All-Natural Flavorings

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Nearly all desserts and icings are flavored with something. I’ve explored the endless possibilities of fresh ingredients, such as fruits or herbs, which can add incredible depth and flavor. Don’t be shy about mixing different types of flavoring. For example, in my Strawberry-Basil Icing on page 67, I partnered fresh strawberry puree with homemade basil-infused oil for an unforgettable cake filling. When I play around with flavorings, I’ll start off by adding a little at a time until it tastes just right. Measure as you go; this way you’ll know exactly how much to add the next time.

Infused Oils

You can make infused oils by steeping aromatic herbs, such as lavender or rosemary, in safflower oil. These oils are especially great for flavoring icings, such as the Lavender-Rosemary Icing on page 67. Combine herbs and enough safflower oil (or your favorite neutral-tasting oil) to cover in an airtight jar and let steep for at least 48 hours in a warm room or sunlight. Then strain out the herbs, and voilà! Refrigerate the oil in an airtight container for up to 6 months.

Spices and Herbs

Freshly grate or grind spices if possible. I find it helpful to use a mortar and pestle for spices such as anise and cinnamon. You’ll get a much stronger and truer flavor from spices when using them in their freshest form. When using fresh herbs, gently wash, remove the leaves from the stems, and chop just before adding to a cake batter or dessert.

Natural Organic Extracts

Look for oil-based extracts, such as almond, coconut, and lemon, which don’t contain alcohol. Oil-based extracts, made from the natural oils of a nut, seed, or plant, are much more concentrated than alcohol-based extracts. I’ve found that they tend to have a truer and more intense flavor.

Fruits and Vegetables

Whether you puree, juice, zest, slice, grate, or leave them whole, incorporating fruits or vegetables into desserts can be an easy way to add flair. Puree berries in a food processor to mix into your icing, or add them whole to a cake batter (fold them in at the last minute so they don’t break apart). Hardy fruits such as pears and apples can be sliced or cubed and added to the batter of Madagascar Vanilla Bean Cake on page 76 to vary the flavor. Lemon, lime, or orange zest can be added to any cake batter or icing for a fresh, tart flavor. For something a bit more unusual, add passion fruit pulp to your icing, like on page 68, or toss fresh pomegranate seeds on top of an icing layer while layering a cake. Vegetables and roots such as zucchini or ginger are best when finely grated. You can also replace milk in a recipe with fruit juice for added color and flavor, such as in my Orange-Carrot Cake recipe on page 81 or Classic Red Velvet Cake on page 95. Ground dehydrated fruits and vegetables and fruit or vegetable purees can also be used as coloring (see page 27) as well as for flavor.

However you add fruit to your recipes, a general rule of thumb for measuring: When adding zest, start with 1 tablespoon; and when adding puree, cut fruit, or whole berries, start with ¼ cup.

Liquors and Liqueurs

I often add a ginger or pear liqueur to my Madagascar Vanilla Bean Icing on page 66 for something extra special. Or, before adding apples to the Sliced Apple Cake recipe on page 91, soak them overnight in spiced bourbon for a deep, warm flavor, then strain well before mixing into the batter. When incorporating liquors and liqueurs, add 1 tablespoon at a time until you reach the desired intensity of flavor. Liqueurs generally have added sugar or sometimes dairy, so consider the ingredients if you’re sensitive to those things.

Fair-Trade Coffee, Espresso, and Tea

I always keep a jar of a strong brewed espresso on hand to use in baking and for making icings. Store it refrigerated in an airtight container for up to a month. Organic instant coffee can be used as an alternative, but I recommend fresh coffee or espresso for a true coffee flavor. Tea can be added to a recipe by steeping the tea in the milk called for, like for the Ganache recipe on page 69, or by adding 1 teaspoon of a fine grind directly to a cake batter, such as the Madagascar Vanilla Bean Cake on page 76. I prefer loose-leaf tea for its potent flavor.

Fresh Vanilla Beans or Paste

Vanilla bean paste is a thick, concentrated extract made by soaking vanilla beans in oil, preferably, or sometimes alcohol. It is sometimes mixed with other ingredients such as sugar, corn syrup, and/or thickeners (read the label to avoid added sugars). You may also use vanilla beans on their own by cutting a vanilla bean pod lengthwise and scraping the seeds out with the dull side of a knife. I prefer using vanilla bean paste because it stretches the pricey and rare vanilla beans farther and has a more intense flavor. Store used vanilla bean pods in safflower oil to make your own vanilla extract! I also like to store used pods in a muslin satchel in our sugar bin to enhance the flavor of the sugar. If you don’t have access to fresh vanilla beans or paste, you can substitute extract, using half the amount called for.