Alcohol in baking

[bakeryoo]

Do any of you use wine or spirits when baking? And how do you decide what to add to your cakes, l know that you add rum to fruit cakes but that's about it.

 

[Cheerio]

I've had Amaretto cake before, but I wasn't the one that baked it so I don't know how much they put into the batter. It had a nice flavor. I've also eaten Kahlua cake that was delicious. There is a beer bread that I liked too.

I've never had any bakery with hard liquor (except rum balls and fruitcake) so I can't vouch for how they taste. I think as far as alcohol in bakery it would mostly be flavored liqueurs.

 

[Christine Mlinek]

oh I have experimented a time or two with the libations! some worked, some def. not. LOL but I love to experiment.
I have done baileys and kahlua in cakes, usually start off with the boxed cake mix and replace half the water with the alcohol. or a third, depending on how much you want to have in it

 

[Cheerio]

I haven't heard of any type of baking that involves wine but I would be interested in knowing more. I may just go to Google and see what turns up.

Most of the time when cooking with alcohol, it gets burned off in the process and just leaves the flavor. With baking I am not so sure and I'm thinking you need to be mindful of how flammable it is too. Plus the acidity may react with your other ingredients.

I don't really like a strong alcohol taste in food so a little is going to go a long way. Just enough to add some flavor components without overpowering.

 

[justusforus]

I have heard of Chambord (black currant) liquor, Frangelico (hazelnut) and Cointreau (orangey) used in cookies, cakes and breads (like nut breads). They all have such unique flavors it adds to the flavor. Just remembered, they add it to frostings too.

 

[Annette]

I don't usually add liquor to any cakes I have made I have heard if recipes that use it I just never tried it. I will have to give it a try and see how it turns out.

 

[Cheerio]

The main reason why I don't usually add anything like this to the items that I bake is because my friends and family all have such distinct likes and dislikes. Alcohol in cooking is one of those things people are either going to love or hate. When I cook for a party I try to make something that everyone is going to find appealing.

 

[Annette]

The only thing we have ever made with liquor was rum balls. My mom made this when we were kids and it was a good dessert. My sister made some last year and they turned out good. Our brother complsined about there being too much rum, but I thought there was just enough not too much.