Simnel cake

Name: Simnel cake
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 125 min
Total time: 165 min
Yield: 10
Ingredients: Butter at room temperature 1.1 cups; Muscovado sugar 1 ¼ cup; Eggs (about 4) 8.1 oz; Type 00 flour 1.4 cups; Baking powder 3 ½ tsp; Raisins 1 ¼ cup; Dried berries 1.4 cups; Candied cherries 2.5 oz; Mixed candied fruit mixed 1.75 oz; Lemon peel ½; Cinnamon powder 0.4 tsp; Nutmeg ground ¼ tsp; Powdered ginger ¼ tsp; Almond flour 2 ½ cups; Powdered sugar 2 cups; Egg whites (from about 2 medium eggs) ¼ cup; Almond extract bitter 1 tsp; Butter to taste; Powdered sugar to taste; Apricot jam to taste

it es fr de br nl

788

Calories per serving

Energy Kcal 788
Carbohydrates g 100.2
of which sugars g 86.9
Protein g 10.6
Fats g 38.3
of which saturated fat g 15.48
Fiber g 7.2
Cholesterol mg 154
Sodium mg 69

Vegetarian

Difficulty: Average
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 2 h 5 min
Serving: 10
Cost: Very high

PRESENTATION

Simnel cake, you know, brings a slice of British Easter tradition straight to your table. It stands out from the usual desserts, like hot cross buns. It’s got this moist crumb filled with tender dried fruits and a layer of marzipan fruitcake right in the middle. Really, it’s not just a treat. It’s steeped in history—dating back to the Middle Ages—and has been a staple in English baking for generations. And the decoration? That’s the real highlight. Eleven marzipan balls on top represent the apostles (minus Judas)—which is great—adding a special religious touch. While other desserts may focus on citrus or creamy textures, Simnel cake is all about cozy spices, chewy fruit, and the richness of almond paste.

To be honest, Easter Sunday in Britain just wouldn’t be the same without this cake right there on the table with the other British Easter desserts. It's got this way of blending celebration with deep-rooted tradition—making it a favorite for those who love Easter baking ideas with a story. Folks who dive into this Simnel cake recipe usually rave about the mix of golden marzipan, the tangy fruit bite, and the slight crunch from the baked sugar on top. Super tasty. It’s a springtime fruitcake that pairs perfectly with a cup of tea, offering a flavor profile that's unique to the almond paste. Seriously, even those who shy away from fruitcake are really, really surprised by how balanced and tasty this homemade Simnel cake can be. So, whether you’re intrigued by its history or just on the lookout for a new dessert to try for the holiday, Simnel cake is sure to be a hit. You might find it becomes a regular request every Easter—adding a touch of tradition and flavor to your celebration. Can't go wrong.

INGREDIENTS

788

Calories per serving

Ingredients for the batter (for an 8-inch cake pan): Butter 1.1 cups (250 g) - at room temperature; Muscovado sugar 1 ¼ cup (250 g); Eggs 8.1 oz (230 g) - (about 4); Type 00 flour 1.4 cups (175 g); Baking powder 3 ½ tsp (16 g); Raisins 1 ¼ cup (175 g); Dried berries 1.4 cups (175 g); Candied cherries 2.5 oz (70 g); Mixed candied fruit 1.75 oz (50 g) - mixed; Lemon peel ½; Cinnamon powder 0.4 tsp (1 g); Nutmeg ¼ tsp (1 g) - ground; Powdered ginger ¼ tsp (1 g)

For the marzipan: Almond flour 2 ½ cups (250 g); Powdered sugar 2 cups (250 g); Egg whites ¼ cup (60 g) - (from about 2 medium eggs); Almond extract 1 tsp - bitter

For the cake pan and the work surface: Butter to taste; Powdered sugar to taste

for brushing: Apricot jam to taste

Preparation

How to prepare Simnel cake

To make the simnel cake, start by preparing the batter: put the softened butter in a large bowl, add the muscovado sugar 1 and mix with an electric whisk to combine them. Gradually add the eggs while continuing to beat with the electric whisk 2 until a creamy mixture is obtained 3.

Mix the dry ingredients in a separate bowl: sift the flour with the baking powder, then add the nutmeg 4, ginger 5, and cinnamon 6.

Add the dry ingredients to the butter, sugar, and egg mixture and combine everything with the electric whisk 7. At this point, add the lemon zest 8, raisins 9,

the dried red fruits 10, mixed candied fruit 11, and candied cherries 12.

Incorporate the ingredients with a spatula to make the batter smooth 13. Grease a springform pan with an 8-inch diameter 14 and fill it with the obtained batter, leveling the surface 15. Bake the cake in a preheated static oven at 340°F for at least 2 hours, placing it on the lower rack.

In the meantime, prepare the marzipan: pour the almond flour and powdered sugar into a bowl 16 and mix thoroughly with your hands 17, then add the bitter almond essence 18.

Add the egg whites 19 and work with your hands to combine everything well 20. Form a dough that you can divide into two parts, then wrap in plastic wrap 21 and let it firm in the refrigerator for at least one hour.

Once the cake baking time is over, take it out of the oven and let it cool in the mold 22, then gently unmold it and trim the surface using a serrated knife 23. At this point, you can take the marzipan dough from the refrigerator: dust the work surface with powdered sugar and roll out one of the dough portions to form a circle with an 8-inch diameter 34.

Transfer the cake onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and brush the surface with apricot jam that you previously heated 25, then place the marzipan disc on top 26. Take the second marzipan portion and make 11 balls 27.

Brush the marzipan disc with water where you will place the balls 28 and position them along the edge of the cake 29. Finally, set the oven to grill mode and place the cake on the middle rack for about 5 minutes, ensuring that the marzipan does not burn but only darkens slightly. Your simnel cake is ready to be served 30!

Storage

The simnel cake can be stored at room temperature for about a week, covered with a glass dome. If you want to prepare in advance, you can make the cake base the day before or you can freeze it.

Tip

The simnel cake already features a particularly rich batter, but if you wish, you can add some brandy for a boozy note or coarsely chopped unpeeled almonds for a crunchy touch!

For the translation of some texts, artificial intelligence tools may have been used.

Simnel cake

PRESENTATION

INGREDIENTS

How to prepare Simnel cake

Storage

Tip

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