Simnel Cake
Ingredients
- ¾ cup raisins
- ½ cup golden raisins
- ½ cup dried currants
- 1 orange, zested and juiced
- 2 (7oz) boxes of Odense marzipan
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 4 eggs, plus 1 for egg wash
- 1 ½ cup All-Purpose flour
- 1 cup almond flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 lemon, zested
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup glacé cherries, halved
- 3 Tbsp apricot jam
- Powdered sugar for rolling out the marzipan
This hearty fruitcake is more widely known in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Made for Easter, the 11 balls of marzipan represent the apostles leaving out Judas.
Time
Prep: 45 min
Cook: 2 hrs
Cook: 2 hrs
Yield
12 servings
Directions
- Place raisins, golden raisins, currants, orange zest, orange juice, and 2 Tbsp water in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir occasionally until most of the liquid has been absorbed, then leave to cool.
- Heat oven to 300°F. Butter an 8” cake pan and line the bottom with parchment.
- Combine both logs of marzipan into one log, then divide into thirds. If you have a kitchen scale, each third should weigh about 4.69oz/133g. Wrap two of the thirds in plastic wrap and set aside for later.
- Dust a flat surface with powdered sugar and roll out one of the thirds of marzipan into an 8” circle. Set aside.
- Beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
- Add the 4 eggs, AP flour, almond flour, baking powder, lemon zest, cinnamon, ground ginger, nutmeg, ground cloves, and vanilla all at once. Mix until well combined.
- Mix in the cooled soaked dried fruit and the glacé cherries.
- Pour half the batter into the tin, place the 8” disc of marzipan into the tin, then pour the second half of the batter on top. Level with a spatula.
- Place in the oven and bake for 2 hours. Check for doneness by inserting a skewer. If any batter sticks to the skewer, bake for another 10 minutes and check again. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Then remove the cake from the pan and cool on a rack completely.
- Set the oven to broil.
- Spread the apricot jam on top of the cake with a knife or spatula.
- Using another third of the marzipan, dust your surface with powdered sugar and roll into an 8” circle and place on top of the cake. Crimp edges if desired.
- Using the last third of the marzipan, divide into 11 pieces and roll into balls.
- Brush the marzipan on top of the cake with the beaten egg. Then, evenly space the 11 balls in a circle on top of the cake. Brush the balls with some of the egg as well.
- Place the cake under the broiler until the marzipan begins to brown. This can take less than a minute or two depending on your oven. Keep an eye out as it can burn very quickly.
- Leave to cool then enjoy!