I was lucky enough to be sent a box of the Gin Festival’s monthly gin treats. I was pretty thrilled when the box turned up – I’d had a crappy day and it was such a box of delights – beautifully presented artisan gin samples, two bottles of lovely tonic as well as some treats. Did you know biscotti was originally made for dunking in booze? Nope, me neither. My challenge was to come up with a way of baking with gin. Baking?! Well, I love sloe gin, surely sloe gin cake is a win win situation?
I’ve never put booze in a cake though, Christmas Cake aside (which thinking about it, I might not have even done that because the only Christmas Cake I ever made was in Home Ec when I was 10, and I’m pretty sure we weren’t allowed booze…though it was the 90’s so I could be wrong)
I thought I would change one of my favourite cake recipes to add in some gin deliciousness. Hence the Loaf Cake – I’ve made it before, and it’s easy and yum. I was really pleased with how this turned out (considering I did not cream the butter enough – guys!! Cream your butter properly!!) It’s still super tasty though, with a most pleasing fumey aftertaste of gin. Really good. Especially pleased that using the Sloe Gin made the icing nice and pink without having to use any nasty food colouring! Mmm, sloe gin cake…
| Prep Time | 30 minutes |
| Cook Time | 1 hour |
| Servings |
|
- 200 grams unsalted butter
- 200 grams caster sugar
- 200 grams self-raising flour
- 4 medium eggs
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 zested lemon
- 50 ml Bath Gin
- 125 grams caster sugar
- 125 ml tonic water
- 3.5 tablespoons Sloe Gin
- 1 lemon
- 100 grams icing sugar
Ingredients
Loaf Cake
Sloe Icing & Gin Syrup
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- Preheat the oven to 180/160 mark 4. Grease a 2lb loaf tin and line it with baking parchment. Put your butter and caster sugar in a large bowl and beat together until nice and fluffy (probably take 5 mins with an electric hand mixer) Add the eggs, beating again each time you add one.
- Fold in the flour, baking powder and lemon zest. Spoon into the tin and bake in the oven for 55 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean. While the cake is cooking, make the sugar syrup.
- Pour the tonic in a small saucepan and add the caster sugar - heat it gently until it dissolves, then boil it for a minute. Take 2 tablespoons out and add 2 tablespoons of the gin in another container - this is to soak the cake with once it's cooked.
- Use the syrup to candy the lemon - cut it into slices and simmer them for 10+ minutes until they look translucent, then take them out carefully and lay them on sugared baking parchment, and scatter more sugar on top.
- Once the cake is cooked, poke it full of holes and pour the syrup evenly over it and let it soak through as it cools (leave it in the tin on a wire rack)
- While the cake cools, use the rest of the gin and sifted icing sugar to make the icing - add more gin if it's too firm, then decorate with your candied lemon slices. G&T heaven - in a cake!
Oooh that looks so delicious! I’ve been wanting to try the gin and tonic cake for ages, I think it’s time to put it in action 🙂 xx #triballove
This looks too good to be true. We are g+T fans in this house so will be definitely be giving this a go. Yum x #foodiefriday
You’ve won me over. I love loaf cakes and gin. This is perfection!!
#FoodieFriday
Looks proper yummers, lovely photos too. Can’t wait to delve into my treasure trove of gin!
Love, love, love! I am sooo impressed with this. Desperate to try some! #foodiefriday
Oh this looks amazing, and sounds super yummy. x #foodiefriday
See now this is my kind of cake and just purrrreeee foodporn!! Nom nom nom
Thanks for linking to #foodiefriday
Oh wow! That’s an impressive looking cake. I love that you’ve make it into a Gin and Tonic cake, just superb. Commenting as BritMums Baking Round-up Editor.
I love anything with sloe gin in it as it’s so yummy! I made some last year so I could try this. #ablogginggoodtime
Oh yes! I’m so up for this!! Thanks for the recipe x
What a wonderful sounding and looking cake! #ablogginggoodtime
This looks delicious! ‘ve never thought about putting booze in a cake!! #ablogginggoodtime
This sounds right up my street! I’m dairy free but I’m pretty sure this would work with vitalite rather than butter will have to give it a try! #blogginggoodtime