Classic Simnel Cake
Prep
20 mins
Cook
1 hr 30 mins
Servings
12
Difficulty
Medium
This is my go to cake for Easter and it's honestly so straightforward to make. The beauty of Simnel cake is that it looks incredibly impressive with those marzipan layers and balls on top, but the actual baking part is wonderfully simple. I love that ground almonds add protein and healthy fats to the mix while keeping everything moist and delicious. Most of the work is just measuring ingredients and mixing, which takes barely twenty minutes, then you pop it in the oven for an hour and a half and you're done. It's the kind of cake that makes you look like a brilliant baker without any fussy techniques required.
Ella x
Ingredients
- 200 gbutter(softened)
- 200 gcaster sugar
- 4eggs(room temperature)
- 300 gself raising flour
- 400 gmixed dried fruit(raisins, sultanas, currants)
- 50 gground almonds
- 500 gmarzipan(divided)
- 4 tbspapricot jam(for glazing)
- 2 tbspmilk
- 2 tspmixed spice
Detail level
Instructions
- 1
Heat your oven to 160 degrees Celsius and line a 20cm round cake tin with baking parchment. Cream together the softened butter and caster sugar until the mixture is pale and fluffy, which takes about 3 minutes of beating.
Tip: Using room temperature butter makes creaming much easier and gives you a better texture.
- 2
Add the eggs one at a time to the butter mixture, beating well after each addition. If the mixture starts to curdle, add a spoonful of flour to bring it back together.
Tip: This step is crucial for getting a light, airy cake that rises properly.
- 3
Fold in the self raising flour, ground almonds, and mixed spice gently with a metal spoon until just combined. Stir in the milk to loosen the batter slightly, then fold through the mixed dried fruit.
Tip: Don't overmix once you add the flour or your cake will be heavy and dense.
- 4
Roll out 250 grams of marzipan between sheets of baking parchment to about 5mm thick and cut into a circle to fit your tin. Spread half the cake batter into the prepared tin, then place the marzipan circle on top.
Tip: Keep the marzipan between parchment while rolling to prevent sticking.
- 5
Cover the marzipan with the remaining cake batter, spreading it gently and evenly to seal in the marzipan layer completely.
Tip: Make sure the top batter completely covers the marzipan so it won't poke through during baking.
- 6
Bake in the preheated oven for about 80 to 90 minutes, until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean. The top should be golden brown. If it's browning too quickly, tent it loosely with foil halfway through.
Tip: Start checking at 80 minutes as ovens vary, and don't overbake or the cake will dry out.
- 7
Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the tin for 15 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely, which takes about 2 hours.
Tip: Cooling completely before decorating prevents the marzipan from melting.
- 8
Warm the apricot jam gently and brush it over the top of the cooled cake. Roll out the remaining 250 grams of marzipan and cut it into 11 equal balls. Arrange them around the top edge of the cake, pressing them gently into the jam to secure.
Tip: The 11 balls represent the apostles minus Judas, a traditional Easter symbol.
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