Simnel Cake
A rich spiced fruit cake with a layer of marzipan baked in the middle and eleven golden balls on top for Easter.
- Time3 hr 15
- LevelMedium
- Costabout £0.96 a head
- Oven140°C (120°C fan)
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
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Method
- 1
Heat the oven to 140°C (120°C fan). Grease and line a deep 20 cm round cake tin with baking paper.
- 2
Beat the butter and sugar for 3 minutes until pale and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, adding a spoonful of flour with each to stop it curdling.
3 min - 3
Fold in the rest of the flour, the baking powder, mixed spice, dried fruit, cherries, lemon zest, orange zest and milk until evenly mixed.
- 4
Roll 250 g of the marzipan into a 20 cm circle. Spoon half the cake mix into the tin, lay the marzipan circle on top, then cover with the rest of the mix. Level the top.
- 5
Bake for 2 hours to 2 hours 15 minutes, until a skewer comes out clean. Cover the top with foil if it browns too fast. Cool completely in the tin.
135 min - 6
Brush the cooled cake with the warm jam. Roll out 200 g of marzipan to a 20 cm circle and press it on top. Roll the last 50 g into 11 small balls and press them round the edge with a dab of jam.
- 7
Brush the marzipan with egg yolk. Grill on a low heat or use a kitchen blowtorch for 1 to 2 minutes until the top and balls are toasted golden. Cool before slicing.
1 min 30 s
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.