We don’t often blog about drinks, given our forte is food, but we are making an exception for world gin day.
And, believe it or not, we also have a gin-based recipe, but more of that in a while.
The organisers of World Gin Day, now in its 9th year, must be rubbing their hands with glee at the massive rise in popularity of the Juniper-based spirit in recent years.
And to think gin actually started out as a medicine. In the 18th century it was thought to be a cure for gout and indigestion. Well that’s what the people drinking it no doubt thought.
Fast forward to the 21st century and while we now all know it’s not going to cure anything – although the Juniper berries do have superfood powers – it’s rivalling craft beer as ‘in’ drink.
So, what about gin and food. Well, there are actually plenty of recipes that use the spirit as an ingredient.
Chef John has gone even further and added gin’s natural accompaniment, tonic, to his recipe, so enjoy, in moderation of course!
Gin and tonic cake
Ingredients:
Cake:
375g plain flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
225g butter, softened
600g caster sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
235ml milk
Icing:
500g full fat cream cheese
75g butter softened
200g icing sugar
150 ml tonic water
75 ml of gin
Method
- For the cake preheat the oven to 180 C / Gas 4. Grease and flour a 26cm tube cake tin.
- Whisk together flour and baking powder in a bowl; set aside. Beat the butter and sugar with an electric mixer in a large bowl until light and fluffy. The mixture should be noticeably lighter in colour.
- Add the eggs one at a time, allowing each egg to blend into the butter mixture before adding the next. Beat in the vanilla with the last egg. Pour in the flour mixture alternately with the milk, mixing until just incorporated. Pour the batter into prepared pan.
- Bake in the preheated oven until the top is golden brown and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Cool completely before removing from the cake tin.
- For the icing cream the butter with the sugar then add in the gin, tonic and cream cheese adding more sugar depending on personal taste.
- Top the cooled cake with the cream and chill before serving.
About Sean Flint
Development & Innovation Chef of SK Foods.
Your food. Our Passion.
