Mini simnel cakes

SERVES 8

INGREDIENTS

■ 180g softened butter,

plus extra for greasing

■ 180g soft light brown

sugar

■ 3 large eggs, beaten

■ 180g plain flour ■ 1 tsp baking powder

■ A pinch of salt

■ 1 tsp mixed spice

■ 300g mixed raisins

■ 50g glacé cherries,

chopped

■ 50g mixed peel

■ Zest of 1 orange

■ Zest of 1 lemon

1

Preheat the oven to 140°C/120°C fan/ gas mark 1 and lightly grease eight loose-bottomed mini sandwich tins. Beat the butter and sugar together until smooth and fluffy. Mix in an egg at a time until smooth and fully combined.

2

In a separate bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, salt and mixed spice. Fold the flour mixture through the batter and mix well. Add the raisins, cherries, mixed peel and zests, then mix until evenly combined.

3

Spoon the mixture into the mini sandwich tins so they are three-quarters full, smooth the tops and make small dips in the middle – this will help them rise evenly.

4

Bake for 50 minutes, or until risen and a toothpick comes out clean. Leave to cool for 5 minutes then remove from the tins and allow to cool fully on a rack.

For the topping:

■ 300g golden marzipan

■ Icing sugar, for dusting

■ 1 tbsp apricot jam

■ 1 egg white

■ Small bag of chocolate

mini eggs, to decorate

■ Edible flowers

(optional)

5

Knead the marzipan a little until it becomes pliable. Roll the marzipan into a ball then squash down a little with the palm of your hand. Dust with a little icing sugar and roll out to ½cm thick. Using a biscuit cutter the same size as your mini cakes, cut eight rounds of marzipan, one at a time. Each time you cut, leave the biscuit cutter on and crimp the edge of the marzipan so that it stays the same size as the cake.

6

Heat the jam in a pan and gently warm until it’s loose enough to brush. Brush the jam on to the top of the mini cakes then stick the marzipan to the cakes. Brush the top of the marzipan with a little egg white and grill until lightly browned. Alternatively, you can use a blowtorch to brown the marzipan.

7

Decorate with the mini eggs and edible flowers, if using, and serve.