Golden Eggnog Cake

Total Time: 1 hr 35 mins Preparation Time: 35 mins Cook Time: 1 hr

Ingredients

• Servings: 25
• 1/2 cup sweet dried cherries, very coarsely chopped
• 1 tablespoon rum or 1 tablespoon brandy or 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or 1/2 cup pecans
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar or 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/4 cup unbleached flour
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, at room temperature (3 sticks, 12 ounces)
• 2 cups sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 large eggs
• 1/4 cup dark rum (optional) or 1/4 cup brandy (optional)
• 3 1/2 cups cups unbleached flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/4 cups eggnog or 1 1/4 cups light cream
• 4 ounces glazing sugar or 4 ounces confectioners' sugar
• 2 teaspoons eggnog or 2 teaspoons water or 2 teaspoons milk or 2 teaspoons cream
• 1 teaspoon rum or 1 teaspoon brandy or 1 teaspoon vanilla or 1/4 teaspoon eggnog, flavor
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Recipe

• 1 filling:.
• 2 mix the dried cherries with the liquor or vanilla, add the remaining ingredients, stir well and set aside.
• 3 stir occasionally so the cherries absorb the liquid evenly.
• 4 cake:.
• 5 preheat the oven to 325°f.
• 6 lightly grease a 10-inch tube or bundt-style pan.
• 7 in a large bowl, beat together the butter, sugar, nutmeg and salt until light and fluffy.
• 8 add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition until the batter looks fluffy. beat in the rum or brandy, if you're using it.
• 9 whisk the flour and baking powder together. beat in one-third of the flour mixture, then one-third of the eggnog or cream.
• 10 repeat, being sure to scrape the bottom and sides of the mixing bowl occasionally.
• 11 add the remaining flour and eggnog or cream, beating well.
• 12 spoon half the batter into the prepared pan. sprinkle with the nut and cherry mixture. top with the remaining batter.
• 13 smooth the top gently.
• 14 lift the cake pan several inches above the counter and drop it to the counter; repeat. this will eliminate any large air pockets or bubbles.
• 15 bake the cake for 1 hour, 15 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
• 16 remove the cake from the oven and place on a rack.
• 17 let the cake cool in the pan for 20 minutes, then loosen the edges with a knife and return to the rack to cool completely.
• 18 glaze:.
• 19 mix all of the glaze ingredients together, adding a bit of water if needed.
• 20 drizzle over the cooled cake.
• 21 yield: 1 cake.