Baking with BarChick: How To Make Gin & Tonic Cake

G&T? More like G & Afternoon T...

Gin, tonic, cake. We don't need to say anymore, we know you're already planning on making this. Perfect for ya mates Birthday, a grown-ups garden party or a boozy afternoon tea sesh. It's a bit of a show-stopper and the perfect way to justify gin for elevensies... Let the baking be-gin.

You will need...

For the cake:

  • 250g unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus extra for greasing
  • 250g golden caster sugar
  • 2 limes, seated
  • 5 eggs
  • 250g self-raising flour (if you don't have self-raising, add 2 teaspoons of baking powder for each 150g)
  • 2 tbsp gin

For the G&T syrup & Candied Limes:

  • 150ml tonic water
  • 150g golden caster sugar
  • 3 limes
  • 30ml gin

For the filling:

  • 300ml whipping cream
  • The lime zest leftover from making the syrup (remember not to chuck it!)

For the icing:

  • 200g icing sugar
  • 40ml gin

Method

To make the syrup & garnish (best to do this bit first)

1. Put the tonic water and 100g of sugar in a small pan and stir over medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil and cook for 2-3 mins, until it has thickened slightly.

2. Thinly slice 2 of the limes. WATCH YOUR FINGERS!

3. Zest and juice the remaining lime, reserving the juice for the syrup and the zest for the filling.

4. Add the lime slices to the pan of tonic syrup and reduce the heat to low. Cook for 10 mins until the slices become translucent.

5. Strain the syrup through a sieve into a jug, leaving the lime slices to drain in the sieve.

6. Add the gin and reserved lime juice to the syrup and set aside to cool.

Make the cake:

1. Preheat your oven to Gas 6, 200°C, fan 180°C and grease and line the bases of 2 x 20cm round cake tins (v. important to line ya tins or the gin will seep out later!)

2. Put the butter, sugar and lime zest in a large bowl and beat together with an electric whisk until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating slowly until just combined.

3. Gently fold in the flour followed by the gin until the mixture is just incorporated. Divide between the prepared tins and bake for 25-30 mins or until the cakes are golden and feel springy to the touch.

4. Allow the cakes to cool in their tins for 5 mins, then pierce all over with a skewer or cocktail stick. Brush the syrup over both cakes, allowing it to sink into each sponge 0 this is where the boozy magic happens!

5. When cool enough to handle, remove from the tins to cool completely, keeping the baking paper on the bottom of the sponges so the syrup doesn’t leak out.

6. To make the filling, put the whipping cream in a large bowl and add the reserved lime zest from the syrup. Whip together until thick but not too stiff. You'll prob want an electric whisk for this... unless it's arm day, in which case: 2 tickets to the gun show, please!

7. Once the cakes are cool, peel the baking paper off the cakes and transfer one to your prettiest serving plate. Spread with the lime cream and top with the second cake.

8. Put the icing sugar in a bowl and mix in most of the gin, adding more gin as needed to form a thick, pourable icing (you may not need all of it, so pop that into your glass for later!). Pour the icing over the top of the cake, starting from the middle and moving outwards, letting it drip down the sides a little.

9. Allow the icing to set for about 10 mins before decorating the top with slices of candied lime.

10. Slice and serve. Cheers!

Image & recipe sourced from Real Food - Tesco.com