Eggnog Poke Cake
Description
Eggnog stars in the sauce that infuses this festive poke cake made with a spiced rum and nutmeg base and capped with eggnog whipped cream.
Ingredients
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2 cups all-purpose flour
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1 1/2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
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1 teaspoon baking soda
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1 teaspoon baking powder
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1/2 teaspoon salt
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1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
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1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
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1 cup white sugar
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1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
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3 eggs
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1 teaspoon vanilla extract
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1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
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1/2 cup spiced rum
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4 egg yolks
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1/3 cup white sugar
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1/4 cup all-purpose flour
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3 tablespoons cornstarch
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1 teaspoon vanilla extract
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1/4 teaspoon salt
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1 cup 2% milk
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1 cup eggnog
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1 cup heavy whipping cream
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1/2 cup eggnog
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1 tablespoon powdered sugar
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1 teaspoon vanilla extract
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1 pinch salt
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1 pinch freshly grated nutmeg, or to taste
Directions
1
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease or line a 9-inch cake pan with parchment paper.
2
Whisk flour, nutmeg, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and cloves together in a medium bowl. Set aside.
3
Beat sugar and butter together in a large bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in vanilla extract. Add 1/3 of the flour mixture and stir until just combined. Pour in 1/2 of the cream and 1/2 of the spiced rum and mix until just combined. Continue alternating adding the flour mixture, cream, and spiced rum until combined. Do not overmix. Pour batter into the prepared pan.
4
Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Allow to cool for 5 minutes in pan before removing to a serving platter.
5
While cake is baking, make the eggnog sauce. Whisk egg yolks and sugar together in a small bowl. Mix in flour, cornstarch, vanilla extract, and salt; mixture will be very thick.
6
Combine milk and eggnog in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Heat until just barely simmering. Slowly pour 1/2 of the hot milk mixture into the egg yolk mixture, whisking constantly. Pour egg yolk mixture back into the saucepan with the milk and eggnog; whisk to combine. Continue cooking, whisking constantly, until thickened, about 2 minutes.
7
Pour sauce through a fine-mesh sieve into a heat-safe bowl. Let cool slightly, then place a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the sauce to prevent a skin from forming.
8
While cake is still very warm, poke holes all over using the handle of a wooden spoon. Slowly pour eggnog sauce over cake and let soak in, spreading sauce over the cake with a spatula if necessary. Allow to cool completely, at least 30 minutes.
9
Make eggnog whipped cream just before serving. Beat cream, eggnog, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and salt together on high speed in a medium bowl until stiff peaks form.
10
Place several dollops of whipped cream on the completely cooled cake. Top with freshly grated nutmeg.