Cake and gin? Yes please!
Ingredients
275g unsalted butter, softened
3 tbsp milk
275g caster sugar
4 large eggs
zest of 2 limes
275g self-raising flour
For the syrup
150ml gin
150ml tonic water
100g caster sugar
For the glaze
150g icing sugar
2 tbsp gin
To decorate
A small amount of lime and lemon peel
50g caster sugar
50ml water
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C, fan 160°C, gas 4.
2. Lay out cupcake cases into oven trays.
3. Beat the sugar and butter with an electric hand whisk until very light and fluffy, scraping down the sides from time to time.
4. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
5. Add the lime zest and beat again.
6. Add the flour and continue to mix on a low speed until just combined.
7. Add the milk into the mixture and beat once more until the milk is incorporated.
8. Spoon the mixture into the cases.
9. Bake until golden and risen and a skewer inserted into the cakes comes out clean.
10. While the cakes are baking, place all the ingredients for the syrup in a small saucepan and set over a low heat.
11. Stir gently to dissolve the sugar, then increase the heat to high and simmer for 7-10 minutes, until reduced by about half.
12. As soon as the cakes come out of the oven, poke lots of holes into them with a skewer.
13. Pour the warm syrup over the cakes and let it soak in for 10 minutes.
14. To finish the cakes, make the glaze by combining the icing sugar and gin.
15. Put the decoration sugar and water in a pan and stir until dissolved. Add the peel and stir until coated then scoop out onto a plate to cool.
16. Pour the glaze over the cakes, sprinkle over the candied peel and leave to set, then serve.
Recipe tweaked from this one.