June 15, 2018
Gin and Tonic Cake
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A three layer gin and tonic cake with G&T drizzle, and G&T frosting with a touch of lime.
Gin and tonic cake
Oh heyyy vaguely sunny summer, perfect time for G&Ts and all that. Honestly, I can’t think of anything better than having a chilled summers evening with an ice cold G&T and some food… but what about gin & tonic cake?! Oh well.. maybe I can have the drink and eat it too. Why would I not?!
My gin and tonic recipes so far have always been a hit since posting as I know a very large percentage of you guys love gin too. Obviously, there are some of you out there that don’t like gin, but there are many other recipes that you can enjoy on my blog instead! But for this one, I just couldn’t resist it… its an absolute showstopper!
Other gin and tonic bakes
My gin & tonic drizzle cake has been far more popular than I have ever imagined it could be, but I wanted to make a layer cake version. So many of you want to make a showstopper version as well, so I thought I would make a recipe out of it to make things easier! It’s very similar to it, and my gin & tonic cupcakes merged together to form a delicious three layer gin and tonic cake.
Design
The basic premise of this recipe is more like my lemon & blueberry cake than anything, but obviously without the fruit. I love the look of this type of cake with the piping in little blobs making a nice pattern and such. Obviously things in the actual recipe are different, but I just couldn’t resist this look! I just find them so damn satisfying!
Icing/frosting
You will notice from the pictures and the recipe that I basically just used two different types of icing or ‘frosting’ for this cake. It may sound really weird, but I am quite a fan. The gin and tonic buttercream is based on the buttercream frosting I used for my gin & tonic cupcakes, but obviously the more liquid you use in a cake, the softer the buttercream will be. Therefore, I still used some in there to get flavouring, but used the ‘water icing’ as well on top for another gin hit.
Most water icings are basically just icing sugar and water mixed together, which is most often used in cupcakes you bake when you’re little, and its just so easy and wonderful. The good thing is, you can swap the water for gin, and then you have a strong gin tasting topper for this cake. This part, is like the topping in my gin & tonic drizzle cake.
Drizzle and flavouring
The drizzle part of this cake, is also the same as my gin & tonic drizzle cake, because its such a hit. When I do flavourings, I really like to go all out.. especially with something I love as much as gin.
However, some people obviously don’t want to go all out on a bottle of gin for a cake, so you CAN use gin and tonic flavouring instead if you want. Sainbury’s currently sell a G&T flavouring, which is the dream. Its the same flavouring I used in my gin & tonic gudge.
If you do just want to use the flavouring, you can use it in the cake, the buttercream, and the water icing if you want. Not only does it make it cheaper, it means you aren’t using actual alcohol, which some people are keen on. It’s a very adaptable flavouring, and its so cheap as well its worth it! I’ve made this cake using just the flavouring, and the actual gin, and both work very well.
Two layer version
If you would rather make a two layer version, use 300g butter, 300g caster sugar, 300g self raising flour, 6 medium eggs, 1.5tsps baking powder, and 1.5 tsps of flavouring if using. Split between two 8″/20cm tins, and it might take an extra 5 minutes to bake in the oven. Use 2/3 of the decorations. Enjoy this Gin and Tonic Cake! x
Gin and Tonic Cake!
Ingredients
Cake
- 400 g unsalted butter
- 400 g caster sugar
- 400 g self raising flour
- 8 medium eggs
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 2 tsp G&T flavouring (optional)
- Zest of 1 lime
Drizzle
- 100 g caster sugar
- 6 tbsp gin
- 6 tbsp tonic water
Buttercream
- 300 g unsalted butter (room temp)
- 750 g icing sugar
- 3 tbsp gin
- 3 tbsp tonic
Icing
- 250 g icing sugar
- 3 tbsp gin
Decoration
- Zest of 1 lime
- Lime slices
Instructions
For the Cake
- Heat the oven to 180C/160C Fan and line three 20cm/8inch sandwich cake tins with baking parchment – leave to the side.
- In a stand mixer, beat together the butter and caster sugar for a few minutes until light and fluffy.
- Add in the flour, eggs, baking powder, flavouring if using and lime and beat again briefly until combined – try not to overbeat!
- Divide the mixture between the three tins and smooth it over – bake for 25-30minutes until the cakes are golden and when the cake springs back (skewer should also come out clean)!
- Once baked, leave on the side for now, in the tin.
- Whilst cooling for the 10 minutes, make the drizzle.
- Add your caster sugar, gin, and tonic to a small pan.
- Heat on a low-medium whilst stirring, and wait for the sugar to dissolve. Once dissolved, turn off the heat.
- Poke your cake lightly with a cake skewer/fork, and then drizzle over the drizzle. Leave the cake to cool fully in the tin.
For the Buttercream
- Beat the butter with an electric mixer for a couple of minutes to loosen it – gradually beat in the icing sugar until well combined (this can take up to 5 minutes).
- Add in the tonic & gin one tablespoon of each at a time, and beat fully each time. The mixture will be slightly slacker than usual, but you want the flavour so be aware!
- Alternatively, use the gin & tonic flavouring with the butter and sugar instead.
To Decorate
- Add a layer of the cake to your plate/board and pipe on some of the buttercream.
- Add on the second layer and pipe on buttercream again, and then the third layer. If you just want to use buttercream then decorate the top, but I did buttercream and icing so I piped the leftover buttercream around the edges.
- Mix the icing with the gin and fill in the top with it, and then sprinkle over the lime zest and add lime slices if you wish!
- Enjoy!
Notes
- I found my gin & tonic flavouring from SAINSBURYS. You can use it in place of any actual gin if you like!
- The icing part on top is completely optional, you can just use buttercream, but it gives a nice strong gin flavour.
- YOU MUST USE ACTUAL BUTTER FOR BUTTERCREAM – I can’t stress this enough. I get comments often about ‘why is my buttercream so runny’ and 9/10 times its because the incorrect butter was used. You can’t use stork, or a spread, or a substitute for buttercream. This is even more important for this recipe as you are adding more liquid than usual.
- I used Gordons gin for these cupcakes, and Fever Tree tonic as it has a strong flavour. You can use any you like, but better quality ones with a better and stronger flavour are important.
- You can use anything to decorate it with, but I love a wedge or two of lime with my G&Ts so used lime slices!
- These cake will last in a container for 3 days at room temperature!
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J x
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I have made a number of Jane’s cakes and they have all been an overwhelming success. I recently made this cake for a friend’s birthday who loves a G&T. Beautifully moist cake and looked very pretty. As suggested, I used a good quality gin and tonic however it didn’t taste of G&T imo – more citrus-y because of the lime. I received many compliments but I wish I’d sourced the G&T flavoring (easier said than done) as it might have had a more pronounced flavor.
Can this be done without the tonic and just extra gin?
Hi, I’m hoping to make this as my wedding cake, do you know if the sponges would freeze well? Thanks!
Yes absolutely, you can freeze these for up to 3 months! Hope this helps! x
What would the conversion from real gin to gin flavouring be? 1tbsp of real gin = ?? of gin flavouring?
Hiya! It depends on the brand, but it is usually 1-2tsp for a cake! Hope this helps! x
I always use your recipes when we’re celebrating and I ALWAYS love them but this one was AMAZING! Everyone who ate it said it was the best cake they’d ever had… I just smile and say it’s Jane’s Patisserie 😀
Thanks for turning an average baker into a star baker in my family’s eyes 🥰
If I wanted to buttercream the sides aswell how much would you increase the recipe for buttercream too
Hiya! Yes this should be perfect! Enjoy! X
So nice! Love your recipes. This cake really, really impressed!!
Hi, can you make in advance and freeze the sponges?
If freezing, would you do it straight from baking or after the drizzle has been added?
Thanks!
I am slightly confused as you say to remove the cakes from the tin after ten minutes and place on wire rack but then drizzle over the drizzle and leave to cool on wire rack. When should I drizzle and when should I remove from tin? Sorry. Thanks
Hiya, drizzle onto the cake in the tin, let it cool and then remove xx
Could this be made with cream cheese frosting? Would like to make this for a friends birthday but she hates buttercream!
It could do – but I would only add G&T flavouring to that, not actual gin or tonic!
Hi, I was planning on making this cake in 5 inch tins as a birthday cake for my mum.
Would it be 1/3 the recipe?
It would be yes! x
If I wanted to put real gin and tonic in cake like you do in your cupcakes, how much would I use. I was going to triple cupcake recipe and make it slightly taller. But flour quantities are different in both recipes. Cake has equal amounts and cupcake recipe uses more flour. Thank you. X
Generally I find it bakes okay in the cupcakes, but adding the liquid to a cake can make it bake a little funny, which is why it’s different in this recipe. You can follow the recipe of the cupcakes if you want but translate it into a cake, it’s up to you!
Have made this twice now and both times turned out perfect. I just love your recipes!! Thank you!!
I’ve been asked if I could make a Jack Daniels cake, would you be able to use this recipe and adapt it?
Thank you!!
Ahh yay!! Whilst I haven’t tried it – I don’t see why it wouldn’t work? It may need less jack Daniels but I’m not certain! x
Where does the icing go is it between each layer confused between the butter cream and icing
The icing just goes on the top as mentioned in the decoration – you just put buttercream between the layers x
What piping tip did you use??
Just a round tip.. if you have disposable piping bags you can also just cut the end off!
Oh my gosh. This cake is BRILLIANT! I was so happy with the look and tasts of the cake just a hit when eating and a hit if you wanted it from the icing on the top. Thank you so much for this, I might just have to try it with other alcohols…
Making this tomorrow for a friend’s socially distant birthday garden party and using elderflower gin and fever tree elderflower tonic, however I’m considering one for myself using the M&S blackberry gin bramble, it is so tasty so reckon it needs to be done
Hi Jane, what quantities would you suggest for a 6 inch version? Thanks
Typically a 6″ is about 2/3 of the recipe! x
Hi Jane!
I would love to see a Pina Colada (pineapple, rum and maybe coconut) cake from you in the future!
Hey! It’s already on my list to do!
cant wait for pina colada. My favourite drink.
I made this cake earlier this week for my sister. I used pink gin instead of normal gin, and pink food colouring for the icing to make it a pink gin and tonic cake. I used smaller tins and made it into a 5-layer drip cake with white chocolate (like your Black Forest cake- which incidentally I also made a few weeks ago and it was a massive hit!). I then decorated it with miniature pink gin bottles, pink macarons, mini meringue nest, mini flumps and white chocolate coated strawberries. The cake was delicious although it was tricky to taste the gin- it came through in the icing a bit. I’m so pleased I discovered this blog during lockdown, your recipes are fabulous, everyone I have tried has been delicious and I’m looking forward to trying many more!
Scrolled down to the comments to see if anyone had attempted it with pink gin as that’s what I intend to do! 👍🏻 Glad it worked!
Hi Jane
I was wanting to make this cake for my Gran during isolation as it is her 80th birthday next week. Her drink is Gin & Orange though. Could I swap out the Tonic Water for Orange Juice? I may also reduce the lime. Just want it to work for her 🙂
Hayley
Hey! I would leave out the tonic, and use orange zest/1tsp orange flavouring – using orange juice won’t give much flavour and could cause it to split!
Hi Jane, just wondering would Bombay gin work instead of Gordon’s?
Yes! Bombay would work well!
Hi, could I use the same measurements and split between 2 10” cake tins
A 10″ cake is typically 1.6x an 8″ cake, so it might be okay, but it will probably be quite thin!
How much gin flavouring would you use if replacing real gin?
It depends on the brand of flavouring you are using – but I would suggest 2 tsp!
The buttercream ingredients say just gin but the method says gin and tonic
The cake was soo good, made for a friend who absolutely loved it!
Would it still work if I swapped the gun for Amaretto and omitted the lemon zest?
I’m not sure, sorry.
Just wondering what the amounts would be for a 2 layer cake ?
Easiest bet is use 2/3 and split between two tins!
Can this cake be frozen?
Yes!
Can this cake be frozen?