Celebrate Afternoon Tea Week

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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