It’s World Gin Day this week so it would seem rude not to celebrate such an auspicious occasion with a nice cake. My super easy gin and tonic lemon drizzle cake will do rather nicely. After all, when you like a nice gin and tonic it seems only right to mix it into a cake. A win win situation if ever there was one, cheers!
I love messing about with cake ingredients. Mixing and matching and seeing what works and what doesn’t. Adding a dash of gin into my usual simple cake batter here worked really well. However it’s the gin and tonic syrup that really brings this gin and tonic drizzle cake to life.
What is a lemon drizzle cake?
Basically my cake idea comes from the traditional English favourite, the lemon drizzle cake. A plain and simple cake base (it used to be a traditional pound cake) that is pierced all over the top with a cocktail stick/small skewer and then drizzled with lemon syrup. This gives you a super moist cake packed with flavour.
gin and tonic lemon drizzle cake
Now what could be better than a cake soaked in gin and tonic. I mean, really, it’s a no-brainer as far as I’m concerned. Instead of making a simple lemon flavoured syrup I used tonic instead of water and a few crushed juniper berries to boost the gin flavour. The gin itself was added at the end once the syrup had thickened. Oh, there was lemon in there too. After all what’s a good gin and tonic without lemon – sacrilege!
What size is this cake?
Now as always I’m using small measures and making a small cake. The reason is perfectly simple. There are only three of us here to eat the damn thing and I like to bake cakes as a treat.
We will get 6-8 slices out of this gin and tonic drizzle cake. That does us nicely for two days. A weekend treat.
Cake tin size
I have used one cake tin here. It is a round 23cm savarin cake tin. A savarin mould is a bit like a Bundt tin only less fancy and flatter. Basically it is a round cake tin with a tower in the centre so that your cake comes out with a hole in the middle. Just like the cake equivalent of a polo mint. Mr X calls this a weight watcher’s cake. He likes to think he is amusing sometimes.
The amount of cake batter I’ve used is perfect for this size of tin. It would also be ideal for 2 of my normal small 15cm tins or 1 standard 22cm baking tin. Want a bigger cake? Then just double up the ingredients for this gin and tonic drizzle cake recipe
What type of gin do you use in this cake
Use your normal drinking gin. You are not making a flavoured liqueur or infused gin here. When I make things like that with gin I always tell folks to use basic gin as you are adding lots of flavour to it. However, in this gin and tonic cake you want your favourite gin so you get the taste of gin that you like. You’re not using much anyway.
How much gin is in this cake?
I’ve only used 3 table spoons of gin here so it is no great loss from the precious drinking supplies. Having gin in a cake means you can be imbibing your favourite tipple at hours of the day when having a glass in one’s hand might seem a tad rash. Though during lockdown I think glasses have been raised almost continuously.
How long will this gin and tonic drizzle cake keep?
Because of the syrup you are drizzling into the cake itself the cake will be super moist so will actually last longer than your average sponge cake. Could last up to 5 days in a sealed cake tin. Though why on earth you wouldn’t have scoffed it all by then beats me.
Can you freeze this cake?
Yes, but freeze it at the baked stage and before you go putting in the gin and tonic syrup. Just wrap the cake well in cling film and pop into a freezer bag and freeze for up to a month.
What can you serve with this
Need you ask, a G&T of course, would be rude not to – never knowingly rude and all that. Actually you can serve it with strawberries as I have for a lovely summery touch. The frosting is nice a rich so you certainly don’t need any cream. Maybe a scoop of homemade lemon ice-cream or a good quality vanilla ice-cream would be nice here.
What type of frosting do you use
I have made a really rich and luxurious butter cream frosting with added lemon zest and also a table spoon of my gin and tonic syrup. It’s creamy and has that hint of the G&T about it.
How do you decorate this cake
I’ve filled the hole in the centre of this cake with fresh strawberries. I had them on hand and I do like strawberries with gin and tonic and also alongside lemon so I thought they would go rather well. I added little shards of lemon peel and daisies from the garden (they are edible flowers) and a few flowers from my strawberry plants.
You could use grated lemon zest, crystallised lemon slices or even blueberries and lemon.
Looking for more super fun and easy cake ideas? Then check these out;
Finally, if you do try this recipe don’t forget to leave a comment/star rating below as I just love to hear from readers. Want more Larder Love? Then follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter and sign up for my newsletter too of course.
Super easy Gin and Tonic Lemon Drizzle Cake
Ingredients
- 125 g unsalted butter
- 100 g caster sugar
- 2 medium eggs
- 125 g self raising flour
- 1 tbsp Greek yogurt or plain yogurt
- 1 lemon juice save zest for the frosting
- 1 tbsp gin
Gin and Tonic Syrup
- 1/2 lemon juice and zest
- 1/2 tsp juniper berries roughly crushed
- 75 ml tonic water
- 75 g sugar
- 2 tbsp gin
Frosting
- 100 g unsalted butter softened softened
- 200 g icing sugar
- 1 lemon zest see cake batter ingredients
- 1 tbsp gin and tonic syrup (see above)
Instructions
- preheat oven to 180C and grease and line a 23cm ring cake tin or 22cm round tin or two 15cm tins if you are making a sponge sandwich style cake
- Beat the butter and sugar till light and fluffy
- Add eggs one at a time and stir well
- Fold in the flour
- Add the Greek yogurt, gin and lemon juice and stir everything well to combine
- Spoon batter into prepared cake tin and bake for approximately 30 minutes till risen and golden and bounces back when lightly pressed in the middle. Insert a cocktail stick or small skewer and it should come out clean.
- let cake cool in tin for 5 minutes then remove to a wire cooling rack
Make the gin and tonic syrup
- In a small pan bring the tonic water, juniper berries, sugar and lemon juice and zest to the boil then reduce heat and simmer till it thickens to a syrup
- stir in the gin
- set aside to cool and strain out the crushed juniper berries
Make the frosting
- Beat together the butter, icing sugar and lemon zest plus a tablespoon of the gin and tonic syrup. Add more icing sugar if not firm enough
To assemble the cake
- pierce cake top all over with a cocktail stick and drizzle over the gin and tonic syrup, let it sit for a while as you make the frosting
- Spread the frosting all over the top of the cake and lightly round the sides, you are not going for a full on heavy iced look here
- I filled the hole in the centre of my cake with fresh strawberries and shards of lemon peel plus some daisies and strawberry flowers
Super easy and delicious
Hi Susan
Thrilled that you like my gin and tonic cake so much
K