In celebration of Afternoon Tea Week (10th-16th August), The Big Bakes- the UK's leading experiential baking company- are encouraging bakers across the UK to get baking at home and have released new exciting recipes for Afternoon Tea Week including these divine Caorunn Gin, Gin & Tonic Cupcakes.
The Big Bakes X Caorunn - Gin & Tonic Cupcakes
For the cupcakes:
240g Plain Flour
1 tbsp Baking Powder
¼ tsp Salt
260g Caster Sugar
80g Butter
180ml Milk
45ml (3 tbsp) Gin
½ tsp Vanilla Essence
2 large Eggs
For the syrup:
60g Caster Sugar
60ml (4 tbsp) Tonic Water
30ml (2 tbsp) Gin
For the Buttercream:
500g Icing Sugar
160g Softened Unsalted Butter
15ml (1 tbsp) Milk
Lemons, limes or apples etc for garnish.
Method:
- Preheat oven to 190c. Mix butter and sugar together on a medium speed in your stand mixer or electric mixer if you have one (or you can just use a wooden spoon) until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time and mix. Once combined, add the flour, baking powder and salt in. Add the milk a bit at a time and mix in between making sure to scrape down the sides.Then add the gin and mix until fully combined.
- Put the mixture into each case ⅔ full. Once all filled, put in the oven for 18 - 22 minutes or until they spring back when lightly touched.
- When they are baking you can make your syrup. Place caster sugar and tonic water in your saucepan and simmer on a medium heat gently stirring until the sugar dissolves. Once dissolved, continue to mix and put on a high heat for 1 minute so the liquid boils and turns into more of a syrup, then take off the heat and leave to cool for 5 minutes. Then add the gin and stir. Leave to one side until the cupcakes come out the oven.
- Once cupcakes have baked, leave them in their tin for 10 - 15 minutes and then place on a cooling rack. When they are still warm, use a cake skewer or fork to gently puncture the top of each cake several times. Use a pastry brush to drizzle the syrup over the cakes so it soaks into them.
- Once the cupcakes are cool, make your buttercream. Place icing sugar and butter in your mixer again and mix together on a very low speed with either the whisk or paddle attachment. You can switch the mixer off and use your hands or a spatula to rub the butter pieces into the icing sugar in the bowl to get it started if it is taking a while.Then add 2-4 tsp of your syrup (to taste) into the butter and icing sugar and then add a little bit of milk at a time and mix on a medium speed after each addition. You can add any liquid, fine zest or powder flavours or colours at this point.Then mix on a high speed for around 6-8 minutes or until the buttercream is light and fluffy.
- Smooth the buttercream on the cupcakes with a spatula or palette knife or you can use a piping bag and nozzle to decorate your cakes. You can then top with any garnish you would like, Caorunn Gin suggests serving their G&Ts with a slice of a Pink Lady apple, so we’ve used that on ours, but you could also use lime, lemon or even decorative paper straws.
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