Tag Archives: easter

Easter Simnel Cake

31 Mar

Since I have been on a diet (yawn) my baking activities have become somewhat depleted, but as I have guests, I thought I should make an effort for easter and so baked a Simnel Cake – great fun, easy peasy and I bet you have most of the ingredients in your store cupboard.  I didn’t have any candied peel and so I just grated the zest from a large orange instead.  If you haven’t got raisins, just put in extra of what you do have!

 

Purists can attempt their own almond paste, but really bought marzipan is so good that I can find better things to do than make it!

 

Semana Santa here is usually wet or grey or both, and so is a lovely thing to do in your kitchen – the smell of the spices is very festive.  For those of  you in the UK, it will give you a nice cosy feeling on this Easter Sunday.

 

Happy Easter everyone!

Simnel Cake 001

 

Ingredients:

  • 560g / 1 ¼ lbs ready made almond paste (marzipan)
  • 450g / 1 lb dried mixed fruits (currants, raisins, sultanas, glace cherries)
  • 80g / 3 oz candied chopped peel
  • 225g / 8 oz all purpose/plain flour
  • Pinch salt
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
  • 175g / 6 oz butter
  • 175g / 6 oz caster sugar / fine sugar
  • 3 large eggs, beaten
  • Milk to mix
  • 2 tbsp apricot jam

Preparation:

170°C/Gas 3

  • Line a 7 inch cake tin with parchment or greaseproof paper.
  • Divide the almond paste into 3 and take one portion and roll it to a round the size of the cake tin.
  • In a large roomy baking bowl mix the mixed dried fruits and candied peel with the flour, salt and spices.
  • In another large bowl cream the butter with the sugar until light and fluffy. Add the beaten egg to the butter mixture a little bit at a time, beating well after each addition – do not try to rush this process as the mixture could curdle. If it does curdle simply add a tbsp of the flour and mix again, this should bring the mixture back together.
  • Carefully fold in half the flour and half the fruit into the egg and butter mixture, once incorporated repeat with the remaining flour and fruit.
  • Put half of the cake mixture into the tin, smooth and cover with the round of almond paste. Put the remaining cake mixture into the tin and smooth the surface carefully. Bake in the center of the oven for 1 hour.
  • Lower the heat to 300°F/150°C/Gas 2 and bake for 2 hours, or until the cake is golden brown. Test by inserying a skewer into the cake, it should come out clean and dry. Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tin.
  • Roll another third of almond paste, again to the size of the tin. Make the remaining almond paste equally into 11 tiny balls.
  • Once the cake is completely cool, remove from the tin and brush the top of the cake with apricot jam and cover with the disc of almond paste. Place the 11 tiny balls of paste evenly around the edge. Brush the paste all over with a little apricot jam and place under a hot grill until lightly browned.
  • The cake can then be decorated as you wish with tiny Easter eggs or any other Easter theme.

 

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