Blackberry gin gimlet cupcakes
Sweet, sharp and juicy blackberries marry beautifully with gin and a twist of lime in these striking cupcakes.
Ingredients
FOR THE CAKE BATTER
175 g
(6oz) unsalted butter, softened
175 g
(6oz) caster sugar
175 g
(6oz) self-raising flour
3 tbsp.
gin
Finely grated zest of 2 limes
FOR THE SYRUP
2 tbsp.
gin
40 g
(1 ½oz) Juice of 1 lime
FOR THE BUTTERCREAM
200 g
(7oz) blackberries, plus 12 to decorate
2 tbsp.
Chambord
125 g
(4oz) unsalted butter, softened
400 g
(14oz) icing sugar, sifted
Directions
Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan) mark 4. Line a 12-hole muffin tin with cases (we used tulip cases). In a bowl, beat the butter and sugar together using an electric whisk until light and fluffy. Gradually add eggs, beating well between each addition. Sift over flour and a pinch of salt and fold in, then fold in gin and lime zest.
Divide the mixture between the muffin cases (an ice-cream scoop is useful for this) and bake for 20-25min until risen and a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.
Meanwhile, make the syrup by gently heating all the ingredients in a pan, stirring to dissolve the sugar, then bring to the boil and simmer for 1min. When the cakes are cooked, remove from oven and poke holes all over with a skewer or cocktail stick. Brush cakes with gin syrup and leave for 5min; remove cakes from tin and set aside to cool on a wire rack.
For the buttercream, put 200g (70z) blackberries into a pan with 1tbsp water. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer for 10min, stirring occasionally, until berries are soft and juice thickened. Blend until smooth, then pass through a sieve into a bowl. Stir in Chambord, if using. Set aside to cool.
In a bowl, beat butter using an electric whisk until soft, then whisk in icing sugar in 2 batches; continue to beat until light and fluffy. Whisk in cooled blackberry purée.
Pipe buttercream on to cakes and top each one with a blackberry.