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Simnel cake
Meat-free.Very rarely seen nowadays, probably because Easter has turned from a time when the family would celebrate together into a chocolate feast. The Simnel cake is decorated with 11 balls of marzipan, to represent the number of faithful apostles.
200g (8 oz) flour 150g (6 oz) butter 150g (6 oz) sugar a pinch of salt 1 tsp grated nutmeg 1 tsp cinnamon 75g (3 oz) chopped mixed peel 300g (12 oz) currants 100g (4 oz) sultanas 3 eggs milk to mix beaten egg for glazing apricot jam For the almond paste: 200g (8 oz) ground almonds 100g (4 oz) icing sugar 100g (4 oz) castor sugar 2 drops almond essence 2 small eggs
First, make the almond paste by sieving the icing sugar and mixing it with the castor sugar and ground almonds, adding the remaining ingredients and kneading until smooth. Alternatively, you could just use 450g (1 lb) of ready-made marzipan. If using pre-packed marzipan, you need to get it to room temperature before starting to make up the recipe.
Grease and line a 20 cm (8 inch) cake tin. Sieve flour, salt and spices together. Pre-heat oven to 150º C (300º F, gas mark 1).
Cream butter and sugar and beat in the eggs gradually (too much at a time will make the mixture curdle).
Fold in sieved flour mixture and stir the fruit in lightly, adding a little milk if necessary to make a soft dropping consistency.
Put half the mixture into the cake tin and smooth flat.
Roll half the almond paste or marzipan into a circle the same diameter as the cake tin and place over the mixture in the tin. Press lightly into position and cover with the remaining mixture.
Put into the centre of the oven and bake for 3 hours, until a skewer or knife can be inserted and remains dry when pulled out again.
Turn out and cool on a wire rack.
Roll out half the remaining marzipan into a circle to cover the top of the cake. Make 11 small balls with the remaining paste.
Brush the top of the cake with warmed jam. Press the almond paste round on firmly and arrange the balls around the edge, sticking in place with a little beaten egg. Brown in a hot oven or under the grill (this will cook the egg).
Decorate with primroses and a yellow ribbon.
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