GIN AND TONIC CAKE

Steps:

• Line an 8" cake pan with parchment paper; lightly grease paper and sides of pan. Preheat oven to 350 F. Juice limes and measure out ¼ cup juice and, separately, 1 tablespoon juice; set both aside Using a mortar and pestle or spice grinder, mash 30 of the juniper berries until small flakes are formed; set aside. In a large bowl, beat together eggs, oil, granulated sugar and vanilla until even and smooth. Sift over the egg mixture: flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Mix on low speed, gradually adding 1/4 cup lime juice and 1/3 cup gin. Beat until smooth. Toss in the lime zest and crushed juniper berries, mixing until evenly disbursed. Gently fold in the tonic water with a spatula, then quickly pour into prepared pan. Bake the cake for about 40-45 minutes, checking center with a wooden skewer or toothpick at the 35 or 40 minute mark; cake is done when golden, domed, and no wet batter appears. Remove cake from oven and let cool in pan at least 20-30 minutes. (For a stronger gin flavor, brush the cake with 1-2 more tablespoons of gin at this point, if desired.) Loosen sides of cake with a butter knife, and carefully transfer cake to a wire rack placed over a baking sheet. While cake cools a bit longer on rack, place the powdered sugar, remaining tablespoon lime juice, and remaining 1/3 cup gin in a saucepan. Whisk over low/medium heat until just bubbling. Let bubble for about 20-30 seconds (longer will turn sugar into a clear sticky glaze). Remove from heat and keep stirring. Working quickly, pour half of the glaze over cake; it will harden quickly. Immediately repeat with second half of glaze, letting it drip down the sides of the cake. Reserve a bit of glaze in pan, tossing the remaining 15 juniper berries in it. If glaze in pan is already too hard, place pan over low heat momentarily. Using small tongs or baking tweezers quickly place glazed juniper berries evenly around edges of cake and a few in the center.