Use your favourite tipple to give cakes and brownies a twist with our boozy bake recipes

It seems the whole nation has turned their hand to trying out a spot of baking, with banana bread, brownies and cookies galore popping up on social media feeds left, right and centre.

But have you thought about putting a boozy twist on some of your favourite recipes?

Adding your go-to spirit or liqueur into tasty bakes is very easy, and a great way to put an adult spin on a variety of classics.

From Easter Creme Egg brownies with salted caramel Baileys in them, to gin and tonic cupcakes and Aperol-Spritz-flavoured cheesecake, here we bring you just a few ideas for boozy bakes.

Creme Egg Boozy Brownies

Ingredients:

•  185g unsalted butter
•  200g dark chocolate
• 275g brown caster sugar
• 85g plain flour
• 45g cocoa powder
• 3 large eggs
• 5 Cadbury’s Creme Eggs, to be halved
• 75ml Baileys Salted Caramel*

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 170°C.
2. Grease a square baking tin or line with greaseproof paper.
3. Using a bowl over boiling water in a saucepan, melt the butter and the dark chocolate together. Once melted take off the heat and leave to the side to cool.
4. Break the eggs into a bowl and add in the sugar. Whisk the eggs and sugar together until they form a thick, creamy consistency. It should double in size.
5. Once the chocolate and butter mixture has cooled, pour it over the egg and sugar mix and fold into it.
6. Mix in the Baileys slowly, ensuring it holds its thick, creamy consistency.
7. Sieve the flour and the cocoa powder into the combined mix, folding it in while doing so.
8. Pour it into the baking tin and cook for around 20-25 minutes. Once baked, take out and add the Creme Egg halves on top by pressing them into the bake – you can do them in a line or just whatever design you fancy.
9. Put back in the oven and cook for another 10 minutes approximately.
10. Leave to cool and then cut into squares and tuck in!

*You can easily swap out the Baileys for bourbon, rum, gin, Amaretto or any spirit or liqueur you desire.

Cupcake store owner Jo Gale of Cupcakes by Jo in Aberdeen sells an array of delicious cupcakes at her store on Crown Street. Here’s a recipe for her tasty gin and tonic treats, perfect for the gin lovers out there.

Gin and Tonic Cupcakes

Ingredients:

For the sponge:

• 190g Stork margarine
• 190g golden caster sugar
• 3 eggs
• 190g self-raising flour
• ½ tsp baking powder
• 4 tbsp premium tonic water
• 2 tbsp premium gin

For the icing:

•  150g Stork margarine
• 550g icing sugar
• ½ tsp lime extract
• 4 tbsp premium gin
• Zest of one lime to garnish

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 160°C (140°C fan).
2. Cream the margarine and sugar together until light and fluffy.
3. Add the eggs, one at a time, making sure each is well mixed in before adding the next.
4. Sieve in the flour and baking powder. Be sure not to over mix. Add tonic water and gently mix.
5. Split the mixture evenly between 12 muffin liners. Use a cupcake tin, too, so the cakes hold their shape.
6. Bake for approximately 23 minutes, until golden in colour and springy.
7. While still hot, prick the cupcakes with a cocktail stick and use a clean pastry brush to brush the gin over them. Don’t overdo it – less is more here!
8. For the icing, put the margarine and icing sugar in a bowl and mix.
9. Add the lime extract and the gin, then continue to mix. If the mixture is too wet, add more icing sugar until you achieve a stiff consistency.
10. When the cupcakes are cooled, use a piping bag and nozzle to pipe your icing, or spread with a knife.
11. Sprinkle with freshly grated lime zest.

Aberdeen food blogger Kelly Cletheroe of Maverick Baking, whips up an array of delicious baked goods on her social media and YouTube channels.

Baileys Chocolate Tiffin

Ingredients:

• 500g milk or dark chocolate
• 100g salted butter
• 8 tbsp Baileys Irish Cream Liqueur
• 200g Oreos or Bourbon biscuits
• 100g dried cherries or cranberries
• 100g white chocolate (optional, to decorate)
• Sugar stars/sprinkles/edible glitter (optional, to decorate)

Method:

1. Lightly grease a 30 x 20cm (12 x 8in) tin and line the base and sides with some greaseproof paper. This will help you lift it out of the tin.
2. In a large bowl, weigh out your chocolate, butter and Baileys.
3. Melt the mixture slowly, either over a pan of gently simmering water or in the microwave using 30 second blasts, until smooth.
4. Bash up your biscuits into chunky rubble.
5. Stir the biscuit crumbs and cherries/cranberries through the melted chocolate mixture until well incorporated.
6. Pour the mix into your prepared tin and smooth out the top.
7. Melt your white chocolate until smooth, as before.
8. Drizzle the melted white chocolate over the mix.
9. Use the tip of a knife or the handle of a spoon to swirl and marble the two chocolates together. This is purely for aesthetics!
10. Scatter over some sprinkles or glitter (if using).
11. Allow the tiffin to set in a cool room or on a cold windowsill for a couple of hours until firm. You can do this in the fridge but it may cause the chocolate to form an unsightly white bloom.
12. Once set, use a sharp knife to slice the tiffin into bars, squares or bites and then enjoy!

Or if you prefer citrus flavours to chocolate, why not try out this cheesecake below, which Kelly has also created.

Aperol Spritz Cheesecake

Ingredients:

For the orange Aperol jelly:

• 150ml Aperol
• 100ml orange juice
• 100ml water
• 2 tbsp caster sugar
• 3 leaves/sheets of gelatine

For the biscuit base:

• 200g digestive biscuits
• 90g salted butter

For the cheesecake:

• 500g cream cheese
• 120g icing sugar
• Zest of one orange
• Juice of ½ lemon
• 200ml double or whipping cream

Method:

For the orange Aperol jelly:

1. Place your gelatine leaves/sheets into a small bowl filled with cold water and allow to steep for 10 minutes. This softens them and makes them easier to melt.
2. Meanwhile, pour your Aperol, orange juice, water and sugar into a small saucepan set over a medium heat.
3. Allow the mixture to heat and bubble gently until the 10 minutes of steeping time has passed.
4. Use your hands to grab the gelatine and squeeze out as much water as you can.
5. Stir the squidgy gelatine pile into your hot Aperol mixture until it melts and disappears.
6. Remove the pan from the heat and allow the mixture to cool while you prepare the rest of the cheesecake.

For the biscuit base:

1. Look out a regular springform tin (23cm or 8in) and line its base with a circle of greaseproof paper.
2. If using a food processor, blitz your biscuits into crumbs. If you don’t have a food processor, simply place your biscuits into a freezer bag and bash them with a rolling pin until you reach a coarse crumb consistency.
3. Meanwhile, melt your butter in a small saucepan over a low heat, or in the microwave.
4. Once melted, add the butter to your biscuit crumbs and mix together to combine.
5. Tip this mixture into your springform tin and press it down into a neat, flat circle. Pop this in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to firm up while you prepare your cheesecake mix.

For the cheesecake:

1. Place your cream cheese, sugar, orange zest and lemon juice into a large bowl and stir together until smooth.
2. Whip the 200ml of cream until it forms stiff peaks and then fold it very gently into the cheese mixture until combined.
3. Remove your tin from the fridge and top your biscuit base with the cheesecake mixture, smooth it out as neatly as you can.
4. Pop the cheesecake in the fridge until your jelly mixture is cool.
5. Once your jelly mixture is completely cooled, carefully pour it over the cheesecake.
6. Place the cheesecake back into the fridge and allow it to chill and set for at least 3 hours.
7. Top your finished cheesecake with some orange slices.
8. Slice up and enjoy.