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Gin and tonic cake

Turn your favourite tipple into a teatime treat
Gin and tonic cake - Weekend bakes

Mike Francis, head chef at The Scarlet Hotel in Mawgan Porth, shares his gin and tonic cake recipe

www.scarlethotel.co.uk

Serves    4
Oven temp    180°c / gas 4

For the cake

  • Salted butter 250g
  • Golden caster sugar 200g
  • Eggs 4
  • Self-raising flour 250g
  • Natural yogurt 75g
  • Lime 1 large, juice
  • Gin 50ml

For the syrup

  • Golden caster sugar 125g
  • Lime 1 large, juice
  • Tonic water 150ml
  • Juniper berries 1 tsp, lightly crushed
  • Gin 25ml

For the icing

  • Butter 200g, softened
  • Icing sugar 400g
  • Milk 2 tbsp
  • Limes 3, zest
  1. Preheat the oven to 180°c / gas 4. Grease and line two 20cm cake tins.
  2. For the cake: in an electric mixer, beat together the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, making sure they are fully incorporated before adding the next. Then gently fold in the flour.
  3. Mix the yogurt with the lime juice and gin. Add to the cake mix and combine to form a silky mixture. Pour into the prepared tins and bake for 25 minutes.
  4. For the syrup: place all the ingredients (except the gin) in a saucepan over a medium heat. Once the sugar has dissolved, bring to the boil for 5-7 minutes and reduce until syrupy. Sieve to remove the berries. Allow to cool for 5 minutes and then stir in the gin.
  5. Once the cakes are cooked and have cooled slightly, remove from the tins, prick with a skewer and spoon the syrup over so that it soaks into the sponge.
  6. For the icing: beat the butter until soft, then add the icing sugar a little at a time. Next, add the milk and zest and combine.
  7. When the cakes are cool, layer with the icing.

You will need

For the cake

  • Salted butter 250g
  • Golden caster sugar 200g
  • Eggs 4
  • Self-raising flour 250g
  • Natural yogurt 75g
  • Lime 1 large, juice
  • Gin 50ml

For the syrup

  • Golden caster sugar 125g
  • Lime 1 large, juice
  • Tonic water 150ml
  • Juniper berries 1 tsp, lightly crushed
  • Gin 25ml

For the icing

  • Butter 200g, softened
  • Icing sugar 400g
  • Milk 2 tbsp
  • Limes 3, zest

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 180°c / gas 4. Grease and line two 20cm cake tins.
  2. For the cake: in an electric mixer, beat together the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, making sure they are fully incorporated before adding the next. Then gently fold in the flour.
  3. Mix the yogurt with the lime juice and gin. Add to the cake mix and combine to form a silky mixture. Pour into the prepared tins and bake for 25 minutes.
  4. For the syrup: place all the ingredients (except the gin) in a saucepan over a medium heat. Once the sugar has dissolved, bring to the boil for 5-7 minutes and reduce until syrupy. Sieve to remove the berries. Allow to cool for 5 minutes and then stir in the gin.
  5. Once the cakes are cooked and have cooled slightly, remove from the tins, prick with a skewer and spoon the syrup over so that it soaks into the sponge.
  6. For the icing: beat the butter until soft, then add the icing sugar a little at a time. Next, add the milk and zest and combine.
  7. When the cakes are cool, layer with the icing.

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For the cake

  • Salted butter 250g
  • Golden caster sugar 200g
  • Eggs 4
  • Self-raising flour 250g
  • Natural yogurt 75g
  • Lime 1 large, juice
  • Gin 50ml

For the syrup

  • Golden caster sugar 125g
  • Lime 1 large, juice
  • Tonic water 150ml
  • Juniper berries 1 tsp, lightly crushed
  • Gin 25ml

For the icing

  • Butter 200g, softened
  • Icing sugar 400g
  • Milk 2 tbsp
  • Limes 3, zest
  1. Preheat the oven to 180°c / gas 4. Grease and line two 20cm cake tins.
  2. For the cake: in an electric mixer, beat together the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, making sure they are fully incorporated before adding the next. Then gently fold in the flour.
  3. Mix the yogurt with the lime juice and gin. Add to the cake mix and combine to form a silky mixture. Pour into the prepared tins and bake for 25 minutes.
  4. For the syrup: place all the ingredients (except the gin) in a saucepan over a medium heat. Once the sugar has dissolved, bring to the boil for 5-7 minutes and reduce until syrupy. Sieve to remove the berries. Allow to cool for 5 minutes and then stir in the gin.
  5. Once the cakes are cooked and have cooled slightly, remove from the tins, prick with a skewer and spoon the syrup over so that it soaks into the sponge.
  6. For the icing: beat the butter until soft, then add the icing sugar a little at a time. Next, add the milk and zest and combine.
  7. When the cakes are cool, layer with the icing.