Baking Clinic - does booze bake out of cake?
 

We're having a bake-off in my department and I was going to bring one of my specialties, either Guinness gingerbread or Guinness chocolate cake. however the head of my department is in AA and I have course don't want to do anything to offend her. Does alcohol cook out of baking goods the way it cooks out of other foods? I'd put a note, but if she really can't eat them I'm probably not going to do it.

OMNI Baking Clinic - does booze bake out of cake?
 

http://whatscookingamerica.net/Q-A/AlcoholCooking.htm

I had checked that site
 

they don't give any info for alcohol used as the cooking liquid for a cake. Only alcohol added after.

Go to the Q&A page as there is a chart when alcohol is stirred into the mixture

Even if there is no alcohol in it after baking, the suggestion in the name alone is probably best avoided.

Why not just ask her if it would present a problem?

I'm guessing you haven't worked in academia before
 

As an adjunct, I would not ask my department chair if it was okay to put booze in my baked goods. I would certainly label them, but if it's possible that she wouldn't be able to eat them, I'm just not going to risk it.

I would suggest not brining it simply because of the whole liquor aspects (and you can't get N/A Guinness.) I was warned not even to bring beer brats to work once (and they boiled in beer for 90 minutes.)

That all being said, this sounds good, could you share the recipe?

This thread made me think of my grandmother's fruitcake recipe. I remember she was always so happy when she made it. Fortunately she passed it on to the family and I would like to share it with everyone. :)

Fruitcake Recipe

Ingredients:

1 cup water
1 cup sugar
4 large eggs
2 cups candied fruit
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup brown sugar
lemon juice
nuts
1 bottle whiskey (sample the whiskey to check for quality)

Directions:

1. Take a large bowl. Check the whiskey again - to be sure it is the highest quality, pour one level cup and drink. Repeat.
2. Turn on the electric mixer, beat one cup of butter in a large fluffy bowl.
3. Add one teaspoon of sugar and beat again.
4. Make sure the whiskey is still okay. Cry another tup.
5. Turn off the mixer.
6. Break two leggs and add to the bowl and chuck in the cup of candied fruit.
7. Mix on the turner. If the fried druit gets stuck in the beaterers, pry it loose with a drewscriver.
8. Sample the whiskey to check for tonsisticity.
9. Next, sift two cups of salt. Or something. Who cares?
10. Check the whiskey.
11. Now sift the lemon juice and strain your nuts.
12. Add one table. Spoon. Of sugar or something. Whatever you can find.
13. Grease the oven.
14. Turn the cake tin to 350 degrees. Don't forget to beat off the turner.
15. Throw the bowl out of the window, check the whiskey again and go to bed.

Enjoy!

This. As good as it sounds, I don't think it is appropriate fora workplace event, especially given the circumstances described in the OP.

if it were just us instructors and professors
 

liquor flows freely at these types of events that the chair rarely attends. ...but she will be at this one

recipe is my take on the gramercy tavern recipe
 

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/fo...erbread-103087

Adjustments:
• No white sugar
•.only 1/2 cup molasses
• I use egg substitute - the stuff in the milk section - to replace the eggs as I don't usually buy eggs at home.

OMNI Baking Clinic - does booze bake out of cake?
 

How long do you bake it for and at what temperature?

Pretty sure all the ethanol will be gone. But someone in AA may still think it's not appropriate.

The amount of alcohol in Guinness is less tha 8%. Any residual after baking will be less than in fresh fruit.

If you aren't sure, why not just err on the side of caution and bring something else?