A Baker's Guide to the Best Extracts for Baking Cakes & More

A baker is only ever as good as the ingredients they use, and if you want to make flavorful cakes, cupcakes, and cookies, you need potent, flavor-packed extracts. After over a decade of trial and error, these are the all-time best extracts for baking that I rely on again and again!

Jump to:

• Best Extracts for Cakes & More
• Vanilla Extract
• My Favorite Brand of Extracts
• Imitation Almond Extract to Avoid Nut Allergies
• Pure or Natural Fruit Extracts
• Tips
• Extracts vs. Emulsions vs. Natural Flavors
• 💬 Comments

Best Extracts for Cakes & More

No matter what you're baking, I'd love to help you find the more flavorful and affordable options to set you up for success! These are my all-time favorite extracts for cakes, cupcakes, muffins, and more based on my years of experience running Amycakes Bakery.

Vanilla Extract

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All of my baked goods contain vanilla extract, but you might be surprised which types I use.  I never shy away from flavor in my cakes! Not all extracts are the same, so I'd like to help you find the best vanilla extract for your purposes.

Pure Vanilla Extract for Icings, Whipped Creams, Mousses, and Unbaked Items

For buttercream frostings and non-baked items, you just can't beat pure vanilla.  Any time you're making whipped cream, mousses, or frostings, I highly recommend pure vanilla extract.

I currently get the 8 oz bottles of OliveNation Pure Madagascar Vanilla. This size is currently a great value, especially with the 20% off coupon for Amycakes Bakes readers: AB20. Before OliveNation, I used McCormick Pure Vanilla Extract, which is also great. Good vanilla extract is always pricey, so when I find a good deal on a brand I trust, I tend to stock up.

If you're really into vanilla flavor, you can also play around with single-origin extracts or double or triple-fold extracts. These will have slightly different flavors depending on origin, and double and triple fold refer to how many vanilla beans are used in in relation to the alcohol base. They're very strong (and quite expensive).

I always use pure vanilla is my Vanilla Bean Cake, which actually uses pure vanilla bean paste. This is made by blending real vanilla bean flecks with vanilla extract and sugar, so it has a super strong vanilla flavor and those telltale little black flecks.

Imitation Vanilla Extract for Baked Items

While I don't use a lot of artificial extracts in baking, I do use imitation vanilla extract in my baked goods because pure vanilla can get very expensive. I like my cakes to be very flavorful, so I use a decent amount of extract in the cake batter.

A Mexican vanilla blend can be a good alternative to Imitation vanilla extract, as it contains a mixture of pure and imitation vanilla but is a fraction of the cost of pure vanilla.

Imitation Almond Extract to Avoid Nut Allergies

Here's another imitation extract that I do use. I started using this at my bakery because we needed an extract that would be safe for those with nut allergies.

I think it tastes delicious, but you can absolutely use pure almond extract if you'd like. We used McCormick's Culinary Imitation Almond Extract at the bakery for years. I like the flavor, and as a bonus, it's a more affordable option.

Peppermint Extract

Pure peppermint extract is essential for holiday baking, like this Peppermint Fudge Cake. I always recommend using peppermint sparingly as it can easily take on a toothpaste flavor. For this recipe, I only add the extract to the ganache and buttercream, not the cake itself.

OliveNation is my preferred brand for this extract. A little goes a long way, so you don't need much!

Black Walnut Extract

Black walnut extract adds a classic nutty flavor that is perfect for standing up to rich chocolate in my Chocolate Walnut Cake. The black walnut extract from OliveNation uses natural flavors, so it's more like imitation vanilla extract than pure extracts.

This is really just the start! OliveNation has a wide selection of flavor extracts, including coffee extract, pistachio extract, and more.

Pure or Natural Fruit Extracts

I use fruit extracts to enhance the fruit in my cake batters. When the cake is baked, it loses some of the fruit flavor, which is where the extract comes in.

When you add fruit extracts to cakes that contain fruit compotes, fruit reduction, or citrus zest, you don't have to use very much extract for a strong, fruity flavor.

The extract bumps up the fresh fruit flavor but isn't strong enough to make the whole cake taste like blueberry or strawberry on its own. As always, the goal is to keep that very natural flavor so that it tastes just like a fruit in cake form.

My Favorite Fruit Extracts & Emulsions

• Pure Strawberry Extract: Natural strawberry extract really enhances the flavor of my Strawberry Cake. Not all strawberry extracts are created equal, and we want to make sure the extract is listed as pure or natural. Brightly colored pink extracts tend to have an artificial, candy-like taste. Instead, we want a natural real berry flavor that will heighten the taste of our cake batter and buttercreams. 

• Natural Blueberry Emulsion: I use OliveNation blueberry emulsion in my Blueberry Cake because it tastes exactly like fresh blueberries. An emulsion is like an extract but thicker in consistency and stronger in strength. That means you won't have to add as much to get that delicious flavor of fresh blueberries. 

• Pure Lemon Extract: Pure lemon extract is great when paired with fresh lemon zest to enhance the natural citrus flavor. I only use pure lemon extract, because imitation lemon extract often tastes very artificial. Lemon juice is not nearly as concentrated as lemon extract and will not work the same way in your favorite recipes. Try it in this Lemon Curd Cake and my Lemon Drizzle Cupcakes.

• Pure Coconut Extract: Pure coconut extract is great for adding a rich coconut flavor to your baked goods. I love using it in coconut cakes and cupcakes. It boosts the coconut taste without having to rely solely on shredded coconut. It also pairs wonderfully with that sweetened creamed coconut syrup normally used for cocktails.

• Pure Cherry Extract: Since cherry can be a delicate flavor, pure cherry extract is the perfect way to maintain that fresh, fruity flavor. It's wonderful for Black Forest cakes or adding a cherry flavor to frostings and cookies.

Not All Cakes Need a Fruit Extract

Sometimes, a fruit extract isn't necessary.

For instance, in my Orange Almond Cake, I use thawed unfiltered orange juice concentrate instead of orange extract to get a very natural strong orange flavor.

In my Old-Fashioned Banana Cake, I use very, very ripe bananas (almost black), which provide a strong, natural banana flavor and it does not need an extract.

If you're filling a cake with fruit compote, the compote does not contain any fruit extract. It has a strong fruit flavor because it is cooked down with sugar and thickened over the stove.

These days, you can find freeze-dried fruits at the grocery store, which can be blended in a spice grinder to create a fruit powder. These powders have a really strong, concentrated fruit flavor and taste amazing folded into buttercreams and frostings. 

For my recipes that call for instant pudding mix, like these Moist Vanilla Cupcakes or Butterscotch Chocolate Chip Cookies, the flavoring in the pudding mixture will enhance the flavor of the extracts as well. 

Tips

• If you use a new or different brand of extract than a recipe calls for, you may need to adjust the amount to taste. It's always better to start off with less than you need, then add more extract if you think the flavor needs to be stronger.
• Extracts do last a long time, but they can lose their potency over time, especially if not stored properly. To maintain their quality, they should be stored indoors and away from direct sunlight. 
• Make your own! There are lots of recipes for great homemade extracts online, which can be a fun way to customize your favorite recipes. You usually just need some alcohol, a few fresh or dry ingredients, and a little time.
• Once you have different extracts on hand, they can be used in way more than just your cakes and cupcakes. Add them to your hot chocolate, homemade whipped cream, homemade syrups, and more. I love vanilla, but play around with replacing it with other baking extracts to come up with some new flavor combinations!
• If your extract starts to smell differently, especially if it has a very strong alcohol smell or unpleasant smell, it's time to throw it out and purchase a new extract.

Extracts vs. Emulsions vs. Natural Flavors

We dove into the best extracts for cakes, but it helps to know a thing or two about the different options on the market. There are several extract-like products out there and they are not all interchangeable.

For the best results, you need to understand their differences so you know which of these potent liquids to choose and when. 

Pure extracts

There are many different extracts on the market, like vanilla extract, almond extract, lavender extract, etc.

They're made by infusing fresh or dried ingredients, like real vanilla beans or ground coffee, in alcohol or glycerin for months or years at a time. The liquid absorbs all the flavor oils from the infused ingredient, giving it a strong flavor. 

However, the flavors disappear at high temperatures, so you either need to add a good amount to your cake batter or add it at the end of the cooking process for puddings and custards.

Imitation extracts

Unlike pure extracts, imitation extracts use artificial or natural flavorings diluted in propylene glycol and stabilized with xanthan gum, dyes, and other ingredients.

Essentially, the concentrated flavorings below are diluted, so you can use them in the same ratios as the pure culinary extracts. 

Natural & artificial flavors

These contain liquid flavorings derived either from natural or artificial ingredients, which can be added to ice cream, frosting, batters, and more.

Since they are so concentrated, you usually use only a very small amount.

Emulsions 

Emulsions are like extracts in many ways, but instead of using alcohol or glycerin, they are made with water as the base. This also means that they can keep their flavor even at a high temperature, so they're fantastic for baking and high-heat applications.

These water-soluble flavors often contain a mixture of pure and artificial flavors for a really potent flavor. They also tend to be inexpensive, which is great for home bakers on a budget!

More Baking Resources

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