Easter Simnel Cake is a traditional fruit cake featuring a layer of marzipan inside and on top of the cake. Let me show you how to make a Simnel Cake, it makes a perfect centrepiece for your Easter table.
What is Simnel Cake?
Simnel Cake was the food gift most associated with Mothering Sunday in the UK. However, more recently it has become associated with Easter.
It is a fruit cake with two layers of marzipan, one on top and one baked in the middle of the cake. The cake is topped with eleven balls of marzipan, one for each of the disciples, except Judas.
What is Mothering Sunday?
Mothering Sunday is the fourth Sunday of Lent. It’s also known as Mothers’ Day and is celebrated in Spring in the UK. Mother’s Day is celebrated at different times of the year in other countries.
Mother Church
In the past it was the tradition for people to return to their ‘mother’ church, the main church or cathedral in their area, once a year and this took place in the middle of Lent.
This led to families, scattered through work, meeting up as they returned to their home area. Part of the tradition was for children returning to bring small gifts to their mothers.
How to make Easter Simnel Cake
Make the Cake
This cake is made with a simple one-bowl cake method, so put the butter, sugar flour, dried fruit, cherries, lemon zest, 3 eggs, and the mixed spice in a large bowl and beat until fully combined. You can do this by hand but a stand mixer makes the job really easy.
Add the middle layer of marzipan
Spoon half the fruit cake mixture into an 18 cm tin and top with a round of marzipan cut to fit the tin.
Add the remaining cake mixture on top of the marzipan and smooth the top.
Bake the cake for 2 hours 15 minutes until golden brown.
TIP
Check that the cake is baked by pushing a skewer into the centre of the cake. iI the skewer clean then the cake is ready. If the skewer comes out sticky put the cake back in the oven for 10 minutes and try again.
When the Easter Simnel Cake has cooled, brush with apricot jam and place another round of marzipan on top of the cake. Decorate with eleven balls of marzipan and put under a hot grill (broiler) to brown the tops of the marzipan balls.
Serve the Simnel Cake in generous slices as a dessert or as part of an Easter afternoon tea.
More Easter recipes from Farmersgirl Kitchen
Simnel Cake Slice – Farmersgirl Kitchen
How to make Hot Cross Bun Waffles – Farmersgirl Kitchen
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Easter Blondies – Supper in the Suburbs
Homemade Easter Eggs with Dark Chocolate Caramel Popcorn
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How to make Easter Simnel Cake
Ingredients
- 175 grams soft butter
- 175 grams soft brown sugar
- 175 grams self-raising flour
- 300 grams mixed dried fruit
- 3 eggs
- 90 grams glace cherries quartered, rinsed and dried
- 1 lemon grated zest
- 1 teaspoon ground mixed spice
- 500 grams marzipan
- 2 teaspoons apricot jam
- 1 egg white
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 150C.
- Grease and line an 18 cm round cake tin with baking parchment.
- Roll out 1/3 of the marzipan and using the cake tin as a guide, cut out an 18 cm circle. Set aside.
- Place the butter, sugar flour, dried fruit, cherries, lemon zest, 3 eggs and the mixed spice in a large bowl and beat until fully combined. You can do this by hand but a stand mixer makes the job really easy.
- Spoon half the mixture into the lined cake tin, top with the round of marzipan.
- Cover with the remaining cake mixture and level the surface.
- Bake for 2 hours 15 minutes or until golden brown. Check that it is baked by pushing a skewer into the centre of the cake, if it comes out sticky it's not baked, if it's clean then the cake is ready.
- If the cake seems to be browning too quickly, cover it with some baking parchment.
- When the cake is completely cool, warm the apricot jam and use it to brush the top of the cake.
- Roll out half the remaining marzipan to an 18 cm round and put it on top of the jam, crimping the edges into an attractive pattern. Roll the remaining marzipan into 11 balls, brush the base of each with egg white and place evenly around the edge of the cake.
- Using the remaining egg white, brush the marzipan and the marzipan balls. Then place under a hot grill until the balls are golden brown and slightly bubbling.
Notes
Nutrition
I’m sharing this recipe on #CookBlogShare where you can find lots of delicious recipes shared by food bloggers.
Natalie says
How long does this last? And your simnel tray bake? X
Janice Pattie says
Hi Natalie
The Simnel Cake will last longer than the slice. If you wrap the cake in a layer of baking parchment, then a double layer of foil and keep it in a cool place, it should last about two to three weeks, if you want it to last longer, then don’t put the marzipan on the top until you are ready to eat it, then it should last for about 6 weeks. For the slice, don’t cut it, and wrap it the same as the cake, it should last up to two weeks. The main thing is to keep the air away from the cake. The Simnel Cake will actually get better if you keep it longer!
Natalie says
Thank you 🙂 wasn’t sure if it was like a Christmas cake X
Natalie says
Made it 🙂 fantastic recipe thanks x
Janice Pattie says
Oh that’s great to hear. Happy Easter to you and your family.
Choclette says
Ooh your simnel cake looks so cute with the little chick shivering on top. I adore marzipan and this is one of my favourite cakes. Thanks for showing my Easter eggs – can’t believe I made them now.
Janice Pattie says
Thank you. I love a nice fruit cake and the marzipan just makes it so much better. Your chocolate eggs look so good, just my kind of thing.
Sisley White says
I’ve always wanted to make a simnel cake for Easter and now I can! I can’t wait to make your recipe.
Janice Pattie says
That’s very kind of you to say so Sisley. It’s a lovely cake and very easy to make, i’m sure yours will also be a lot neater than mine!
Helen at Casa Costello says
Oh I adore anything with marzipan – Simnel cake is a must for Easter. Yours is so neat and tidy – Yay for little fluffy chicks!
Janice Pattie says
Me too, Helen. Thank you, I’m not a natural neatnic and had to try hard to make it look even so thank you for noticing!
Bintu | Recipes From A Pantry says
you make me wanna drop everything and make this. Looks luch
Janice Pattie says
Thank you, it’s a favourite in our house.
Emma @ Supper in the Suburbs says
Simnel cake is an absolute must at Easter! Thanks for sharing 😀
Janice Pattie says
Thanks Emma, it is a must for me, I love fruit cake and marzipan!
Claire Jessiman says
I have never made Simnel cake and oly actually tasted one for the first time a couple of years ago! We are away on holiday over Easter this year so I’ll miss out again 🙁
Janice Pattie says
You don’t have to miss out. Simnel Cake is traditionally made for Mothering Sunday, but it’s good any time!
Kimberly says
Thanks for the recipe. It looks yummy and healthy. I’ll must try this one.
Janice Pattie says
Thanks Kimberley, I hope you enjoy it.
Camilla Hawkins says
This is my kind of cake, you had me at marzipan:-)
Janice Pattie says
Mine too, I love marzipan 😊
Jo Allison / Jo's Kitchen Larder says
Would you believe I’ve never had simnel cake before? I have always been a bit wary of it as am not a huge fan of fruit cakes lol. Having said that I do adore marzipan and there is plenty of it here (really like the idea of middle layer of it) plus the cake itself looks so pretty too!
Janice Pattie says
Thank you for your kind comments. Perhaps you could make a madeira cake and sandwich it with marzipan?
Jessica Cantoni says
I love the old tradition behind this cake. I’ve never made one as I’m not a huge marzipan fan. My Mother is though so perhaps one to make for her soon!
Janice Pattie says
I’m sure she would love it!
Jenny Walters says
What a beautiful back story to Mothers Day. I did not have an idea of its provenance. What a beautiful cake and I am ALWAYS a fan of a one bowl cake! Thank you for sharing this classic bake with #CookBlogShare
Janice Pattie says
Thanks,Jenny. I think a lot of people are unaware of the origins of Mother’s Day, glad to have been of service 😄
Rosemary says
I love traditional cake recipes which have a story behind them but have never tried to make a Simnel Cake. Definitely feel inspired by this recipe!
Janice Pattie says
Thank you, Rosemary. I hope you try the Simnel Cake recipe, it’s really simple and we love it.
Chloe Edges says
Thanks for the really helpful recipe – I had no idea that there was a layer of marzipan in the middle!
Janice Pattie says
Thank you.Chloe. I sometimes forget that I know quite a lot about food and cooking. Always nice to pass on I for to others.
Michelle Rolfe says
Hangs head in shame – I’ve never eaten Simnel cake! When I was younger I wasn’t a huge fan of dried fruit, that has changed over the years so I must really have a go. Love the little Easter chick on the cake, make me excited for spring! Thanks for linking up to #CookBlogShare. Michelle
Janice Pattie says
I hope you give the recipe a try. It’s quite a light fruited cake and it certainly doesn’t last long in our house.