Ingredients
- unsalted butter 200g, softened
- golden caster sugar 200g, plus 2 tbsp
- eggs 4
- plain flour 200g
- baking powder 2 tsp
- gin 6 tbsp
- lemon 1, zested and juiced
- tonic water 2 tbsp
BUTTERCREAM
- unsalted butter 150g, softened
- icing sugar 400g
- gin 1 tbsp
- tonic water 1 tbsp
- lemon 1, zested and ½ juiced
Method
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Step 1
Heat the oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4 and line a 20cm x 30cm rectangular cake tin.
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Step 2
Put the butter and sugar into a bowl and beat until fluffy and pale. Add the eggs 1 at a time, beating until incorporated before adding the next (add a tbsp of flour after each one if it splits). Add the remaining flour, baking powder, 4 tbsp of the gin, the lemon zest and juice, and a pinch of salt. Scrape into the tin and bake for 20-25 minutes or until risen and firm.
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Step 3
Mix together the 2 tbsp of caster sugar, remaining gin and the tonic water.
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Step 4
Cool the cake for 10 minutes then use a skewer to poke holes all over. Pour the gin and tonic mixture all over the cake, then cool in the tin before removing onto a board.
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Step 5
To make the buttercream, whip the butter with electric beaters until really soft, then add the icing sugar a spoonful at a time. Mix together the gin, tonic water and lemon juice, and stir through the buttercream. Spread over the cake and sprinkle over the lemon zest. Cut into bite-sized pieces to serve.
