Easy Eggnog Coffee Cake Recipe (regular or bundt) (2024)

You are going to love this mouthwatering and simple eggnog coffee cake recipe, because who doesn’t like cake for breakfast!? Tender, fluffy coffee cake gently spiced with nutmeg and cinnamon and topped with a warm brown sugar streusel, drizzled with a simple eggnog glaze.

Is eggnog your jam? Got leftover eggnog? I adore eggnog; straight up, frothed in a latte and it’s a fabulous ingredient to use in baking! But even if you are not a fan of eggnog and you are only here looking for leftover eggnog recipes – I have you covered.

If you love this leftover eggnog recipe, you will enjoy my Eggnog Scones and these Eggnog Gooey Butter Cookies and don’t forget to make this Starbucks Eggnog Latte! If you bake at high altitude, plus how to make this into an eggnog bundt cake — I’ve got all of the tips and tricks!

If you are looking for more great coffee cake recipes, you will want to try my Easy Pumpkin Spice Coffee cake, this Cranberry Christmas cake is crazy good and this popular Cinnamon Swirl Bundt Cake (started with a cake mix) and my personal favorite Blueberry Crumb Cake.And while it’s not a cake, these Cinnamon rolls are definitely worth making.

Simple Ingredients for Eggnog Bundt Cake

• Butter | Use real cream butter, my mantra is “it’s not real butter if it is soft out of the fridge.”
• Sugar | White or all natural cane sugar here, I always bake with cane sugar.
• Eggs | Eggs add moisture and will bind your ingredients together.
• Eggnog | I prefer full-fat eggnog, but lower fat versions will work fine, as well as plant-based eggnog such as Silk Soy Nog.
• Greek Yogurt | You can also replace this with sour cream, I use full-fat when using either.
• Leavening | We will use both baking powder and baking soda along with a little salt in this recipe, reducing the amounts for high altitude recipes.
• Flour | Use a good unbleached, all-purpose flour, I like this organic flour.
• Vanilla Extract | Use homemade vanilla extract, bourbon vanilla extract or rum extract.
• Nutmeg | A little fresh nutmeg goes a long way to amplify the flavor in this eggnog cake recipe.
• Streusel Topping Ingredients | You will make a quick brown sugar streusel topping with a little butter, flour, cinnamon and nutmeg.

Instructions

Decide which type of pan you will use. I tested this in a 9×13 inch pan and a 10 cup bundt pan and it worked fabulous! Be sure to spray your pan well with a flour based baking spray, or butter it well, then dust with a little flour.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees (375 degrees for high altitude).

Step 1 | Make up the Brown Sugar Streusel Topping

In a small mixing bowl or baggie, using your hands or a fork, combine brown sugar, butter, cinnamon, and nutmeg (and nuts if using) until mixture is combined and sticks together when squeezed. Set aside.

Step 2 | Making Eggnog Coffee Cake

In a large batter bowl or stand mixer cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy and well combined.

Add eggs, one at a time, beating on low for 1 minute after each addition. Scrape sides of bowl.

Whisk together eggnog, Greek yogurt, and vanilla extract in a small bowl.

Measure out the eggnog in a 2 cup measuring cup (remember you only need one cup though), you will have room to mix in the Greek yogurt and vanilla, saving a dish!

In a 4 cup or larger bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and nutmeg until combined.

Alternately add a ½ cup at a time of the flour mixture and the eggnog mixture, beating well after each addition. Scrape the sides of the bowl and then mix on medium speed for 1 minute.

Spread the mixture evenly into prepared pan, then top with streusel topping*.

Bundt Pan Prep | Two Ways

• Streusel on Top | Fill the bundt pan with all of the batter, then sprinkle streusel topping on top, pressing gently into the batter.
• Streusel Center | Spread a little more than ½ the batter into the prepared bundt pan, then sprinkle the streusel topping evenly over the batter, spreading the remaining batter on top.

Step 3 | Baking the Eggnog Cake Recipe

Bake on center rack of oven.

• 9×13 inch pan | bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out mostly clean (a few moist crumbs is fine).
• Bundt Pan | bake for 40-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Remove from oven, cool 10 minutes, then invert onto a cooling rack to cool further.

Step 4 | Making Eggnog Glaze

Allow the coffee cake to cool for 10-20 minutes, then make the easy eggnog glaze to go on top.

In a small bowl stir together eggnog and powdered sugar along with ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg; add eggnog a little at a time, until desired consistency. Drizzle on top of cake. I suggest doubling the glaze if drizzling over a bundt cake as you have more “real estate” to cover so to speak.

Overnight Coffee Cake Instructions

If making the night before, assemble the cake through the streusel topping and store covered in the refrigerator overnight. Bring to room temperature while preheating the oven. Bake as directed.

*Streusel topping may be put on the night before, or the morning of, I have not found that it makes much difference.

High Altitude Coffee Cake with eggnog

This recipe is pretty forgiving when it comes to high altitude, but I have a few adjustments for you.

1. Increase unbleached all-purpose flour by ¼ cup.
2. Reduce granulated sugar to ¾ cup
3. Reduce baking powder to 1 teaspoon
4. Batter should be thick, but if too dry then add a little extra whole milk, eggnog, do not overmix. I used an extra tablespoon.
5. Increase baking temperature to 375F degrees and start checking for doneness at 35 minutes (9×13 and 45 for Bundt), covering if needed if browning too quickly.

Variations & Substitutions

• No eggnog? No worries, you can substitute 1:1 with milk, buttermilk or cream in baking recipes, but add a little extra nutmeg and vanilla.substitute eggnog in cake mix
• For a dairy free, lactose free version, substitute eggnog with a plant based eggnog and replace butter with your favorite plant based butter, or coconut oil.
• Love nuts? I love nuts on my eggnog coffee cake, but my son has a tree-nut allergy, so I leave them off; stir in ½ cup of chopped pecans, walnuts or almonds to the streusel topping for this Christmas coffee cake.
• Gluten-Free Eggnog Coffee Cake | I have had great luck swapping out the regular flour with my favorite Gluten-Free All Purpose Flour, let me know if you try it!
• Make it a Cranberry Eggnog Coffee Cake | Add up to 4 cups fresh or frozen cranberries folding into the batter at the very end, before the streusel.

Frequently Asked Questions

Storage

Store the leftover coffee cake (completely cooled) covered on the counter for up to 4 days, refrigerate up to 7 days and if desired, freeze (best to hold off on the glaze until you thaw) up to 3 months in airtight wrapping. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator for best results.

Why Use Fresh Grated Nutmeg?

I’m glad you asked. This is one spice that I adore using fresh grated nutmeg, the flavor, taste explodes on your taste buds using fresh grated nutmeg. A nutmeg grater is super handy as it will collect the nutmeg for you, but I just use this microplane grater, since I use this for other nuts and spices too.

It’s inexpensive and so easy and pretty to use as a garnish on coffee cakes, scones, coffee drinks and I love it on white sauce pastas like Alfredo’s or it’s especially delicious on this Panera Copycat Autumn Squash Soup.

I hope you loved this recipe eggnog coffee cake — if you did, would you share your creation onInstagram,FacebookandPinterest? And be sure to comment below!