A holiday eggnog cake, studded with chopped red and green maraschino cherries, served with a rum-flavored butter sauce.

Dairyland Holiday Dessert

3 1/4 cups cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup butter
1 3/4 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups eggnog
2/3 cup chopped red maraschino cherries, well-drained
1/3 cup chopped green maraschino cherries, well drained

 

Butter Sauce:
1 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/2 cup half-and-half
1/2 cup butter
1/2 teaspoon rum extract

1. Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C).
2. Grease and flour a 10-inch fluted tube pan or tube pan; set aside.
3. In a medium bowl combine the cake flour, baking powder, nutmeg and salt; set aside.
4. In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Blend in eggs and vanilla. Add the flour mixture alternately with the eggnog, mixing well after each addition. Stir in cherries. Pour into greased and floured 10-inch fluted tube pan or tube pan.
5. Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 15 minutes, remove from pan. Serve warm or at room temperature with Butter Sauce.
6. For Butter Sauce: Combine sugar and cornstarch in saucepan; gradually add half-and-half. Add butter, bring to boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Stir in rum extract.

Makes 12 servings.

Recipe provided courtesy of Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board, Inc.