Clover Club Gin Cake Recipe

<ul class="ingredients-main-list"><li class="ingredients-single-item">225g unsalted butter, softened</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">225g caster sugar</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">4 large eggs, room temperature</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">225g self-raising flour (or all-purpose flour with 2 tsp baking powder)</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">Zest of 2 lemons</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">60ml good quality gin (preferably botanical-forward)</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">150g fresh raspberries (plus extra for decoration)</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">2 tbsp lemon juice</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">¼ tsp salt</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">1 tsp vanilla extract</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">For the gin syrup:</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">100g caster sugar</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">75ml water</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">50ml gin</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">For the raspberry gin glaze:</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">150g icing sugar</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">3 tbsp raspberry puree (strained)</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">2 tbsp gin</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">1 tbsp lemon juice</li></ul>

<ul class="equipment-main-list"><li class="equipment-single-item">23cm round cake tin</li><li class="equipment-single-item">Stand mixer or electric hand mixer</li><li class="equipment-single-item">Fine mesh sieve</li><li class="equipment-single-item">Microplane zester</li><li class="equipment-single-item">Food processor or blender (for raspberry puree)</li></ul>

<ol class="no-list-style"><li class="MethodStepper"><h4 class="step-title">Step 1</h4>Preheat your oven to 170°C (150°C fan). Grease and line a 23cm round cake tin with parchment paper. Gently wash your raspberries and set aside 100g for the cake batter. Reserve the remaining berries for the glaze and decoration.</li><li class="MethodStepper"><h4 class="step-title">Step 2</h4>In a small bowl, mash 100g of raspberries with a fork and mix with 2 tablespoons of the gin. Let this mixture sit for 15 minutes to allow the gin to infuse the berries. This infusion is key to distributing the gin flavor throughout the cake without making it too alcoholic.</li><li class="MethodStepper"><h4 class="step-title">Step 3</h4>In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer, cream together the butter and caster sugar until very light and fluffy, about 5-7 minutes. Don't rush this step – proper aeration here creates the foundation for a tender, light crumb.</li><li class="MethodStepper"><h4 class="step-title">Step 4</h4>Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. If the mixture begins to curdle, add a tablespoon of your measured flour to stabilize it. Mix in the vanilla extract, lemon zest, remaining gin, and lemon juice.</li><li class="MethodStepper"><h4 class="step-title">Step 5</h4>Sift the flour and salt into the bowl and fold in gently using a large metal spoon or silicone spatula. Cutting through the mixture rather than stirring helps preserve the air bubbles you've created during creaming.</li><li class="MethodStepper"><h4 class="step-title">Step 6</h4>Gently fold in the gin-soaked raspberry mixture until just combined. The batter should obtain a subtle pink hue. Be careful not to overmix – a few streaks of raspberry are preferable to a dense cake.</li><li class="MethodStepper"><h4 class="step-title">Step 7</h4>Pour the batter into your prepared tin, smoothing the top gently. Bake in the preheated oven for 40-45 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. The cake will be lightly golden on top and beginning to pull away from the sides of the tin.</li><li class="MethodStepper"><h4 class="step-title">Step 8</h4>While the cake is baking, prepare the gin syrup by combining the sugar and water in a small saucepan. Heat gently until the sugar dissolves completely, then bring to a simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the gin. The hot syrup will help evaporate some of the alcohol while preserving the flavor.</li><li class="MethodStepper"><h4 class="step-title">Step 9</h4>Once the cake is baked, leave it in the tin and immediately poke holes all over the surface with a skewer. Slowly drizzle the warm gin syrup over the hot cake, allowing it to soak in completely. Let the cake cool in the tin for 20 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.</li><li class="MethodStepper"><h4 class="step-title">Step 10</h4>For the raspberry gin glaze, blend the reserved raspberries in a food processor and strain through a fine mesh sieve to remove seeds. Measure 3 tablespoons of the smooth puree and mix with the icing sugar, gin, and lemon juice until you achieve a pourable but thick consistency. Add more icing sugar or liquid as needed to reach your desired thickness.</li><li class="MethodStepper"><h4 class="step-title">Step 11</h4>Once the cake is completely cool, pour the glaze over the top, allowing it to drip artistically down the sides. The acid in the raspberries and lemon will react with the alcohol to create a beautiful, naturally pink glaze with a sophisticated sheen.</li><li class="MethodStepper"><h4 class="step-title">Step 12</h4>Decorate the cake with fresh raspberries and perhaps a light dusting of icing sugar or edible flowers. Allow the glaze to set for at least 30 minutes before slicing. This cake is even better the day after baking, as the flavors have time to meld and develop.</li></ol>