Contest Winning Eggnog Cake Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans.
• Beat 1/2 cup butter and 1 1/4 cups sugar with an electric mixer in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Mixture should be noticeably lighter in color. Add eggs, one at a time, allowing each egg to blend into butter mixture before adding the next. Stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 1/4 teaspoon lemon peel, mixing well.
• Combine 2 cups flour, baking powder, and 1 teaspoon salt in a bowl. Pour flour mixture into the batter alternately with 1 cup eggnog, mixing until just incorporated. Stir in bourbon. Divide batter evenly between prepared pans.
• Bake in preheated oven until cake springs back when touched lightly with a fingertip or a toothpick inserted in the centers comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes (test both cake layers). Cool in pans for 10 minutes before inverting on a wire rack to cool completely.
• To make frosting, combine 1/4 cup flour and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a saucepan. Gradually whisk in 1 1/2 cups eggnog, whisking until smooth.
• Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring frequently. When mixture boils, cook for 2 minutes, whisking constantly, until thickened. Remove from heat and let cool completely to room temperature.
• Beat 1 cup butter and 1 1/2 cups sugar in a bowl until light and fluffy. Mix in cooled eggnog mixture, 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, rum extract, and 1/8 teaspoon grated lemon peel. Beat on high speed until mixture is fully incorporated and frosting is fluffy.
• Spread cake with plain frosting between cake layers, over the top and on the sides. Coat the sides with toasted pecans, pressing the nuts onto sides in small handfuls. Refrigerate until serving time.

Steps:

• Make the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray. Whisk the flour, baking powder, nutmeg, cinnamon, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. Beat the butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the eggs, egg yolk and vanilla until combined.
• Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the flour mixture in three batches,
• alternating with the sour cream in two batches. Increase the mixer speed to medium high and beat until well combined, about 30 seconds. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan; set aside.
• Make the topping: Combine the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in a medium bowl. Work in the butter with your fingers until clumpy. Scatter the topping over the cake batter. Bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 1 hour to 1 hour 10 minutes. Transfer to a rack and let cool 20 minutes, then remove the springform ring and let cool completely.
• Make the glaze: Whisk the confectioners' sugar with 3 tablespoons eggnog in a medium bowl until smooth. If the glaze is too thick, gradually whisk in the remaining 1 tablespoon eggnog as needed. Drizzle the glaze over the cake before serving.

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, combine sugar and cornstarch. Stir in cranberry juice until smooth. Add cranberries. Bring to a boil over medium heat; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from the heat; set aside. , Preheat oven to 325°. In a small bowl, combine cracker crumbs and sugar; stir in butter. Press onto the bottom of a greased 9-in. springform pan. Place pan on a baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. , In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add flour and beat well. Add eggs; beat on low just until combined. Add eggnog and vanilla; beat just until blended. Pour two-thirds of the filling over crust. Top with half of the cranberry mixture (cover and refrigerate remaining cranberry mixture). Carefully spoon remaining filling on top. Return pan to baking sheet., Bake until center is almost set, 60-70 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen; cool 1 hour longer. Refrigerate overnight. Remove sides of pan. Spoon remaining cranberry mixture over cheesecake. Refrigerate leftovers.