Simnel cake (traditional Easter cake)

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Simnel cake (traditional Easter cake) from MamaG

can make in advance ok to freeze vegetarian
Category
Cake and dessert recipes
Serves8 generous slices (or one greedy pig!)
Prep time 20 mins
Cook time3.5 hours

Mumsnetter ratings

based on (2) reviews
Ease of finding ingredients 10
Ease of cooking10
Success with kids10
Success with adults10
Overall Mark 10

Ingredients

175g (6oz) butter or margarine
175g (6oz) soft brown sugar
3 medium eggs
250g (9oz) self raising flour
A pinch salt
1 x 2.5ml spoon (½ tsp) mixed spice
5 x 15ml spoon (5 tbsp) milk
2 x 5ml spoon (2 tsp) golden syrup
450g (1lb) currants
50g (2oz) raisins
100g (4oz) sultanas
25g/ (1oz) glacé cherries, quartered
100g (4oz) mixed peel, chopped
450g (1lb) almond paste
Apricot jam
1 egg (beaten)

Handy Hint

I have used pre-mixed dried fruit/peel when I haven't had separate ingredients and it has been fine.

Method

1. Heat oven to 180C/350F/Gas Mark 4. Grease and line a 20.5cm (8in) round cake tin.
2. Beat fat and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, with a little flour, beating well after each addition.
3. Stir in salt and spice, add milk and syrup with a little more flour. Mix well.
4. Fold in remaining flour and fruit. Place half the mixture into the prepared tin and smooth level.
5. Divide the almond paste in two. Roll out one into a 20.5cm (8in) round on sugared, greaseproof paper, remove from paper and place on top of the cake mixture. Cover the remaining cake mixture.
6. Bake for about 1 hour then reduce the temperature to 140C/275F/Gas Mark 1 and bake for 2½ hours.
7. Allow cake to cool, divide the remaining almond paste in two. Roll one half into a 20.5 cm (8 inch) round, brush cake with apricot jam and place almond paste on top. Roll the remaining paste into 11 small balls.
8. Brush top of cake with beaten egg and place balls of paste round the edge close together, then brush again with egg.
9. Place under a hot grill to brown marzipan.

Mumsnetter Reviews

From: 2shoestrodonalltheeggs on Sat 11-Apr-09 17:57:54 Overall rating: 10.0
really nice easy to follow recipe and easy to adapt to what you have to hand.
From: MamaG on Wed 23-Jan-08 14:53:31 Overall rating: 0.0



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