Here's How To Bake With Booze And Nail It

So you can have your cake and spike it too.

Photos by Laura Metzler / Design by Jenny Chang / BuzzFeed

Drinks and desserts are both pretty great on their own. And together, they're even better.

With that in mind, BuzzFeed Life teamed up with Faith Alice Sleeper, the owner and baker behind Crunkcakes — a booze-infused cupcake line — in Washington, DC. We asked her for her tips on nailing the baking + booze combo, plus four original dessert recipes that you can easily replicate in your own kitchen.

Laura Metzler / for BuzzFeed

Laura Metzler / for BuzzFeed

Jenny Chang / BuzzFeed

1. Adding booze to baked goods is one of the easiest ways to amp up flavor.

And it often works best when the alcohol you're adding mirrors an ingredient that's already in the recipe. For example: Tossing a coffee-flavored liqueur, like Kahlua, into chocolate or coffee cake. Or adding a sweeter whiskey, like William Wolf, to pecan pie.

2. When adding alcohol to a recipe, start with a little, then work your way up.

It's usually a safe bet to say that if you like a certain liquor in a drink, you'll like it in a dessert. But still, ratio is key. Thick, custard-y desserts — like bourbon bread pudding — can handle more liquor because of its breaded base, said Sleeper. Lighter, fruit-based options — like a rum apple crisp — typically need less.

3. You don't need fancy equipment to make the recipes below, and there's no shame in kitchen shortcuts.

"I always hear people say, 'I can cook but I can't bake,' but these recipes are super simple," said Sleeper. (Plus, there are ways to make every recipe easier, like swapping in store-bought pie crust.) And while it's true that there's somewhat of an ~art~ to baking, it's also true that you shouldn't be intimidated by the process. You should always experiment in the kitchen — and these starter desserts will let you do just that.

Here's the ingredient lineup:

Photos by Laura Metzler / Design by Jenny Chang / BuzzFeed

Jenny Chang / BuzzFeed

1. Chocolate Fudge Brownies with Kahlua

Photo by Laura Metzler / Design by Jenny Chang / BuzzFeed

Dark chocolate, butter, and Kahlua mean these are gloriously dense and fudgey. Recipe & step-by-step photos here.

2. Dark 'n' Stormy Rum Apple Crisp

Photo by Laura Metlzer / Design by Jenny Chang / BuzzFeed

Made with the easiest four-ingredient crumble topping ever. Recipe & step-by-step photos here.

3. Whiskey Pecan Pie with Quick-Candied Pecans

Photo by Laura Metzler / Design by Jenny Chang / BuzzFeed

This recipe keeps things simple with store-bought crust — but you can always swap in your favorite homemade version too. Recipe & step-by-step photos here.

4. Bulleit Bread Pudding with Bourbon-Soaked Cherries

Photo by Laura Metzler / Design by Jenny Chang / BuzzFeed

Bourbon in the batter + bourbon in the fruit. Cheers! Recipe & step-by-step photos here.

Recipes by Faith Alice Sleeper | Photos by Laura Metzler | Design by Jenny Chang