Recipe of the Month

Easter Simnel Cake

2. Put the mixed dried fruit in a bowl with the orange juice and zest and 2 tbsp water. Cover and microwave for 2 minutes, then leave to cool completely.

3. Roll out a third of the marzipan and use the base of a deep 20cm cake tin as a template to cut out a circle. Wrap any offcuts and the remaining two-thirds of marzipan in clingfilm and set aside for later.

4. Butter and line the cake tin with a double layer of parchment.

TRADITIONAL EASTER TREAT ...

Bake this classic Easter simnel cake. Top with 11 balls of marzipan (said to represent 11 of Jesus’s disciples, omitting Judas) or decorate with spring flowers.

Serves 12 Preparation time: 30 minues Cooking time: 2 hours 5. Beat the butter and sugar together until creamy.

6. Add the eggs, flour, almonds, baking powder, lemon zest, mixed spice and vanilla (all in one go) and mix until well combined.

7. Mix in the cooled soaked dried fruit and fold in the cherries.

8. Pour half the cake mixture into the tin. Top with the disc of marzipan, then add the remaining cake mixture, and level the top with a spatula.

Ingredients

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250g mixed dried fruit (a mixture of sultanas, currants, raisins and candied mixed peel)

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1 orange, zested and juiced t
500g marzipan

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250g butter, softened

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200g light brown soft sugar

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4 eggs, plus 1 beaten to glaze

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175g plain flour t
100g ground almonds

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1 tsp baking powder

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1 lemon, zested

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2 tsp mixed spice

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1 tsp vanilla extract t
100g glacé cherries, halved

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3 tbsp apricot jam 9. Bake for 2 hours. Check it’s cooked by inserting a skewer to the centre of the cake - if any wet mixture clings to the skewer, return to the oven for another 10 minutes, then check again.

10. Cool in the tin for 15 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and leave to cool completely.

11. Brush the top of the cake with apricot jam.

12. Roll out half of the remaining marzipan and use the base of the cake as a template to cut out another disc. Place it on top of the cake and crimp the edges.

13. Roll the remaining marzipan into 11 equal-sized balls. Brush the marzipan with beaten egg and arrange the balls of marzipan in a circle on top, around the outside, and brush them with a little egg too.

14. Put under a hot grill for a minute or two until just starting to caramelise – be very careful as the marzipan will burn easily.

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