Here at Craft Gin Club, only one thing comes a close second to our love of beautiful craft gin, and that thing, friends, is cake.

This wonderfully moist and indulgent recipe combines both of our favourite things, creating an incredibly delicious chocolate and sloe gin-soaked cranberry cake! Get those mixing bowls out and hit the kitchen because this boozy bake is one you seriously cannot miss out on.

Chocolate & Sloe Gin-Soaked Cranberry Cake

For the chocolate cake
400g dark chocolate (72% Cocoa Solids)
200g unsalted butter, softened
200g golden caster Sugar
200g ground almonds
75g plain flour
4 tbsp cocoa powder
4 eggs, lightly beaten
200g low-fat Greek yoghurt

For the cranberry filling
350g cranberries, frozen of fresh, depending on the time of year
5 tbsp caster sugar
50ml sloe gin

For the sloe gin-spiked ganache
300ml double cream
2 tbsp golden caster sugar
200g dark chocolate (72% Cocoa Solids)
20ml sloe Gin

Preparation time: 50 minutes
Baking time: 40 minutes

 Method:

Preheat the oven to 180C / 160C fan / gas mark 4. Grease and line the base of a 25cm loose-bottomed tin.

Start by making the cranberry filling by adding the cranberries, caster sugar and gin to a heavy-based saucepan and setting over a medium heat. Stir until the sugar has dissolved and you have a thick, jam-like consistency. Set aside and leave to cool.

Meanwhile, break the chocolate into piece and melt gently in a large bowl over a pan of simmering water. Once the chocolate has melted, set aside to cool.

To make the cake, beat the sugar and butter together until light and creamy, then beat in the ground almonds, flour, cocoa powder, beaten eggs and greek yoghurt. Fold in the cooled, melted chocolate until you have a smooth, cake mixture.

Pour half of the batter into the tin, then top with the cranberry mixture, spreading it evenly and leaving a 3cm boarder. Pour over the remain cake batter and place in the centre of the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes until set. Remove from the oven once baked and leave to cool in the tin.

Once the cake has cooled, make the chocolate ganache by breaking up the remaining chocolate and placing in a bowl along with the gin. Pour the double cream and golden caster sugar to a pan and set over a medium heat. Stir until the sugar is dissolved and heat until the mixture is about to boil. Take off the heat and pour it over the chocolate. Stir until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth. Cool until it is a little thicker but still pourable.

Remove the cooled cake from the tin before pouring over the gin-spiked chocolate ganache. Leave the chocolate ganache to set slightly before serving the cake with either a generous spoonful of vanilla ice cream or double cream.

Cranberries can be notoriously difficult to find in the summer months, even the frozen variety. As an alternative, you can use a shop-bought cranberry sauce.

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