Description: Simnel cake is a traditional Easter fruitcake usually topped with marzipan. It’s a rich and fruity cake with a layer of almond paste(marzipan) baked in the middle and decorated with 11 marzipan balls symbolizing the apostles, minus Judas.
Preparation Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 2 hours
Serving Size: Makes 10-12 slices
Ingredients:
- 250g (9 oz) mixed dried fruit (such as raisins, currants, sultanas)
- 75g (2.5 oz) glace cherries, chopped
- 2 tablespoons mixed peel
- Zest of 1 lemon
- Zest of 1 orange
- 175g (6 oz) unsalted butter, softened
- 175g (6 oz) light brown sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 200g (7 oz) self-raising flour
- 1 teaspoon mixed spice
- 1 tablespoon milk
- 500g (18 oz) marzipan
For Decoration: 11 marzipan balls (for symbolizing apostles)
Instructions:
- Preheat your oven to 150°C (300°F) and grease and line a 20cm (8-inch) round cake tin with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the mixed dried fruit, chopped glace cherries, mixed peel, lemon zest, and orange zest.
- In another bowl, cream together the softened butter and light brown sugar until pale and fluffy.
- Beat in the eggs, one at a time, adding a spoonful of flour with each egg to prevent curdling.
- Fold in the remaining flour and mixed spice until well combined.
- Stir in the milk and the prepared dried fruit mixture until evenly distributed throughout the batter.
- Spoon half of the cake batter into the prepared tin and smooth the surface with a spatula.
- Roll out about one-third of the marzipan into a circle slightly smaller than the cake tin and place it on top of the cake batter in the tin.
- Cover the marzipan with the remaining cake batter, ensuring it’s evenly spread.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour and 45 minutes to 2 hours, or until a skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Allow the cake to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Once the cake has cooled, roll out the remaining marzipan and use it to cover the top of the cake.
- Use a fork to create a crimped edge around the circumference of the cake and score a pattern on the marzipan if desired.
- Arrange the 11 marzipan balls evenly around the outer edge of the cake, gently pressing them into the marzipan topping.
- Optionally, place the cake under a hot grill for a few minutes to lightly toast the marzipan balls along with the top of the cake.
- Serve slices of Simnel cake as a delightful Easter treat, traditionally enjoyed with a cup of tea or coffee.
