Recipe Raspberry Simnel Cake

This classic bake with a berry twist is the perfect finishing touch when the family gather for a celebratory Easter feast – or just when it’s time for tea!

Serves: 10

Preparation time: 30 minutes

Cooking time: 1½ hours

Ingredients:

• 500g ready-made marzipan

• 150g raspberries, plus 11 for the top (about 50g)

• 200g self-raising flour, plus 1 tbsp

• 175g butter

• 175g caster sugar

• 3 medium eggs plus an egg yolk, beaten

• 50g ground almonds

• 150g sultanas

• 1 egg white, lightly beaten to loosen

Method: Line a 20cm loose-bottomed baking tin with parchment. Roll out a third of the marzipan to a 20cm circle – you can use the base of the tin to cut round. Wrap the remainder and any offcuts and set aside.

Preheat the oven to 170°C / fan 150°C / gas mark 3.

Toss the 150g raspberries in the extra 1 tbsp of flour and set aside. Beat together the butter and sugar until pale and creamy, then gradually whisk in the eggs and the extra yolk. If the mixture begins to curdle add 1 tbsp of flour and mix in. Sift the flour over the mix and fold in gently until smooth. Fold in the ground almonds, sultanas and floured raspberries.

Scrape half the cake mixture into the tin and carefully lay the marzipan round on top. Add the remaining mixture, level the top and bake in the preheated oven for around 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes until golden and a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool in the tin for 15 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Roll out half the remaining marzipan to a circle and sit it on top of the cooled cake. Shape 11 balls from the leftover amount and arrange in a circle on top.

Preheat the grill to medium. Brush the cake all over with the egg white and then place under the grill or use a cook’s blow torch to brown gently. Remove from the grill, leave to cool and then decorate with the fresh raspberries.

The cake keeps well in an airtight container for up to 5 days without the extra berries on top. Alternatively, freeze the cake before adding the marzipan top for up to a month.

The Berry Best

For more sweet and savoury recipes starring British berries – strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries and cherries – visit www.lovefreshberries.co.uk

The Coach At Horsley

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