Alice's Vegan Bakes: Lemon Gin Drizzle Cake
The initial plan for this post was for it to be a recipe all of my own. About a week ago, I went to Alice for baking advice, I had a plan for a mother's day cake that was a lemon drizzle with added gin. Because I can't speak for all mum's by my mum loves the stuff. She offered some verbal advice, and on Thursday I attempted to make said cake. It was a complete, unparalleled disaster. The art of baking is not my forte! My first attempt can only be described as straight up slime. The second went to the other cake extreme and was a brick. The photos below prove this. The less said about these attempts the better really.
Alice came home and hysterically laughed at me. So the plan to make this my recipe went out the window. Half an hour later Alice and her best friend Ella had whipped up the most delicious, light and fluffy lemon gin drizzle cake. And I was sat there bemused, and grateful because the cake was friggin amazing.Lemony, boozey, soft and moist, the cake of gin fuelled dreams!
She then left me detailed instructions on how to recreate the cake. So the cake you see in the photos below is a cake I made and photographed, according to Alice's recipe (with a little help from Ella). Team effort gals!
Attempt 1
Attempt 2
So now on to the real inspiration behind this cake. My Mum! To be honest we are not big celebrators of mother's day in my house. My mum always told us growing up it was a commercial money making scheme. And of course she's right (mums always are), and of course mum's should be celebrated and appreciated every day. So we never go in for gifts or shop brought cards. But I do try to make her something when and where I can. Handmade is always best in my opinion, it's heart felt and sentimental, and you can tailor it to suit the receiver's tastes. Like adding gin to lemon drizzle just cos. My mum is a constant source of inspiration, she works incredibly hard and her job means she saves people's lives. She also is my biggest fan, supports me and likes every single one of my instagram photos. What more can you ask for than insta likes?! My mum is rational, intelligent and good in a crisis. I call her every time I loose anything. So this cake is to say sorry I always loose things, thanks for helping me find them, and more importantly thanks for being my mum!
I just wanted to say I understand mother's day can be really hard for some people. If you've lost your mum, or aren't able to be a mother despite wanting to be, it can be a day that seems to rub your feelings in your face. I don't pretend to understand how that feels, I am very blessed in my life in many ways. But my advice is if you do feel this way maybe try to focus on the positive females in your life, the ones who support and inspire you. I know for me there are many women in my life who have been maternal figures. I hope this way we can focus on spreading love, rather than isolating those who are less fortunate in some way. And with International Women's Day just past, I believe this is the perfect time to reflect on the women in your life. Tomorrow I plan to celebrate them all. I'll start that celebration here, by saying thank you. Thank you to my grandmothers, Gwen and Angela, Gwen sadly passed away a few years ago but I remember her with love, soft hands and a brilliant sense of humour. Angela is a constant inspiration, she has been through a lot in the last few years but is always selfless and wise despite of it all. To mitten my Godmother, and Janet my honorary Godmother, (she's actually my old childminder), women who helped raise me and taught me to be strong, kind and creative. And lastly to Phillipa, my best friend's mum, who supplied countless after school dinners and snacks, stood up for me when my teenage boyfriend cheated on me and is endlessly strong! I love you all!
Basically whatever or whoever you are celebrating this weekend is there anyway better to do it justice than with cake, cake with gin let me add! Nah didn't think so. Let's get cooking, and drinking, only not too much drinking, we don't want burnt cakes!
Ingredients
For the cake
225g butter
225g caster sugar
275g gluten free self-raising flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
4 tablespoons flax seeds
10 tablespoons water
4 tablespoons almond milk
1/4 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
Zest of 2 lemons
For the gin drizzle
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
1 tablespoon gin
60g caster sugar
Method
1) Combine the flax seeds and water in a small bowl to create 'flax eggs'. In a separate bowl mix together the almond milk and apple cider vinegar. Leave both mixtures to stand for around 5 minutes.
2) In a large mixing bowl place all the other cake batter ingredients.
3) The 'flax eggs' when ready should have absorbed all the water, and have a gloopy egg like texture. Add this and the apple cider vinegar to the large mixing bowl.
4) Whisk all the ingredients together. I used an electric whisk, I would advise doing the same to cut down on some serious elbow grease. Whisk until well combined.
5) Grease the sides of a cake tin, and line the bottom with grease-proof paper. Pour in the cake batter.
6) Place into the oven at 180'c for 40 minutes, or until the top is cracking, springs back to the touch and you can place a knife into the cake and it comes out clean.
7) Mix together the gin drizzle ingredients.
8) Once the cake has cooled, pierce holes in the cake with a cocktail stick or knife. Pour the gin drizzle over the cake. And let mum's enjoy!