If you think pouring your favorite lager or ale into cake feels wrong, please hear us out. Remember: Opposites attract. Beer's floral, bitter or other complex, deep notes will actually add sophistication to all that sugar and frosting. So you end up with a sweet treat with nuanced, showstopping flavor — and we designed these cakes to be extra-beautiful to match.

Photography by Matt Armendariz

These sunny cupcakes are a gentle introduction to baking with beer. Hefeweizen (a traditional wheat beer from Germany) isn't too bitter, and ground cloves and orange zest enhance its natural flavor.

This deeply beautiful cake is as pretty as a picture, but isn't cloyingly sweet. In an update on the classic shortcake, the yeasty bitterness of red ale contrasts pleasantly with sweet-tart strawberries. The cake rounds are stacked with buttercream frosting and left bare on the sides so you can see the berries (macerated in more ale) peeking out.

Classic pilsner's sweet corn-like aroma inspired this dessert, made with canned creamed corn for a velvety texture and concentrated flavor. A blackberry jam frosting complements the bittersweet cake, and its pastel purple hue makes this a beautiful centerpiece for any celebration.

Trust us on this one. Beer + boxed cake mix = the most addicting dessert shortcut you've ever made. Believe it or not, the light bitterness of an American-style lager transforms the cake mix into a sophisticated, yeasty treat. For more flavor, we topped it with a beer syrup and glaze, and also cherries (cooked in, yes, even more beer). For a stronger beer flavor, try this recipe with a dark ale, lager or IPA.

Stout's malty and chocolatey notes are highlighted in this cake, thanks to malted milk powder and Dutch-process cocoa. A syrup made with more stout makes the cake extra moist (and extra flavorful). It's a genius birthday cake for a grownup — served with a few pints, of course!