Gin and pink grapefruit tonic cake

Name: Gin and pink grapefruit tonic cake
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h 25 min
Yield: 10
Ingredients: 200 g (7oz) unsalted butter, softened, plus extra to grease; 200 g (7oz) caster sugar; 4 medium eggs, beaten; 200 g (7oz) self-raising flour; 1/2 tsp baking powder; Finely grated zest 1 pink grapefruit; 75 mL (3 fl oz) gin; 75 g (3oz) caster sugar; 75 mL (3 fl oz) pink grapefruit tonic water, we used Fentiman's Pink Grapefruit Tonic Water; 3 tbsp. gin; 100 g (3 1/2oz) icing sugar, sifted; Red or pink food colouring

G&T, but not as you know it!

By The Good Housekeeping Web teamUpdated: 29 July 2022

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Forget saving your favourite gin for G&Ts and try this recipe for gin and pink grapefruit tonic cake instead. The spirit creates the most irresistibly moist texture, while the tonic-infused icing strikes the perfect sweet and tangy balance.

This cake can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days (or 3 days with grapefruit slices).

Like this? You'll love this sloe gin cheesecake, strawberry gin and basil trifle, and our gin jam doughnuts.

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Yields:

Prep Time:

25 mins

Cook Time:

1 hr

Total Time:

1 hr 25 mins

Cal/Serv:

426

Ingredients

200 g (7oz) unsalted butter, softened, plus extra to grease
200 g (7oz) caster sugar
4 medium eggs, beaten
200 g (7oz) self-raising flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
Finely grated zest 1 pink grapefruit
75 ml (3 fl oz) gin

FOR THE SYRUP AND TOPPING

75 g (3oz) caster sugar
75 ml (3 fl oz) pink grapefruit tonic water, we used Fentiman's Pink Grapefruit Tonic Water
3 Tbsp. gin
100 g (3 1/2oz) icing sugar, sifted
Red or pink food colouring

Directions

1. Step 1
  Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan) mark 4. Grease and line base and sides of a 900g (2lb) loaf tin with baking parchment, making sure that the parchment comes up a about 4cm (11/2in) higher than the sides of the tin.
2. Step 2
  In a large bowl beat butter and sugar with a handheld electric whisk until light and fluffy, about 3min. Gradually add eggs, beating well after each addition.
3. Step 3
  Fold in flour, baking powder and grapefruit zest (reserve remaining grapefruit for later), followed by the gin. Spoon into the prepared tin and bake for 55min-1hr or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
4. Step 4
  Meanwhile, make the sugar syrup: Half the grapefruit and squeeze the juice from one half only. Gently heat the caster sugar and tonic water in a small pan, stirring often, until the sugar dissolves. Turn up heat and boil for 1min. Remove from heat and mix in the gin and 1tbsp grapefruit juice.
5. Step 5
  When the loaf comes out of the oven, poke holes all over the top with a skewer and slowly drizzle over half the gin syrup mixture. Leave to soak in for 10min then drizzle with remaining syrup. Leave to cool in tin on a wire rack.
6. Step 6
  Cut the remaining half the grapefruit in half again, then slice a couple of thin half-moons from one of the halves. Lay the slices flat on a board, and cut along the segment lines into small triangle shapes. Put the triangles on kitchen paper to dry.
7. Step 7
  Using the tin as a guide, run a knife horizontally along the top of the loaf cake to cut off the rounded top. Invert the cake on to a serving plate and peel off the parchment. Mix the icing sugar with enough grapefruit juice (about 11/2tbsp), to make a slightly thick but pourable icing. Use a cocktail stick to add a very small amount of food colouring to the icing, to tinge it a pale pink (repeat if necessary until you get the desired shade). Spoon icing over the cake and decorate with the grapefruit triangles.