Celebrate World Gin Day with Caorunn Gin’s G&T cupcake recipe

For World Gin Day 2020, The Big Bakes and Caorunn Gin have joined forces to help Brits find an altogether more exciting way to enjoy their favourite tipple by creating the ultimate gin-infused treat of gin and tonic cupcakes.

The G&T cupcakes are made of a delectable gin-infused sponge, which is drizzled with a delightful tonic syrup and topped with a light and crisp botanical-infused buttercream, sure to make any day in lockdown a little brighter.

Infused with Caorunn for the perfect flavouring of botanicals, the gin and tonic cupcake recipe has been carefully curated by the experts at The Big Bakes, the company who brought the UK its first and only fun, accessible and affordable live baking competitions.

The Gin & Tonic Cupcakes are light and full of flavour, showcasing the natural elements that go into making Caorunn. Within the cake you can pick out the tastes of the five unique, locally foraged Celtic botanicals which are in the gin: Dandelion, Heather, Coul Blush Apple, Bog Myrtle and Rowan Berry.

Simply head over to @TheBig_Bakes on Instagram to watch how to make these gin-infused summertime treats.

Caorunn Gin and Tonic Cupcakes

Ingredients:

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, to garnish

Equipment

• Large mixing bowl
• Mixer (stand or electric)
• Wooden spoon
• Spatula
• Cupcake/muffin baking tin
• Cupcake cases
• Saucepan
• Cake skewer or fork
• Cooling Rack
• Piping bag and nozzle (optional)

Method

• Preheat oven to 190°c
• Mix butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy, then add the eggs one at a time and mix well.
• Once combined, add the flour, baking powder and salt.
• 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.
• Fill each case roughly ⅔ full
• Bake for 18 – 22 minutes, or until they spring back when lightly touched.
• To make the syrup, place caster sugar and tonic water in a saucepan and simmer on a medium heat, gently stirring until the sugar dissolves. Once dissolved, continue to mix and turn the heat up to high 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.
• Add the gin and stir.
• Once the cupcakes have baked, leave them in the tin for 10 – 15 minutes and then place on a cooling rack. While they are still warm, use a cake skewer or fork to gently puncture the top of each cake several times. Using a pastry brush, drizzle the syrup over the cakes so it soaks into them.
• Place icing sugar and butter in your mixer again and mix together on a low speed. Add 2-4 tsp of your syrup into the butter (taste and add more as necessary), and then add a little bit of milk at a time, mixing again after each addition.
• Finally, mix on a high speed for around 6-8 minutes or until the buttercream is light and fluffy (you can add any liquid, fine zest or powder flavours or colours at this point). Smooth the buttercream onto the cooled cupcakes with a spatula or palette knife, or you can use a piping bag and nozzle to decorate.
• You can now top the cupcakes with any garnish you 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.

Gin-lovers will be able to have a go at making the Gin & Tonic cake from 13^th June, during World Gin Day. The recipe will be available through @thebig_bakes and @caorunngin.