Brandy Spiked Chocolate Eggnog Cake and a Giveaway!
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Ingredients
For Cake:
  • 1 Cup Unsalted Butter
  • 1¾ Cups White Sugar
  • 3 Eggs
  • 1½ tsp Vanilla
  • 1¾ Cups Whole Milk
  • 1½ tsp Baking Powder
  • 2½ Cups All-Purpose Flour
  • 6 Tbsp Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
  • 1 tsp Ground Cinnamon
  • 1 tsp Sea Salt
  • ½ Cup Semi-sweet Chocolate Chips
Eggnog Filling
  • 4 Cups Regular Non-alcoholic Eggnog
  • ½ Cup White Sugar
  • 2 Tbsp Unsalted Butter
  • 2 Tbsp All-Purpose Flour
  • ¼ tsp Ground Nutmeg
Brandy Glaze
  • ½ Cup Hot Water
  • 2 Tbsp Brandy
  • ¼ Cup Powdered Sugar
Brandy Buttercream Frosting
  • ½ Cup Unsalted Butter
  • 4-6 Cups Powdered Sugar
  • ¼ Cup Brandy
  • ½ Cup Milk
  • 1 tsp Vanilla
  • ½ tsp Sea Salt
Instructions
Cake:
  1. Preheat oven to 350°.
  2. Butter and flour three 9-inch cake rounds. Set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar.
  4. Add eggs one at a time, then add vanilla and salt.
  5. In a separate bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, cocoa powder, and cinnamon.
  6. Slowly pour flour mixture into butter mixture and blend, alternating with the whole milk. Add chocolate chips.
  7. Pour the cake batter equally between the 3 cake rounds.
  8. Bake in oven for 25-30 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Remove from oven, pat the cakes down to make the tops flat.
  9. Allow to cool for about 20 minutes and remove from pans. Set aside.
Eggnog Custard and Brandy Glaze:
  1. In a saucepan over medium heat, mix together eggnog, sugar, butter, and whisk in flour. Continue to heat and stir constantly.
  2. When mixture comes to a boil, continue to stir until reduced, about 15 minutes. A good test is to take a teaspoon full of the mixture and put it in the refrigerator for a few minutes. If it thickens in the fridge, it is finished.
  3. Remove from heat and stir in nutmeg. Continue to stir occasionally as custard cools.
  4. Place one layer of cake onto a cake plate and spoon ½ custard mixture on top.
  5. Using a knife, spread the custard out leaving about a half in rim all around. Place in fridge for 10 minutes.
  6. Put 2nd layer on top and create the Brandy glaze by mixing the hot water, powdered sugar, and Brandy.
  7. Use ¼-1/2 cup of the mixture and slowly pour onto the 2nd layer of cake allowing it to soak in.
  8. Repeat the custard step, place in fridge for 10 minutes, then place the final layer on top.
Brandy Buttercream Frosting:
  1. In a large bowl, blend butter until creamy.
  2. Slowly add powdered sugar, salt, vanilla, then Brandy.
  3. Very slowly add milk until it reaches the right consistency. You may not need all of the milk. To thicken, add more powdered sugar.
  4. Spread on cake with a cake knife or spatula. Reserve some to color if you want to decorate the cake.
  5. Place in fridge to set.
Recipe by The Pescetarian and the Pig at https://www.thepescetarianandthepig.com/2012/12/14/brandy-spiked-chocolate-eggnog-cake-and-a-giveaway/