Eggnog Pound Cake with Crystal Rum Glaze

Happy National Bundt Day! Though I’m not usually on top of food holidays, National Bundt Day is an easy one to remember because my friend Mary, The Food Librarian, always celebrates in a big way. For three years now, she’s made and posted 30 straight days of bundt cakes leading up to National Bundt Day! That’s a lot of bundts; if you’re in search of just the right bundt cake, there is no better resource out there Mary posted a recap of this year’s 30 bundts today on her blog today, check them out here. If you want to join in the fun, make a bundt and send Mary a photo (details on her site), and she’ll send you a button.

I didn’t actually think I’d have time to bake along with Mary this year but at the last minute I remembered I’d whipped up this eggnog pound cake a week or two ago that I could share. In the interest of full disclosure, I don’t really like eggnog for drinking, but similar to coffee, I do enjoy baking with it. The eggnog just started appearing on the shelves of my grocery store and I snatched some up to have on hand for recipes this holiday season. This bundt includes not only the eggnog, but also rum soaked currants (or raisins in my case) and freshly grated nutmeg. The glaze is pretty fun too – it’s a combination of sugar, rum and water that is brushed on the warm cake and crystallizes as the cake cools (hence the crystal rum glaze title). I think this cake would be a big hit at your holiday parties this year, who doesn’t love boozy cake?

Eggnog Pound Cake with Crystal Rum Glaze
from Baking for All Occasions by Flo Braker

Cake
1/2 cup (65 g) dried currants (or raisins)
2 tablespoons dark rum (or water)
3 cups (390 g) all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups (400 g) sugar
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup eggnog
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Glaze
3/4 cup (150 g) sugar
2 tablespoons dark rum
2 tablespoons water

Combine the currants and rum in a small bowl. Macerate for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray a 12-cup bundt pan with nonstick cooking spray with flour.

In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, salt and nutmeg together. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter until smooth and creamy. With the mixer on medium speed, add the sugar in a steady stream and continue beating until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes (stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary). Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Alternately add the flour mixture (in 4 additions) and the eggnog (in 3 additions), beginning and ending with the dry ingredients, and beating just until each addition is incorporated. Mix in the vanilla.

Transfer the batter to the prepeared pan. Bake for 55-65 minutes, or until the cake springs back when lightly pressed, and a thin knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let the cake cool for 10 minutes while you make the glaze.

To make the glaze: Use a rubber spatula to stir all of the ingredients together in a small bowl. Turn the cake out onto a wire rack, and place a sheet of waxed paper underneath to catch the dripping glaze. Use a pastry brush to coat the top and sides of the warm bundt. Let the cake cool completely before serving.