Don't drink the inventory...

[RedShoe]

hi y'all! I'm Donya and i'm a cakaholic. I first ate cake as a wee one and have been addicted since. Add to that my love of alcohol... That too started as a wee one sampling mom and dad's evening beverages. Fast forward 40 some odd years and i've combined my loves into an amazing adventure! I bake cocktail-inspired, spirit-infused bundt cakes and i love every second of it!

Confession of a Caketress: I have a marked disdain for frosting - the noun and the verb - which is why i chose bundts as my ladies of preference. They're beautiful all by themselves! A couple swirls of glaze, icing, topping and they're off and running!

Even though i've been at this for quite some time, i believe you can never know too much! i'm always game for new info, insights and strategies, so i welcome your thoughts and comments!

 

[ChesterV]

Im a cake-a-holic also, but I LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVES my frosting! Nouns AND verbs!!!!!

Frosting is the BEST part sometimes, depending on the cake and the type of frosting.

I loves Bundts too!

I'm not big on the booze cakes, I don't like the taste of alcohol. I do like frostings and icings and drizzles made with liquours and snapps though. You get more flavor than alcohol from those. My fav is amaretto. Mmmmmm.
Amaretto cake and orange frosting........OMG!!!!

 

[RedShoe]

Im a cake-a-holic also, but I LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVES my frosting! Nouns AND verbs!!!!!

Frosting is the BEST part sometimes, depending on the cake and the type of frosting.

I loves Bundts too!

I'm not big on the booze cakes, I don't like the taste of alcohol. I do like frostings and icings and drizzles made with liquours and snapps though. You get more flavor than alcohol from those. My fav is amaretto. Mmmmmm.
Amaretto cake and orange frosting........OMG!!!!

Hmmm... I can see adding a touch of orange to my Amaretto Sweets... Thank you! What i've found out about my cakes is that the alcohol flavor isn't strong, it's present, but not overbearing. That was my intention from the beginning and it seems like i've done it right. Between the alcohol and the topping, i want people to see those as supporting cast to the cake, not necessarily the ensemble players, you know?

 

[ChesterV]

I kind of prefer a different style............Mad Scientist.

I like to put things together that don't make sense, but taste good together, or at least enhance the other ingredients. Like chocolate and chili powder, lemon and dill, vanilla bean and black pepper.............yes, in cake! In frosting! In filling!!!!

 

[Norcalbaker59]

hi y'all! I'm Donya and i'm a cakaholic. I first ate cake as a wee one and have been addicted since. Add to that my love of alcohol... That too started as a wee one sampling mom and dad's evening beverages. Fast forward 40 some odd years and i've combined my loves into an amazing adventure! I bake cocktail-inspired, spirit-infused bundt cakes and i love every second of it!

Confession of a Caketress: I have a marked disdain for frosting - the noun and the verb - which is why i chose bundts as my ladies of preference. They're beautiful all by themselves! A couple swirls of glaze, icing, topping and they're off and running!

Even though i've been at this for quite some time, i believe you can never know too much! i'm always game for new info, insights and strategies, so i welcome your thoughts and comments!

Welcome. I love bundt cakes, too. I usually just add a simple syrup made with equal parts sugar and liquid. The liquid is usually 1 part water, 3 parts juice. I add it to the warm cake using a squeeze bottle. Then add more the next day. I have a hard rule with bundt cakes--never serve the day of the bake. A bundt is best given at least a day to rest. I once took some baby Bundt cakes to my sister's house. She doesn't have much of a sweet tooth, so she didn't get around to eating them for a couple days. Next thing I know I get a text stating, "OMG! The flavor!" So even a couple days to soak in the simple syrup is good.

 

[RedShoe]

i'm going to read up on simple syrups, but they just sound like additional sugar to me. what do you see as their main purpose?

Typically i bake a day or two before delivery, so the flavors have had time to marry. i usually suggest they eat them within a week though because i don't use any kinds of preservatives (other than alcohol, lol!). But i've been told that even after a week, it was still flavorful. a little dry, but nothing ice cream couldn't solve!

 

[Norcalbaker59]

i'm going to read up on simple syrups, but they just sound like additional sugar to me. what do you see as their main purpose?

Typically i bake a day or two before delivery, so the flavors have had time to marry. i usually suggest they eat them within a week though because i don't use any kinds of preservatives (other than alcohol, lol!). But i've been told that even after a week, it was still flavorful. a little dry, but nothing ice cream couldn't solve!

Simple syrup will eliminate your dry cake problem while enhancing flavor.

I don't know of a cake baker, pastry chef, or bakery that doesn't use it as standard procedure.

 

[ChesterV]

Simple syrup will eliminate your dry cake problem while enhancing flavor.

I don't know of a cake baker, pastry chef, or bakery that doesn't use it as standard procedure.

Yeah, I used simple syrup as a base for adding flavorings to cake while using enough SS to keep the cake moist until I could get it frosted...........mainly on wedding cakes. Here in Texas, it can get super hot in the summer, and can cause a rash of dry cake problems. SS solved that problem and adding additional flavors to it helped with making different varieties of cakes.

You don't have to use sugar or corn syrup as a base either. You can use fruit juice reduction, or use maple syrup, sorgum, or even molasses if you want. Yes, they are sugary, but they aren't straight sugar sources.

If you like things like Tres Leches, you can make a SS with cream or different types of milks.

Depending on what you want and what you want to use in your SS, will depend on how it's made and what goes in it.



And yes.......you can even use alcoholic based flavorings, like snapps, or liquoures.

 

[Norcalbaker59]

Yeah, I used simple syrup as a base for adding flavorings to cake while using enough SS to keep the cake moist until I could get it frosted...........mainly on wedding cakes. Here in Texas, it can get super hot in the summer, and can cause a rash of dry cake problems. SS solved that problem and adding additional flavors to it helped with making different varieties of cakes.

You don't have to use sugar or corn syrup as a base either. You can use fruit juice reduction, or use maple syrup, sorgum, or even molasses if you want. Yes, they are sugary, but they aren't straight sugar sources.

If you like things like Tres Leches, you can make a SS with cream or different types of milks.

Depending on what you want and what you want to use in your SS, will depend on how it's made and what goes in it.



And yes.......you can even use alcoholic based flavorings, like snapps, or liquoures.

Yes to the booze. Just burn off the alcohol first as it can leave an acrid aftertaste. And I always inform the guests of alcohol. Some people cannot consume any products with alcohol for religious or health reasons. I have a family member who is a recovered alcoholic, so he will not eat anything with alcohol in it. I always make an alcohol free option for him.

By the way, extracts are alcohol based, while the alcohol burns on in baking, it is full strength in the bottle. So extracts should always be secured away from children and pets.

 

[ninamari]

hi y'all! I'm Donya and i'm a cakaholic. I first ate cake as a wee one and have been addicted since. Add to that my love of alcohol... That too started as a wee one sampling mom and dad's evening beverages. Fast forward 40 some odd years and i've combined my loves into an amazing adventure! I bake cocktail-inspired, spirit-infused bundt cakes and i love every second of it!

Confession of a Caketress: I have a marked disdain for frosting - the noun and the verb - which is why i chose bundts as my ladies of preference. They're beautiful all by themselves! A couple swirls of glaze, icing, topping and they're off and running!

Even though i've been at this for quite some time, i believe you can never know too much! i'm always game for new info, insights and strategies, so i welcome your thoughts and comments!

A little late to the party but... Welcome to the forums!!

I'm with you with the frosting and I'm glad I'm not the only one!! They're usually too sweet to my liking so I scrape off whatever frosting/icing is present in the cake or cupcake, push it off to the side, and enjoy the actual cake.

 

[RedShoe]

Not trying to be boastful or anything, but i've never had a dryness issue with my cakes, with or without alcohol. One of the many reasons i make bundts is because they hold their moisture. But even in making 9x13's and layers, i've always been commended on the moistness. Maybe that's why the concept of SS has gone right over my head? I baste my cakes with the complementary alcohol, sometimes mixed with the fruit juice, to make up for the alcohol that baked out an add flavor (same concept?), but i don't drench them like i've seen bakers do with the SS. i brush on a couple ounces of liquid. I don't expect my cakes to last long enough to get dry and don't recommend refrigerating them unless they have a fruit topping, so maybe that eliminates some of the drying issue? i don't know...

 

[ChesterV]

Not trying to be boastful or anything, but i've never had a dryness issue with my cakes, with or without alcohol. One of the many reasons i make bundts is because they hold their moisture. But even in making 9x13's and layers, i've always been commended on the moistness. Maybe that's why the concept of SS has gone right over my head? I baste my cakes with the complementary alcohol, sometimes mixed with the fruit juice, to make up for the alcohol that baked out an add flavor (same concept?), but i don't drench them like i've seen bakers do with the SS. i brush on a couple ounces of liquid. I don't expect my cakes to last long enough to get dry and don't recommend refrigerating them unless they have a fruit topping, so maybe that eliminates some of the drying issue? i don't know...

Well, working in some bakeries that I did, we had to use standard recipes, and sometimes the ovens didnt agree with the timing we set it too or the heat we set it too, so things got out of control once in a while. I hate bakery ovens, so untrustworthy. Never had a problem working from my own kitchen though. LOL