vodka
A clear, neutral spirit distilled from grain or potatoes and filtered to have little flavor or aroma of its own. In cooking and baking, it contributes alcohol and moisture without adding a competing flavor -- in a cake batter, some of that alcohol also bakes off, leaving behind extra tenderness without a strong boozy taste.
Buying guidance
A mid-shelf, standard-proof (80 proof) bottle is the right choice for cooking or baking -- an expensive small-batch vodka's subtle differences are meant to be tasted straight or in a simple mixed drink, and disappear entirely once baked into a cake or stirred into a sauce. Avoid the cheapest bottom-shelf bottles, which can taste harsher.
Substitutions
- Any other neutral high-proof spirit, such as gin (adds a faint herbal note) or white rum (adds a faint sweetness) -- both work structurally the same way.
- Extra milk or juice, in a baking application -- the batter loses some of the tenderizing effect and the finished result will taste slightly less rich, but the alcohol isn't essential to a batter's structure.
- For a fully nonalcoholic version, water plus a few drops of vanilla extract approximates the moisture without the flavor vodka would otherwise leave behind.
Tips & common mistakes
Because it's flavorless, it's easy to assume more can't hurt a recipe -- but too much extra liquid from over-pouring can still throw off a batter's consistency, so it's worth measuring rather than free-pouring.
Storage
Keeps indefinitely at room temperature away from direct light, whether opened or unopened -- it doesn't need refrigeration and won't spoil.