Pimms Cake

Have you had your first Pimms of the year yet? Having your first Pimms of the summer is the same as having your first mulled wine of winter. It signals that summer has begun! A Pimms cup, or a Pimms cocktail, is the perfect refreshing drink on a hot day and it's very popular at Wimbledon too. I’ve used the flavours of this cocktail to create this Pimms Cake. The sponges are infused with citrus zest, then drizzled in a boozy Pimms syrup. It's filled with strawberry jam and a mascarpone whipped cream, and topped with fresh fruit and more cream. Grab a slice of this cake and enjoy with a glass of Pimms in the sunshine!

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Ingredient Tips & Equipment Information

• Make sure all of your ingredients (particularly the butter and eggs) are at room temperature before you start baking.
• I used a baking spread for the cake as I think it gives the best results, but unsalted butter will work well too.
• I used mascarpone cheese for the cream filling, but cream cheese will also work.
• Instead of strawberry jam, you could use raspberry jam, or marmalade would also be yummy!
• For best results, use an electric mixer to make this recipe.
• Although I provide cup measurements, I highly recommend weighing your ingredients out using digital kitchen scales. It is the most accurate way to measure ingredients and will ensure the best results. Digital scales are very low cost and can be purchased for around £12 ($16.50) .
• For teaspoon (tsp) and tablespoon (tbsp) measurements, please use measuring spoons and not the type of spoons you eat with. Again this will ensure accuracy and provide the best results.

For the full recipe with measurements, head to the recipe card at the end of this post.

How to make Pimms Cake

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To make the sponge, mix the butter and sugar together, then whisk in the eggs and the citrus fruit zest. Add the self raising flour and whisk it in, then divide the mixture between the cake tins.

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Bake the cake for 30-35 minutes, or until a thin skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. While it is baking, make the Pimms syrup. Put the Pimms and sugar in a pan, heat on a low heat until the sugar has dissolved then boil for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Pour into a bowl and leave to cool. Once the cake is fully cooled, level off the sponges and drizzle or brush each sponge with the Pimms syrup. Make the filling by mixing together mascarpone, icing sugar, double cream and vanilla extract.

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Using a piping bag, add rosettes of the filling over the bottom sponge. Then cover it with strawberry jam. Add slightly larger rosettes of the filling on top of the Pimms Cake all around the edge, then fill the centre with the remaining filling and smooth it down. Then cover it in strawberries, orange slices, cucumber rolls and fresh mint leaves.

For the full recipe with measurements, head to the recipe card at the end of this post.

What is Pimms?

If you’re not familiar with Pimms, it is a gin based liquor flavoured with fruits and spices. It is made into a cocktail by adding lemonade (or occasionally ginger ale) and lots of fresh fruit like strawberry, orange and cucumber, plus fresh mint leaves. Pimms is SO popular in the UK at summertime, jugs of Pimms cocktails are served in almost every beer garden you go to and it's also known as the drink of Wimbledon. It’s the perfect refreshing drink on a hot day!

Who is this recipe suitable for?

As the Pimms syrup contains alcohol, I do not recommend serving this cake to children, pregnant woman or anyone else who cannot consume alcohol.

Can this recipe be made gluten or dairy free?

Yes! For gluten free you can replace the self raising flour with a gluten free self raising flour blend. If you only have a gluten free plain flour blend, you will need to add additonal baking powder. The general advice is to add 2 tsp baking powder per 200g flour, so for this recipe you'd need to add 3 ½ teaspoons baking powder. You may also like to add ½ tsp Xanthan Gum for better texture. For a dairy free version, use a dairy free baking spread for the cake. You will also need to use a dairy free double cream alternative and dairy free mascarpone for the filling. Please check the labels of everything you use if serving to someone with an allergy or intolerance.

How long does this cake last for and can it be frozen?

The decorated cake will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 2 days. You can freeze the cake sponge undecorated. Unfortunately once you add the whipped cream and fruit I do not recommend freezing it. Wrap the cake sponges well with cling film or put them in an airtight container with some baking paper between them so they don't stick together. Freeze for up to 3 months.

Can you make the cake with plain/all purpose flour?

Self raising flour, which is very commonly used in the UK where I am based, already contains a raising agent and a little salt too. Therefore if you want to swap it for plain or all purpose flour, you will need to add some additional baking powder and also a little salt if you like. Some people like to add salt to cake recipes and some don't, so I'll leave that up to you as it won't affect the bake. The general advice is to add 2 teaspoons baking powder (a measuring teaspoon, not the kind you stir your coffee with) per every 200g plain or all purpose flour. So for this recipe you'd need to add 3 ½ teaspoons baking powder. Please note, I have not tested this recipe using plain or all purpose flour.

Can this recipe be made into cupcakes?

Yes! To make cupcakes, head to my Pimms Cupcake recipe for instructions.

Can this cake be made in different size cake tins?

If you would like to make this cake in different size tins, please check my Conversion Guide to find out how to adjust the recipe.

More tips for making the Pimms Cake:

• Make sure to store any leftovers in the fridge, put the cake in an airtight container or cover it well to stop it from drying out.
• You will have some leftover citrus juice after making this cake. You can freeze it in ice cube trays and use it for cocktails or mocktails, salad dressings and smoothies.

Troubleshooting

If you have any questions about this recipe, or if something went wrong and you need help, please use the comment form below and I will get back to you. You can also get in touch with me on my Twitter, Instagram or Facebook. I'd love to hear from you!

Recommended equipment & ingredients

• 8" cake tins
• Mixing bowls
• Cooling rack
• Kitchen scales
• Round cake tin liners
• Electric hand mixer
• Piping bags
• Zester
• Wilton 8B Piping nozzle
• Pimms

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More Pimms recipes...

If you like this, check out more of my Cake recipes!

This post is NOT sponsored by Pimms - I just love the product!