Simnel Cake
The British Easter cake. A spiced fruit cake with a hidden layer of marzipan baked through the middle and a second layer topped with the eleven apostle balls (Judas excluded). Caramelised under the grill so the marzipan tops go burnished gold.
Overview
A relatively light fruit cake (less dense than Christmas cake) flavoured with mixed peel, currants, sultanas, glace cherries and a generous spoon of mixed spice. Half the batter goes into the lined tin, then a disc of rolled marzipan, then the rest of the batter. Baked low and slow so the marzipan layer melts slightly and the cake bakes through evenly. Once cool, the top is brushed with warm apricot jam, a second marzipan disc is laid on, and eleven small balls of marzipan are arranged around the rim. The top is flashed under a hot grill to colour the marzipan amber.
Ingredients
The cake
- 250 g unsalted butter (softened)
- 250 g soft light brown sugar
- 4 large eggs (room temperature)
- 250 g plain flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons mixed spice
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- A small pinch of fine sea salt
- The zest of 1 lemon
- The zest of 1 orange
- 200 g currants
- 150 g sultanas
- 100 g glace cherries (rinsed and quartered)
- 50 g chopped mixed peel
- 2 tablespoons whole milk
- 1 tablespoon brandy or orange juice
The marzipan
- 500 g good-quality natural marzipan (or homemade; see notes)
To finish
- 3 tablespoons apricot jam (warmed and sieved)
- 1 small egg yolk (for glazing the apostles)
Method
Stage 1 - Prepare
- Heat the oven to 140°C fan / 160°C / 320°F. Line the base and sides of a 20 cm round, deep cake tin with a double layer of baking paper, leaving a 2 cm collar above the rim.
- Divide the marzipan into three: a 200 g portion for the middle layer, a 200 g portion for the top, and a 100 g portion for the eleven apostle balls.
- Roll the two larger portions into 20 cm discs on a worktop dusted with icing sugar. Set aside on baking paper, covered.
Stage 2 - Make the cake batter
- In a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar for 4-5 minutes until pale and fluffy.
- Add the eggs one at a time, beating each in fully. The mixture may look curdled at the third egg; add a tablespoon of the flour to bring it back.
- Sift the flour, baking powder, spices and salt over the mixture. Add the orange and lemon zest. Fold gently with a spatula until just combined.
- Stir in the currants, sultanas, cherries and mixed peel. Stir in the milk and brandy - the batter should drop softly from the spoon.
Stage 3 - Layer and bake
- Spread half the batter into the prepared tin, smoothing the surface.
- Lay one of the 20 cm marzipan discs on top, pressing gently to settle. Spread the rest of the batter on top, smoothing again.
- Bake at 140°C for 1 hour 30 minutes to 1 hour 45 minutes. A skewer pushed into the centre should come out with just a few moist crumbs. If the top is browning too quickly, cover loosely with foil at the 1-hour mark.
- Cool in the tin for 30 minutes, then turn out onto a rack to cool completely.
Stage 4 - Top with marzipan
- Brush the top of the cooled cake with warm apricot jam.
- Lay the second marzipan disc on top, pressing down lightly to seal. Trim any overhang flush with the side of the cake.
- Divide the 100 g of marzipan into eleven equal pieces. Roll each into a smooth ball about 2 cm across. Arrange them evenly around the rim, spaced about 1 cm apart.
Stage 5 - Caramelise
- Heat the grill to high.
- Brush the top marzipan disc and the eleven balls with a thin coat of egg yolk.
- Slide the cake under the grill on the second-from-top shelf for 1-2 minutes, until the marzipan turns deep amber in patches. Watch like a hawk - marzipan goes from gold to scorched in seconds. Remove the moment you have colour.
- Cool to room temperature before slicing.
Notes
- Homemade marzipan: blitz 250 g ground almonds with 250 g icing sugar, then add a beaten egg and a teaspoon of almond extract; knead just until smooth. Better flavour than supermarket marzipan, which can taste of synthetic almond.
- The eleven balls represent the eleven faithful apostles. Twelve is the count if you count Jesus; the convention in British baking is eleven, excluding Judas. Some bakers add a small flag-marked twelfth ball for Jesus at the centre.
- For a non-traditional twist, replace the mixed peel with chopped stem ginger and the brandy with ginger syrup; the cake becomes spicier and more grown-up.
Serving
A thin slice on a small plate, alongside strong tea or a small glass of sweet sherry. The Easter Sunday afternoon cake.
Storage
Wrapped in foil in a tin at cool room temperature for up to 2 weeks. Improves for the first 3-4 days; the marzipan and the cake settle into each other.
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