Gin & Tonic Cake

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC/160ºC fan/gas mark 4

2. Greese and line 2 x 20cm cake tins. In a mixer, beat together the butter and half of the sugar until white and fluffy.

3. Add the eggs one at a time with a tablespoon of flour making sure they are fully incorporated before adding the next one. Fold in the rest of the flour once the eggs are all mixed in. 

4. Mix the yogurt with the juice of one of the limes and 3/4 of the gin. Add this to the cake batter and mix it in.  

5. Pour half the cake batter into each cake tin and bake for 35 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.  

6. While the cake is in the oven, make the syrup. Put the remaining sugar, tonic water and juice of one lime into a saucepan over medium heat. Once the sugar has dissolved, stir it and then let it cool for 5 mins. Pour in the remaining gin and set aside.

7. When the cake is ready, let it cool in it's tin for 5 minutes. Using a skerwer, prick the cake all over and then spoon the syrup over both halves of the cakes. Leave it to cool completely.

8. Next, make the buttercream. Beat the butter until soft in a mixer for a few minutes, then add the icing sugar, a third at a time. Add a tablespoon of milk to help loosen the texture if it's too stiff. Add the zest of the limes. You may add 4 drops of gin and tonic flavouring (optional) and mix in to finish it. 

9. To dress the cake, cover the top of one half with 1/3 of the buttercream. Sandwich the second layer on top. Cover this with buttercream too before working buttercream onto the sides.  This gives a beautiful naked finish.