Our easy Pimm’s cake is based on a Victoria sponge cake but has a boozy icing and fresh whipped cream filling.
This recipe uses mostly store cupboard ingredients but we’ve made it special with the addition of the popular tipple, Pimm’s! It’s perfect for Wimbledon-themed brunches and barbecues or simply to share with friends and family on a sunny afternoon. You can bake the sponge ahead of time and assemble at your destination if needed.
Ingredients
- 3 eggs
- 150g Stork margarine
- 150g golden caster sugar
- 150g self-raising four
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- Finely grated zest and juice 1 lemon
- 5tbsp strawberry jam
- 400g strawberries
- 300ml whipping cream, whipped
For the icing:
- 1tbsp Pimm’s Sundowner Raspberry & Redcurrant
- 150g icing sugar, sieved
WEIGHT CONVERTER
Method
- Grease and line 2 x 20cm sandwich tins. Heat oven to 180C (160C fan, Gas 4).
- Put the eggs, margarine, sugar, flour, baking powder, lemon zest and juice in a processor or use an electric mixer. Whizz or beat together until combined and the batter has a smooth consistency.
- Divide between the two tins and bake for 20-25 minutes until risen and golden on top.
- Allow sponges to cool for 10 minutes in the tins then remove them and cool completely on a wire rack.
- Hull and halve or thinly slice most of the strawberries but reserve some for the top of the cake. Spread the jam over one sponge and arrange most of the strawberries on top. Spoon or pipe the whipped cream on top then place the second sponge on top.
- In a small bowl, combine the Pimm’s and icing sugar until smooth. Drizzle over the cake and don’t worry if it drips down the sides. Top with the remaining strawberries and allow to set for 5-10 mins before serving.
Top tips for making Pimm's cake
You can use butter instead of margarine if you prefer. Make sure it’s soft before you add it to the food processor or start beating otherwise it won’t cream together with the sugar properly. For more ingredient substitutions and flavour variations read our tips below.
What is Pimm’s made of?
It’s a classic British tipple which uses gin as the base spirit but the exact recipe is a closely kept secret. We know the spirit is made using a blend of fruits and herbs. The final cocktail is usually made using lemonade as the mixer and lots of sliced fresh fruit.
Consider garnishing this cake with some thin slices of cucumber and oranges alongside the strawberries for the ultimate Pimm’s effect. You could also finish it with some small mint leaves. In this recipe we have used the Berry Pimm’s but you can use the original if you prefer. The icing will be a slightly different colour but you could use food colouring to keep the pink if you like.
How to make a Pimm’s drizzle cake?
If you’d like to make a soak for the sponges of this cake to keep it nice and moist you can make a simple Pimm’s syrup. Combine the juice of a lemon with enough icing sugar to create a thin syrup. Add a shot of Pimm’s and pour over the cake sponges while still warm and in the tins. You could even add a little gin for an even boozier flavour hit.
Can you make Pimm’s cake ahead?
You can bake the sponge for the cake ahead of time. You could whip the cream in advance and store in the fridge until you’re ready to assemble. We recommend assembling the cake as close to when you want to serve it as possible. You can place the fully assembled cake in the fridge but it will dry the sponges out and the icing will be sticky rather than set as the moisture in the fridge will affect it.
For this recipe Samuel Goldsmith recommends using an electric hand mixer or food processor. Read journalist Grace Holliday’s review of the Ninja 3-in-1 Food Processor if you haven’t invested in one yet.
Read up on how to make Pimms so you can serve the cocktail alongside this gorgeous cake. For another boozy bake try these cute Pimms cupcakes. If you’d prefer a classic, you can’t go wrong with our foolproof lemon drizzle cake.
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