TASTY TRADITION: How to bake a Simnel cake
Food historian Regula Ysewijn shows us how to bake one of Easter’s special treats – Simnel cake
IF you need something more to occupy yourself in lockdown, why not try making a Simnel cake.
This sturdy fruit cake topped with marzipan dates back to the 11th century, and is now best known as the ultimate edible centrepiece for Easter Sunday.
Food writer and puddings historian Regula Ysewijn’s recipe, from new cookbook, Oats In The North, Wheat From The South, is as time-honoured as they come...
Ingredients: (For 6-8 people)
For the home-made marzipan: 200g icing sugar; 200g caster sugar; 360g almond flour; 40g apricot kernels (if you can’t find them, use an extra 20g almond flour and add a few drops of natural almond flavour or maraschino liqueur); 1tsp rosewater; 2 eggs, beaten
For the cake: 115g butter, at room temperature; 115g caster sugar; 3 eggs; 110g plain flour; 55g almond flour; 1tsp baking powder; 340g currants; 55g candied citrus peel, chopped; ½tbsp apricot jam, to garnish; butter, for greasing; flour, for dusting; 1 egg yolk + 1tbsp milk, for egg wash
Method:
Make the marzipan a day in advance. Sift the icing sugar, caster sugar and almond meal into a large bowl and mix well.
Soak the apricot kernels in boiling water for five minutes, then remove the skins. Using a mortar and pestle, finely crush the apricot kernels and add the rosewater or maraschino liqueur.
Make a well in the dry ingredients and add the eggs and the apricot kernel mixture. Mix well, then knead the marzipan.
If necessary, add a teaspoon of water at a time until it comes together but doesn’t become sticky. Wrap it in plastic wrap and rest at room temp.
Preheat oven to 160°C (320°F). Grease a round 18-20cm springform tin and cover the base and side with a double layer of baking paper. Wrap a folded piece of brown paper round the outside of the tin and secure with kitchen string.
Roll the marzipan out to about 5mm thick. Use the cake tin to cut out two 20cm circles. Roll 11 marzipan balls from the leftover marzipan.
Beat the butter and sugar in a bowl until creamy. Add the eggs, one at a time, and make sure each is completely incorporated before adding the next. Add a teaspoon of the flour with the last egg to stop the mixture separating.
Fold in the remaining flour, almond flour and baking powder, followed by the currants and candied citrus peel.
Spoon half the batter into the tin, then place one marzipan circle neatly on top. Spoon the remaining batter on top.
Reduce the oven to 130°C (250°F) and bake the cake in the lower part of the oven for two and a half to three hours.
Remove the cake from the oven and switch to grill. Allow the cake to cool in the tin for 15 minutes, then remove it, brush the top with a thin layer of apricot jam and place the remaining marzipan circle on top.
Arrange the marzipan balls on the marzipan circle, using a little apricot jam to secure them.
Lightly brush them with the egg wash. Briefly put the cake under the grill to give the balls a light golden colour.