These eggnog cupcakes are moist and tender with a gentle eggnog flavor and a hint of nutmeg. They’re piled high with eggnog buttercream that’s sweet, creamy and perfectly festive—ideal for holiday gatherings.
This post was updated November 29, 2022 with new photos, a slightly refined recipe for greater reliability, simpler ingredients and updated tips
I enjoy baking with eggnog because it gives baked goods a rich, comforting taste without the intensity of drinking a glassful. These cupcakes have a creamy, slightly spiced flavor with a subtle nutmeg note. The crumb is very moist and springy without feeling greasy. The buttercream is light, fluffy and carries the same festive eggnog flavor. Surprisingly, even people who aren’t sure about eggnog tend to enjoy these cupcakes—the flavor is balanced and approachable.
Where the Eggnog Flavor Comes From?
Eggnog traditionally contains milk, egg yolks, nutmeg and sometimes rum. To capture that classic flavor in these cupcakes, the recipe uses several key elements:
- Commercial eggnog in both the cupcake batter and the frosting for consistent flavor.
- An extra egg yolk in the batter to add richness and a custard-like note—egg yolks are a core component of classic eggnog.
- A small amount of ground nutmeg in both the cake and the frosting to enhance the eggnog flavor; don’t skip this even if your eggnog already contains nutmeg.
- Rum extract in the frosting to brighten the flavor and balance the sweetness; concentrated extract gives the rum note without thinning the frosting.
Baking Tips & Tricks
- Bring butter, eggs and eggnog to room temperature before mixing. This helps the batter combine smoothly without overmixing, which can create tough cupcakes or air pockets.
- Use commercially prepared eggnog when possible. Homemade eggnog recipes vary widely in sweetness and thickness, which makes it harder to reproduce consistent results.
- Fill liners about half to two-thirds full. You should get roughly 12 cupcakes from the batter.
- You can bake the cupcakes a day ahead. Cool completely, store in an airtight container overnight, and make the frosting on the day you serve them.
- Unfrosted cupcakes freeze well for up to two months; thaw in the refrigerator.
- Rum extract is recommended for the frosting to boost the eggnog character without thinning the icing. If you substitute actual rum, use only 1–2 teaspoons; more can make the frosting runny or taste alcoholic.
- If the frosting needs to be thicker without adding more powdered sugar, sift in 1–3 tablespoons of cornstarch (called cornflour in some countries).
- The frosting recipe yields enough to pipe generous swirls on all 12 cupcakes. If you prefer a thinner layer applied with a knife, halve the frosting ingredients (see notes in the recipe).
- I decorated mine with a Wilton 1M tip, a light dusting of nutmeg and a cinnamon stick. They also look lovely with seasonal sprinkles.
These eggnog cupcakes are a beautiful holiday dessert for parties, bake sales, or any festive occasion when you want something special. They pair especially well with ginger-spiced treats for a seasonal dessert spread.
Eggnog Cupcakes
By: Fiona Dowling
Moist, tender cupcakes flavored with eggnog and nutmeg, topped with a creamy eggnog buttercream—perfect for holiday celebrations.
Prep: 45
Cook: 16
Cooling: 1
Total: 2
Servings: 12 cupcakes
Equipment
-
12-cavity muffin pan
Ingredients
For the Cupcakes
- 1 and 1/3 cups all-purpose flour (167 grams)
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter (75 grams), softened to room temperature
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar (150 grams)
- 1 tablespoon vegetable or canola oil (15 ml)
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 large egg yolk (in addition to the whole egg); discard the white
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2/3 cup eggnog (160 ml), room temperature
For the Eggnog Buttercream
- 1 cup unsalted butter (226 grams), softened but still slightly firm
- 3–4 cups powdered sugar (330–440 grams), sifted
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon rum extract
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 3–4 tablespoons eggnog (45–60 ml)
- 1–3 tablespoons cornstarch, if needed to thicken (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C), or 325°F (170°C) for convection ovens. Line a 12-cavity muffin tin with paper liners.
- In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl using a stand or hand mixer, beat the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes.
- Mix in the oil and vanilla, then scrape the bowl down.
- Beat in the egg and the additional egg yolk (use one whole egg plus one yolk only).
- On low speed, add half of the flour mixture and mix until combined.
- With the mixer on low, add the eggnog and mix just until combined. Scrape the bowl as needed.
- Add the remaining flour mixture and mix until you no longer see streaks of flour.
- Divide the batter among the liners, filling each about 1/2 to 2/3 full. You should have 11–12 cupcakes.
- Bake 14–17 minutes, until tops are set and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few crumbs—no raw batter.
- Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling completely before frosting.
Eggnog Frosting
- In a large bowl, beat the butter until light and fluffy.
- Add 2 cups of powdered sugar, the salt, nutmeg and rum extract. Start on low and increase to medium speed until combined.
- Beat in 2 tablespoons of eggnog.
- Alternate adding the remaining powdered sugar and eggnog—about 1/2 cup powdered sugar then 1 tablespoon eggnog—until you reach the sweetness and consistency you want. If you need the frosting thicker without adding more sugar, beat in 1–3 tablespoons sifted cornstarch.
- Pipe or spread the frosting onto cooled cupcakes. Optionally dust with extra nutmeg and garnish with cinnamon sticks.
Notes
- Eggnog: This recipe was developed using commercially prepared eggnog for consistency. Homemade eggnog recipes vary in sweetness and thickness, which can change final results.
- Rum Extract: Rum extract enhances the eggnog flavor without thinning the frosting. If you prefer real rum, use 1–2 teaspoons, keeping in mind it may loosen the frosting slightly.
- Frosting Option: The full frosting recipe yields enough to pipe generous swirls. To make a smaller batch for spreading with a knife, halve the frosting ingredients: 1/2 cup butter, 1 1/2–2 cups powdered sugar, pinch of salt, 1/4 teaspoon rum extract, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, 1 1/2–2 tablespoons eggnog and 1/2–1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch if needed.
- Storage: Store cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days or refrigerated up to 5 days. If chilled, allow them to sit at room temperature 30–60 minutes before serving.
- Nutrition: Nutrition details are estimates per cupcake based on 12 servings and using all the frosting.
Nutrition
Calories: 437kcal, Carbohydrates: 55g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 23g
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