You know the little brown bottle hiding in your spice rack. Vanilla extract is the classic workhorse—vanilla beans soaked in alcohol and water until they surrender all their flavor. It’s the life of the party in liquid form, bringing that deep, boozy warmth to everything it touches.
But here’s the catch: alcohol evaporates during baking, so the flavor can mellow out or even vanish if you’re not careful. That’s why you’ll often see recipes asking for a teaspoon and a half—you’re basically bribing the cake to taste like vanilla.
Pro tip: Never skip the good stuff. Imitation extract is like asking a rubber band to sing opera—it’ll make a sound, but nobody’s clapping. Splurge on pure vanilla extract; your taste buds will throw you a parade.
