The Gin and Tonic Cake

Having a spare 5 mins today, I decided to tackle some baking. Invariably, I am disappointed as it is an exacting science and you need the right stuff and bla bla. That in mind, I scanned the baking section of the cupboard and discarded the baking powder (sell by date of 2015) and set off to the local down the road.
There seemed to be a staff meeting in the very small shop which involved the staff all hitting each other across the back of their heads. Seemed to be some kind of welcome to the new manager. Squeezing past, I was able to get in a few well-aimed shoves with my basket and they gradually realised that yes, there was someone in their shop and yes, she wanted to buy some things.
You’ll all be thrilled to know though, that Kirsty has progressed from baked goods to fresh produce- a distance of about 10 feet. I wish her well.
The recipe called for limes- well the lemons are in the same food group so they should do. You can see a pattern here already.
Back home, out comes the hand-held mixer. We have been together for 29 years now and know each other’s foibles well.
It churned its way through the butter and sugar and I was able to chase the twirling bowl, intent on its own trajectory across the worksurface with ease, whilst wiping off blobs of butter and sugar from the kettle, toaster etc and casually flinging them in.
A word about bowls: WHY do recipes lull you into a false sense of security- get a bowl. This one, the one I do the olives in? Yes, that will be fine. Halfway through, you realise that you actually needed the biggest damn bowl you have as clouds of sifted flour settle on all your kitchen possessions.
Now to the gin…I measured it, I checked it, that was one heck of a lot. Checked it again….turned my measuring jug around and proceeded to measure again in fluid ounces and not the cupfuls. Narrow escape there.
Cake goes into the prepared loaf tin. Greased sides- check. Greaseproof paper- nah I have absolute confidence in my silicone loaf tin.
On to the syrup- MORE gin and caster sugar. I watched in disbelief as the sugar poured nicely from a hole all over my clean worktop.
Ok syrup done. Waiting for the candied lemon to turn translucent somehow.

Here we are, cake baked, lemons on top. Just a small matter of the icing it is supposed to have.

I discovered that I didn’t have a box of icing sugar, just a handy cute shaker thing that you would lightly dust some fairy cakes with and seeing as I couldn’t get the lid off, I thought, “Life’s too short,” poured the rest of the gin over it and am hoping for the best.

Cheers people!