giving off that there is black pepper in the cake.  All you’re tasting is sweet cinnamon, spicy ginger, roasty clove and fluffy, moist cake.     All the wins.

But just waaaait….a present’s not a present until it’s wrapped right?  Well, here’s the most festive wrapping evah.

Eggnog Buttercream

If you’ve been tuning in on the Instastories, you’ll know the first attempt at this did not go so well.  Second attempt, we did things much different.  Results?  Creamy, dreamy eggnog buttercream.

And then if you’re extra, like me (I’m totally aware and unafraid) you add a white chocolate ganache drip to the top.  Hey, it’s Christmas.  Calories don’t count on Christmas.  Or Christmas Spice Cake for that matter.

From Henry, Shea, Charley Brown and myself we wish you the happiest of holidays.  Whether you celebrate Christmas or another holiday, embrace religion or just for the love of it.  We hope your holidays are magical.

Christmas Spice Cake with Eggnog Buttercream

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★★★★★

4.3 from 4 reviews

• Author: Lauren
• Prep Time: 45 minutes
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
• Yield: 10 to 12 servings
• Category: Dessert

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Description

Three layers of ultra moist cake with cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and more surrounded by creamy, sweet eggnog frosting.

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Ingredients

Christmas Spice Cake

• 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground clove
• 1/4 teaspoon pure ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon unsulphered molasses
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1 3/4 cup light brown sugar
• 1 1/2 cup unsweetened apple sauce
• 4 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla

Eggnog Buttercream

• 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter
• 4 1/2 cups confectioner’s sugar
• 7 tablespoons eggnog
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 cup heavy cream

White Chocolate Ganache

• 1 cup white chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup heavy cream

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Instructions

Christmas Spice Cake

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.  Grease and flour 3 8-inch cake pans, set aside.
2. In a medium size bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices (cinnamon through black pepper). Whisk together and set aside.
3. In the bowl of a standing mixer, or using a large bowl with a hand held mixer, add light brown sugar, vegetable oil, molasses and apple sauce.  Cream together on medium speed, making sure there are no lumps left from the brown sugar.  Add eggs and vanilla, mix on low speed 1 to 2 minutes until incorporated.
4. Working in three batches, add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients on low speed.  Mix to combine ingredients, scraping down the sides of the bowl when necessary.
5. Divide the cake batter evenly between the three pans.  Bake at 350°F for 25 to 30 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.
6. Let cake cool and prepare the frosting.  Once cake is completely cool, frost each layer and top and sides of the cake.  Once frosted, lightly drip the cooled ganache over the sides of the cake.  Pour ganache over the top and lightly smooth.  Optional:  Once ganache has set, lightly sprinkle top with spices.

Eggnog Buttercream

1. Cream the butter on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy.  Reduce speed to low, slowly adding confectioners sugar one cup at a time.
2. Add eggnog one tablespoon at a time, raising speed to medium.  Add ground nutmeg and beat for 2 minutes to incorporate.  Reduce speed to add heavy cream without splashing, slowly increase speed medium-high to whip the cream into the frosting.  Beat for 1 to 2 minutes until frosting is light and fluffy.

White Chocolate Ganache

1. In a small saucepan, bring heavy cream to a simmer.  Pour hot cream over white chocolate chips in a heat proof bowl.  Stir with a spatula until smooth.  Let sit for 10-20 minutes until cool but still liquid.  The warmer the chocolate ganache is, the longer your drips will be.  How long you cool it is a matter of preference and patience.

Notes

Prep time does not include assembly.

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