I am probably wrong because I always have time for a slice of cake but just in case. Plus it gives me time to share the recipe I used with you. I slightly adapted the BBC Good Food recipe for this cake and it turned out pretty darn tasty even if I do say so myself. I I was to make it again I would definitely consider a thicker layer of marzipan in the centre and on the top. I love the almond flavour and the sweetness it brings to the cake. Of course, the joy of writing about this cake is that I have this as a reference for the next time I bake it. So, if you are a marzipan lover then go big on the thickness. Instead of using one 500g packet use two? Or maybe one and a half then cut the remainder into chunks and consume like candy!! Instead of cutting the 500g block into thirds, I would cut two blocks in half. Half for inside the cake, half for the top, half for the 11 apostles and the other half as a sweet treat on the side. What marzipan lover wouldn’t want a side of marzipan, right?

The other change I made was substituting the light brown sugar for a bit of soft dark brown sugar. No other reason being that I didn’t have enough soft light brown sugar in my store cupboard. The darker sugar makes the cake batter and baked cake darker in colour and goes impart a deeper flavour. Both of which are good in my opinion.

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Simnel Cake

Course Cake, Dessert

Keyword Easter

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 2 hours

Ingredients

• 250 g of mixed fruit including mixed peel. I used currents and sultanas and chopped mixed peel
• 1 orange zested and juiced (always zest first)
• 500 g marzipan double up if you are like me and want more marzipan flavour
• 250 g pack butter softened
• 200 g light brown sugar
• 4 eggs beaten
• 175 g plain flour
• 100 g ground almonds
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 lemon zested
• 2 tsp mixed spice
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 100 g glacé cherries halved
• 3 tbsp apricot jam

Instructions

• Put the dried fruit in a small saucepan with the orange zest and juice and heat gently until the juice is absorbed. Leave to cool.
• Heat the oven to 150C/130C Fan/gas 2. Roll out a third of your marzipan and use your cake tin as a template. Cut a circle to fit the cake tin. Around 20cm is good. Save the rest of the marzipan for later.
• Butter and line your baking tin with baking parchment.
• Best the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, flour, baking powder, ground almond, mixed spice, lemon zest and vanilla and mix together. Mix in the cooled soaked fruit and gold in the cherries.
• Put half the batter in your prepared tin. Add the disc of marzipan on top and then cover that with the rest of the cake batter. Bake for two hours checking it is completely cooked by inserting a skewer into the centre. If it comes out wet cook for a further 10 minutes and check again.
• Allow the cake to cool in its tin for 10 minutes or so before turning it out onto a wire wrack to cool completely. Brush the top of the cake with apricot jam and top with another disc of marzipan the same size as the cake. Roll out 11 marzipan balls and place evenly around the cake.
• Using a blow torch or hot grill toast the marzipan slightly so the 11 marzipan balls brown slightly. Be careful the marzipan doesn’t burn so watch it carefully.

Let me know if you make Simnel cake this year and how it turns out. Don’t forget to follow me on Instagram for all my daily goings on, foodie finds and everything else in-between.