Make a traditional simnel cake
Originally, simnel cakes were made for Mothering Sunday. Girls in service would be allowed home to visit their mothers on this Sunday in Lent, and custom was that they would take a simnel cake home as a gift. Over time, though, the simnel cake has become associated with Easter. It is decorated with eleven balls made of almond paste (marzipan) which represent the eleven faithful apostles. Here is how to make one:
Preheat the oven to 140C (gas mark 1). Adjust for a fan oven.
Grease and line an 18cm cake tin.
Ingredients for the almond paste (make this first):
125g caster sugar
125g ground almonds
½ tsp almond essence
1 beaten egg
Put the caster sugar and almonds together in a bowl. Add the almond essence, then add beaten egg a teaspoon at a time and mix until the consistency is soft and doughy but not sticky. Do the last bit of mixing with your hands and knead the dough until it is thoroughly mixed and smooth.
Roll it out and cut two 18cm circles (cut around your 18cm cake tin). You can use a bit of icing sugar to stop it sticking. This should take about two thirds of the almond paste. Put the circles and remaining dough to one side.
Ingredients for the cake:
110g butter or margarine
110g soft brown sugar
3 beaten eggs
150g plain flour
a pinch of salt
½ tsp ground mixed spice
350g dried mixed fruit (raisins, currants, sultanas)
55g chopped mixed peel
The grated rind of half a lemon
Using an electric whisk, cream together the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. You can soften the butter for a few seconds in the microwave if this makes it easier.
Beat in the eggs a little at a time and combine well.
Gradually add the sifted flour, salt and spice.
Mix in the dried fruit and peel, and the grated lemon rind. Combine well.
Tip half the cake mixture into the prepared tin. Cover with one of the circles of almond paste. Add the rest of the cake mixture on top and smooth the surface.
Bake for one and a half hours (less if you have a fierce or fan oven), then remove and leave to cool on a wire rack.
To decorate the cake you will need:
The rest of the almond paste (about a third of the original amount)
1-2 tbsp apricot jam
You may need another beaten egg for a final glazing of the almond paste if you don’t have enough left over from the earlier stages.
Preheat the oven to 180C (gas mark 3).
Brush the top of the cake with apricot jam. (If you warm it for just a few seconds in the microwave, it will be easier to spread.)
Put your remaining circle of almond paste over the top of the cake. With the rest of the paste, make eleven ball shapes. Space these around the edge of the cake. Brush all over with some beaten egg.
Put the cake back in the oven until the almond paste starts to toast deliciously, just browning slightly around the edges. This will only take about ten minutes, so keep an eye on the cake to make sure you don’t overdo it.
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