Darina’s Simnel Cake

Serves 18-20

You will need:

• 110g glace cherries • 50g whole almonds • 50g ground almonds • 350g sultanas • 350g raisins • 350g currants • 110g chopped candied peel • Finely grated zest of 1 orange • Finely grated zest of 1 lemon • 50ml Irish whiskey • 225g butter • 225g pale soft brown sugar • 6 eggs • 285g plain flour • 1 teaspoon mixed spice • 1 large or 2 small cooking apples, grated with the skin on, discarding the core

For the almond paste, you will need:

• 450g caster sugar • 450g ground almonds • 2 eggs • 2 tablespoons Irish whiskey • A drop or two of almond essence • Icing sugar for rolling the almond paste • A little lightly beaten egg white

1

Line the base and sides of a 23cm round tin, or a 20.5cm square tin, with greaseproof paper. Line the outside of the tin with a double layer of brown paper.

2

Wash and dry the glace cherries. Cut them in two or four as desired. Blanch the whole almonds in boiling water for 1-2 minutes, then rub off the skins and chop the almonds finely. Mix the chopped cherries and the chopped blanched almonds with the ground almonds, the sultanas, the raisins, the currants, the chopped candied peel, and the finely grated orange and lemon zests. Add about half of the Irish whiskey, and leave everything for 1 hour to macerate.

3

Next, make the almond paste. Sift the caster sugar, or just make sure there are no lumps in it, and mix with the 450g of ground almonds. Beat the 2 eggs, add the 2 tablespoons of Irish whiskey and the 1 or 2 drops of almond essence, then add this mixture to the caster sugar and ground almond mixture. Mix to a stiff paste — you may not need to add all the egg, whiskey and almond essence mixture.

4

Sprinkle the worktop with icing sugar, turn out the almond paste and work it lightly until it is smooth.

5

To make the cake, preheat the oven to 180°C, 350°F, Gas 4. Cream the butter until it is very soft, add the pale soft brown sugar and beat until the mixture is light and fluffy. Whisk the eggs, and add them bit by bit, beating well between each addition so the mixture doesn’t curdle.

6

Mix the plain flour with the mixed spice and gently stir it into the butter, sugar and egg mixture. Add the grated apple to the fruit and nut mixture you set aside earlier to macerate, and mix it gently into the cake batter (don’t beat the mixture, or you will toughen the cake).

7

Put half of the cake mixture into the prepared tin. Roll out about one-third of the almond paste into a 23cm round or 21.5cm square, depending on which tin you’re using. Place this piece of almond paste on top of the cake mixture, and cover with the remaining cake mixture.

8

Make a slight hollow in the centre of the top of the cake, dip your hand in water and pat it over the surface of the cake: this will ensure that the top is smooth when cooked. Put the cake into the preheated oven for one hour, and then reduce the heat to 160°C, 325°F, Gas 3.

9

After approximately 3 to 3½ hours, test the cake in the centre with a skewer — it should come out completely clean if the cake is cooked. Pour the rest of the whiskey over the cake, and leave it to cool in the tin. The next day, remove the cake from the tin. Do not remove the lining paper, but wrap the cake in greaseproof paper and tinfoil until it is required.

10

When you want to ice the cake, roll out half of the remainder of the almond paste into a 23cm round or 21.5cm square, depending on whichever tin you used.

11

Brush the cake with a little lightly beaten egg white and top with the almond paste. Roll the remainder of the almond paste into 11 balls — the ‘apostles’. Unsing a knife, score the top of the cake in 4cm squares, then brush it with beaten egg or egg yolk, stick the ‘apostles’ around the outer edge of the top, and brush them with beaten egg. Toast in a preheated oven — 220°C, 425°F, Gas 7 — for 15-20 minutes, or until the top is slightly golden.