Simnel Cake (Easter Cake) Recipe
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Category: |
Category: |
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Ingredients: |
Ingredients: 1. Almond Paste
250g/9oz caster sugar
250g/9oz ground almonds
2 free-range eggs, beaten
1 tsp almond essence
2. Cake
175g/6oz butter or margarine
175g/6oz soft brown sugar
3 free-range eggs, beaten
175g/6oz plain flour
½ tsp ground mixed spice
350g/12oz mixed raisins, currants and sultanas
55g/2oz chopped mixed peel
½ lemon, grated zest only
1-2 tbsp apricot jam
1 free-range egg, beaten for glaze
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Directions: |
Directions:
1. Almond paste:
Place the sugar and ground almonds in a bowl. Add beaten egg. (May need more egg depending on size!) Mix to a fairly soft consistency.
Add the almond essence and knead for one minute until the paste is smooth and pliable.
Roll out a third of the almond paste to make a circle 18cm/7in in diameter and reserve the remainder for the cake topping & balls (11 apostles)
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 140C/275F/Gas 1. Grease and line a 18cm/7in cake tin.
Grease and line a 18cm/7in cake tin
2. Cake:
Cream the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy.
Gradually beat in the eggs, sift in the flour/mixed spice, mix well.
Add the mixed dried fruit/peel/grated lemon zest and stir into the mixture.
Put half the mixture into cake tin. Smooth the top and cover with the circle of almond paste.
Add the rest of the cake mixture and smooth the top leaving a slight dip in the centre to allow for the cake to rise.
Bake in the preheated oven for 1¾ hours.
Test: inserting a skewer in the middle - if it comes out clean, remove from the oven leave to cool on a wire rack.
Once cake is cooled, spread top with apricot jam.
Divide the remainder of the almond paste in half:
roll out a circle to cover the top of the cake with one half
form 11 small balls with the other half.
Place the circle of paste on top of jam glaze and set the balls round the edge.
Brush the cake topping with a little beaten egg.
· Preheat the grill to high: Place the cake onto a baking tray and grill for 1-2 minutes,
1. (until top of the marzipan begins to brown).
2. or,
3. use a cook's blow torch, until the marzipan is golden-brown.
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