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The Hungry {Romance} Writer: Spiced Eggnog Maji Cake

This recipe is a conglomeration of three recipes that I've adapted over the years. The first is a recipe from a poundcake posted by Kim at A Yankee in a Southern Kitchen, an eggnog cake posted by Lisa at My Own Sweet Thyme, and from a cranberry and ginger bread recipe from my best friend and critique partner, Mary Lenaburg. I've reworked this cake a few times and love how it turned out. It's a festive poundcake filled with lemon, cranberries, crystallized ginger, and eggnog. And, yes, all of the flavors blend beautifully! It's a perfect addition to our Epiphany celebration. And don't forget to slip a chocolate coin into the bottom of the cake for a lucky person to find! Whoever finds it becomes king or queen for the day and everyone has to do what they say until midnight.

Course Dessert
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Servings 12

Ingredients

Cake

  • 3 1/2 cups flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 cups light brown sugar firmly packed
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1½ cups butter softened
  • 6 large eggs
  • 2 Tablespoons lemon zest grated
  • 1 1/2 cups eggnog
  • 1 cup fresh cranberries chopped
  • 1/3 cup crystallized ginger finely chopped

Glaze

  • 3/4 cup Powdered sugar
  • 4 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1/2 teaspoons lemon zest grated
  • pinch salt

Treat for the king or queen of the day

  • 1 chocolate coin to hide in the cake

Instructions

Cake

  1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Grease and flour a bundt cake pan or 2 loaf pans.

  2. In a large bowl, stir together all the dry ingredients including the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

  3. In the large bowl of a standing electric mixer, use the paddle attachment to cream the butter, white sugar, and brown sugar. Mix until well blended and fluffy.

  4. Mix in the lemon zest.

  5. Alternating the flour mixture and the eggnog, start with the flour mixture by adding 1/3 of a cup and then some eggnog. Beat in between each addition, ending with the eggnog if possible. It should form a smooth batter when finished.

  6. Pour the batter in the prepared bundt pan or 2 loaf pans. Do not overfill! If you have extra batter, use it in a prepared muffin tins or a bread pan and bake it separately.

  7. Bake for 1 hour, testing it at 45 minutes to make sure it doesn't overflow or over bake. It is done when an inserted toothpick come out clean.

  8. Remove from the oven and cool on a baking rack for 15 minutes.

  9. The glaze is optional. But if you want to add it, make the glaze while the cake is cooling. Add all the glaze ingredients to a medium bowl and whisk it together until it's smooth and shiny and well blended.

  10. Take the cake out of the pan and place on a cake plate. In the bottom of the cake, make a small slit and slip in the chocolate coin. Then drizzle the glaze over the top and allow the bread to cool before serving it.