Eggnog Spice Cake with Rum Buttercream Meringue Frosting

For the cake:

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Grease an 8×8-inch baking pan or round cake pan.

Sift together salt, cloves, cinnamon, flour, and baking soda; reserve.

Cream shortening and brown sugar until smooth. Beat in egg, rum, and vanilla. Mix in eggnog. Gradually add in the flour mixture until combined.

Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 30 minutes.

For the frosting:

Combine sugar, egg whites, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer. Place the bowl over a pan of simmering water. Whisking gently but constantly, heat mixture until slightly thickened, foamy, and it registers 150ºF on an instant-read thermometer, about 2-3 minutes.

Place bowl in a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Beat mixture on medium speed until it has the consistency of shaving cream and is slightly cooled, 1-2 minutes. Add butter, 1 piece at a time, until smooth and creamy. Once all butter is added, add rum extract; mix until combined.

Increase speed to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy and thoroughly combined, about 30 seconds. Spread on cooled cake.