Simnel Cake

Name: How to cook Simnel Cake - cookcic.com
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 12 servings
Cuisine: Us

Introduce

Chef :

Sally Strong

Simnel Cake

This is a classic Easter Fruitcake for the UK and Ireland. I am not actually the biggest fan of fruitcake, so this will be an Easter treat for my mum and grandma.

Ingredient

Food ration :

12 servings

250 g

Cooking instructions

* Step 1

In a small saucepan add the dried fruit with the lemon and orange juice and zest. Add a few tablespoons of water and simmer until the fruit has expanded and all the liquid is absorbed. Keep on a very low heat to avoid the fruit burning. Leave aside to cool.

* Step 2

Heat the oven to gas mark 3 or 165 degrees. Cream the butter and sugar together until it is pale. Crack in the eggs, spices and vanilla essence.

* Step 3

Fold in the almonds and sieve the flour and baking powder into the batter. Mix until fully combined and fold in the dried fruit.

* Step 4

Roll out the marzipan on a surface dusted with icing sugar until about the with with of a coin. Take a 20cm cake tin and use the base to cut out a circle of marzipan. Keep the rest of the marzipan for later.

* Step 5

Grease and line the cake tin. Fill out halfway with the batter, then add the disk of marzipan. Add the rest of the batter over the top of it and smooth out with the back of a spoon.

* Step 6

Bake in the oven for 2 hours. The cake should be done when you pierce with a skewer and it comes out clean. Remove from the cake pan and leave to cool.

* Step 7

Roll out the rest of the marzipan and cut into a circle using the base of the cake pan. Brush the top of the cake with marmalade and place the marzipan disk on top. Using scissors trim the marzipan to fit the cake. Ball up the remaining marzipan and cut into equal-sized pieces. Roll each piece into a ball.

* Step 8

Beat the remaining egg and brush it on the marzipan. Place the balls equally on the cake and brush with the egg. Place the cake under the grill for a couple of minutes- keep an eye on it as it can catch quickly!