Add some spice to your holiday baking with a judicious use of alcohol
The holiday season is quickly approaching, and you should be looking for ways to enhance your traditional baked goods. Spice your culinary season up by baking with booze this year.
If you don’t already bake with liquor I want to encourage you to start this season as alcohol promises to provide you with just the right amount of flavor to warm up your favorite holiday cakes, and I’m not talking about your great grandmother’s traditional (and questionable) fruitcake.
Why bake with alcohol you ask? For one, it adds flavors that are present in the alcohol itself, flavors that are determined by the fruit, grain or other source used during the fermentation process. Since alcohol evaporates easily, it takes flavors from the cake and carries those also. These delish cakes smells seem stronger because it is being carried by the alcohol to your nose, where flavors are interpreted.
Tell your aunt Betty not to worry because most the alcohol cooks off during the baking process, however a reasonable percent will remain in the finished product. In 2003, the USDA conducted a study showing that five to eight five percent of alcohol will remain in the baked good depending on the cooking time. So, desserts with longer baking times will have less alcohol present when it is time to cut the cake.
When baking with booze you want to start with a little, then add more depending on your taste preference. A good rule of thumb is to use the same amount of alcohol as you would an extract. You should also really consider substituting liquor for extracts when cooking cakes and other desserts.
For example, Bourbon is often aged in oak barrels, giving it a smoky vanilla flavor. Think of it as a vanilla/almond extract combo, that you can add to pie filling, cake mixes, and cookie dough.
Beyond flavor, alcohol can also affect the texture of your baked goods. Adding a splash of vodka into your pie dough can help create a super flaky dough—unlike water, vodka doesn’t develop as much gluten in the pie dough.
The same goes with tart and shortbread dough—for flaky results, just add in a splash of vodka.
Just remember, when choosing a liquor to add to your cake mix, you get what you pay for. You don’t want to drink a cheap liquor? Then you certainly don’t want to cook with one either.
Baking cheap liquor doesn’t magically make it taste better. You should always purchase a brand you enjoy drinking, since your recipe will only require a small amount, allowing you to finish off the rest before, during or after baking.
If you have never tried baking with alcohol it is worth experimenting with this holiday season. Even if you aren’t a big drinker, you should still give it a try, you could possibly find that you created a new holiday favorite for the whole family. Now that you have a few tips to lead you, get baking, and remember that the kitchen is a place meant for fun and experimenting.
Maple-Bourbon Banana Pudding Cake
Ingredients
- 6 tbsp. unsalted butter
- ½ c. superfine sugar
- 1 overripe banana
- 1 large egg
- 1 c. whole milk
- 1 c. all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp. baking powder
- 1 pinch salt
- ¾ c. pure maple syrup
- ½ c. light brown sugar
- 2 tbsp. bourbon
- ¼ c. finely chopped pecans
- Vanilla ice cream
Directions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In a deep, 2-quart baking or soufflé dish, melt the butter in the microwave.
Whisk in the superfine sugar and banana, mashing until thoroughly combined. Whisk in the egg and milk.
In a bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt; whisk into the baking dish until combined (the batter will be pretty loose).
In a microwave-safe cup, heat the maple syrup, light brown sugar, and 1/2 cup of hot water at high power until hot, 1 minute. Add the bourbon.
Drizzle the syrup mixture over the batter; it will seep to the bottom. Do not stir. Scatter the pecans on top.
Set the dish on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 40 minutes, until the cake is golden. Let cool for 5 minutes, then scoop into bowls, and serve with ice cream.