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Clover Club Gin Cake Recipe

Clover Club Gin Cake Recipe

Master this homemade Clover Club Gin Cake with its delicate balance of juniper, citrus and raspberry. The best boozy baking recipe combines gin-soaked berries with a tender sponge and pink gin glaze for a sophisticated treat that's surprisingly easy to perfect.
Difficulty:
Intermediate
Prep Time:
30 mins
Cook Time:
45 mins
Serves:
1 cake (12 slices)
An elegant slice of pink-tinted cake captured from a 45-degree angle, showing its delicate crumb structure and raspberry-gin infused layers. Natural window light creates a soft glow on the moist sponge, highlighting specks of lemon zest throughout. The serving sits on a vintage coupe glass-shaped plate, garnished with fresh raspberries and a subtle dusting of powdered sugar. A crystal decanter of gin and scattered juniper berries create depth in the background, while a cut lemon and raspberry puree in small glass bowls complete the scene, emphasizing the cake's cocktail inspiration.

Ingredients

<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>

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

🍽️ Serving Size:
🔥 Calories:
🥑 Fat:
🧈 Saturated Fat:
🍞 Carbohydrates:
🍭 Sugar:
🍗 Protein:
🫀 Cholesterol:
🧂 Sodium:

Equipment

<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>

Directions

<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>

FAQs

Find answers to your most pressing questions about this delicious recipe right here.

What ingredients are used in Clover Club Gin Cake?

This sophisticated cake features butter, caster sugar, eggs, flour, lemon zest, gin, fresh raspberries, vanilla extract, plus ingredients for a gin syrup and raspberry gin glaze. The botanical gin and raspberry combination creates its signature cocktail-inspired flavour.

How to cook Clover Club Gin Cake at home?

Learn how to cook Clover Club Gin Cake by creating a butter-sugar base, folding in gin-soaked raspberries, baking until golden, then enhancing with gin syrup and a pink raspberry glaze. The key techniques include proper creaming of butter and sugar, gentle folding of ingredients, and adding the warm syrup to the hot cake for maximum flavour absorption.

Can I make this boozy cake alcohol-free while keeping the flavour profile?

Yes! Replace the gin with a non-alcoholic gin alternative, which contains the same botanical flavours without the alcohol. You can also use juniper berry tea with a few drops of lemon oil and increase the raspberry component to maintain the cake's sophisticated flavour profile.

How do I achieve the perfect pink colour in the glaze without artificial colouring?

The natural pink hue comes from using fresh raspberries in the glaze. For the most vibrant colour, use perfectly ripe berries, strain thoroughly to remove seeds, and add the puree gradually to the icing sugar. The acidity in both raspberries and lemon juice helps enhance the pink tone.

What type of gin works best for baking this raspberry-infused cake?

Choose a botanical-forward gin with prominent juniper and citrus notes. London Dry styles work excellently, while gins with berry or floral notes complement the raspberry perfectly. Avoid overly sweet gins or those with strong herbal profiles that might clash with the delicate cake flavours.

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