Hello foodies, Anne Carter is here at Beyond The Bayou Blog to share delicious recipes with you to make you love through recreating various food recipes. One such recipe is today on my hand which is a special one during Easters: Simnel cake recipe.
Last evening, I found myself in a delightful predicament when my son’s friend unexpectedly dropped by for a surprise visit. Excited to welcome them, I wanted to whip up something special to treat them with. I decided on baking a Simnel Cake.
It seemed like the perfect choice to impress them with its rich flavors and festive charm. Both of them enjoyed the delicious flavor of this lovely cake with Fruit Salad with Whipped Cream and some Oatmeal Coconut Cookies.
So are you all ready to learn the magic of baking this quick yet delicious cake? If yes, just grab your apron and start the recipe of the day.
Try More Cake Recipes!
Delicious Simnel Cake Recipe
Equipment
- Mixing Bowl
- Wooden Spoon
- Oven
- Cooling Rack
- Knife
Ingredients
- 75 g raisins
- 75 g sultanas
- 75 g currants
- 50 g mixed peel
- 100 g glacé cherries (halved)
- Zest of 1 orange
- Juice of 1 orange
- 225 g unsalted butter
- 225 g light brown soft sugar
- 3 medium eggs
- 150 g ground almonds
- 150 g 150 g plain flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp mixed spice
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 2-3 tsp apricot jam
- 500 g marzipan
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 150ºC (130ºC fan) and line an 8-inch cake tin with two layers of parchment paper.
- Roll out 1/3 of the marzipan to match the size of the cake tin and set aside.
- Combine raisins, sultanas, currants, mixed peel, glace cherries, orange zest, orange juice, and water in a bowl. Microwave for 2 minutes on high or heat in a pan for 10 minutes.
- In a separate bowl, cream together butter and sugar.
- Beat in eggs, followed by flour, ground almonds, baking powder, mixed spice, ginger, and cinnamon.
- Stir in the soaked fruit mixture until well combined.
- Pour half of the cake batter into the prepared cake tin, then place the rolled-out marzipan on top. Pour the remaining batter over the marzipan.
- Bake for 2 hours, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool completely.
- Brush the top of the cooled cake with apricot jam.
- Roll out another third of the marzipan and place it on top of the cake. Form the remaining marzipan into 11 small balls and arrange them around the edge of the cake. Brush the top with egg wash and grill in the oven for 1-2 minutes until golden.
Nutrition
What to Serve with Simnel Cake?
Time for The Tips!
- DIY Glacé Cherries: Don’t sweat it, making your own glacé cherries is a piece of cake with my recipe. You’ll ace it!
- Prep Ahead: Want to save time? Soak your fruit the day before you bake. This gives the fruit time to soak up all that yummy liquid.
- Jam Choice: Forget strawberry or raspberry jam, apricot jam is where it’s at! It gives your cake a nice, subtle flavor kick.
- Spice it Up: For that authentic taste, reach for mixed spices. But hey, if you’re out, no worries! Pumpkin pie spice or good ol’ ground cinnamon will do the trick just fine.
- Handle with Care: Watch out for that marzipan! It’s a quick burner under the broiler, so keep your eyes peeled. And if you’ve got a blowtorch handy, use it with caution.
- Patience is a Virtue: Let your cake cool completely before slicing. This ensures you get those perfect, clean cuts.