Gin and tonic cake
Gin and tonic cake with lashings of lemon and lime. It's a triple threat, where the sponge is laced with gin, drizzled with a lemony gin glaze and finished with a gin and lime frosting.
You will need two 18cm/7in round cake tins and an electric whisk.
Ingredients
- 200g/7oz unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
- 200g/7oz caster sugar
- 3 free-range eggs, beaten
- 1 unwaxed lemon, finely grated zest
- 1 unwaxed lime, finely grated zest
- 225g/8oz plain flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
- pinch salt
- 25g/1oz cornflour
- 2 tbsp soured cream
- 3 tbsp tonic water
- 2 tbsp gin
For the glaze
For the frosting
- 175g/6oz unsalted butter, softened
- 350g/12oz icing sugar, sifted
- 2 tbsp tonic water
- 2 tbsp gin
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- lemon slices and lime wedges, to decorate
Method
Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4. Grease two18cm/7in round cake tins and line the bases with baking paper.
Cream together the butter and sugar until pale and light. Gradually add the eggs, mixing well between each addition. Add the lemon and lime zest and mix to combine.
Sift the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, salt and cornflour over the creamed mixture and mix on a slow speed until almost combined. Add the soured cream, tonic and gin and mix until smooth.
Divide the mixture evenly between the prepared tins, spread level with a palette knife and bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown and a skewer inserted into the middle of the cakes comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tins for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the glaze, mix the lemon juice with the gin, tonic and granulated sugar. Prick the top of the cakes with a skewer and spoon the sugary mixture over the top of the warm cakes. Leave in the tins until completely cold.
To make the frosting, beat the butter until pale and light. Gradually add the icing sugar, mixing well between each addition, until smooth. Add the tonic, gin and lime juice and mix again until smooth and well combined.
Place one cake on a serving plate and spread the top with half of the frosting. Place the second cake on top and spread with the remaining frosting. Decorate with lemon slices and lime wedges.