Religious meaning

A Simnel cake is topped with 11 marzipan balls to represent the 11 true apostles of Christ; Judas being excluded. Occasionally, the cake has 12 balls, to represent Jesus and the 11 apostles. Although it is associated with Easter today, in the 17th century, a Simnel cake was baked and given as a gift by servant girls to their mothers on Mothering Sunday, which was often the only day’s holiday they were allowed.