Simnel Cake
Ingredients For the cake
170g (6oz) butter, softened, plus extra for greasing 170g (6oz) light-brown sugar 3 eggs 170g (6oz) self-raising flour 50g (2oz) ground almonds 100g (3½oz) sultanas 100g (3½oz) glacé cherries, quartered 100g (3½oz) dried apricots, chopped 100g (3½oz) hazelnuts, chopped 2 tsp mixed spice 50ml (2fl oz) milk
For the topping
500g (1lb 2oz) golden marzipan 4 tbsp apricot jam 1 egg, beaten
Simnel cake is a rich fruit cake, with a layer of marzipan in the middle and on top. It is perfect for Easter celebrations. Dating back to medieval times, it was once associated with Mothering Sunday. It has eleven balls of marzipan on top, one each for the eleven disciples who didn't betray Jesus. Simnel cake is like Blackbun, which is usually served at Hogmanay, but it has a brighter and more spring-like finish. This recipe combines the perfect balance of spices, dried fruits and nuts, creating a moist and fruity cake - a wonderful centrepiece for the Easter Sunday table.
Instructions
Weigh and measure all the ingredients. Grease a 20cm (8 inch) round, deep-sided, loose-bottomed tin, and line the base with parchment paper.
Cream the butter and the sugar together. Once it is light and fluffy, add the beaten eggs a little at a time.
Combine the flour and the ground almonds and mix in a large bowl and mix well. In a separate bowl, combine the sultanas, cherries, apricots, hazelnuts, and mixed spice.
Add the flour and the ground almonds mix into the eggs and sugar. Next, add in the fruit and hazelnut mixture with the rest of the ingredients and fold everything together. Lastly, add the milk and mix well. Spoon half of the mix (550g –1Ib 3oz) into the prepared tin and make sure to level the surface. Roll out one-third of the marzipan to the size of the base of the tin and place it onto the cake mixture. Preheat the oven to 140°C (275°C). Scoop the remaining batter on top of the marzipan and again level the surface. Bake the cake for 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes. Test if it is cooked by inserting a metal skewer into the cake and if it comes out clean it is cooked. (Test every 15 minutes after the first hour.) Once cooked, allow the cake to cool for 10 minutes before removing it from the tin. Once the cake is cool, heat the apricot jam in a pan and brush it on top of the cake. Roll out half of the remaining marzipan and place it on top of the cake, using your thumb to crimp around the edges. Form 11 small balls with the marzipan that is left and place them around the edge of the cake, fixing them to the marzipan with a little beaten egg. Brush the marzipan with the egg and glaze it under a hot broiler, turning the cake to ensure even browning. You can also use a blow torch if you have one. Allow to cool before cutting.