Simnel Cake - British Easter Cake
The origins of the Simnal cake can be traced back to Medieval (Mediaeval)times, but it wasn't until the late 19th century that this British cake looks similar to the recipe given here. It was made to celebrate Mothering Sunday, which is the fourth Sunday of Lent. Mothering Sunday has nothing to do with our American "Mother's Day", but it is the day that you return to your original diocese to worship. However, for many years now it has been made at Easter. You will notice that there are 11 small ball shaped pieces of Marzipan around the rim of the cake. These represent the 11 Apostles, leaving out Judas, as he had betrayed Christ. In some traditions an 12th ball of Marzipan is placed in the center to represent Christ. The cake is much like a fruit cake, with the addition of Marzipan and the apricot glaze.
Equipment
- one 8" springform cake pan
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter (228g) or 1/2 cup butter and 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup granulated sugar (199g)
- 2 tsp vanilla extract (8.6g)
- 1 tsp orange blossom water (4.3g)
- 3 grade A large eggs
- 2 cup all purpose flour (240g)
- 2 tsp baking powder (8g)
- 1/2 tsp baking soda (2.2g)
- 1 tsp salt (6g)
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon (4.6g)
- 1 tsp ground mace (2.3g)
- 1 1/4 cup Sultanas (golden raisins) (180g)
- 1 1/4 cup currants (180g)
- 1 cup candied orange peel (115g)
- 1/2 tbsp citron (58g)
- 1/3 cup Meyer's rum ((80ml)
- 1 1/2 lb marzipan (680g)
- apricot jam for glazing the top of the cake
Instructions
For the Cake
- To Begin: Butter the base and sides of an 8" springform pan, and line the bottom with parchment paper. Using a fine mesh sieve, sift together the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and mace.Preheat you oven to 300 degrees for Convection and 325 degrees for Standard
- Place all of the dried and candied fruits in a bowl, pour in the rum, and stir. Place the bowl in the microwave for 25 seconds, stir, and microwave another 25 seconds. This should rehydrate the fruit and allow it to absorb much of the rum. Set it aside to cool.
- Break off a piece of marzipan, roughly 1/3 (8 ounces or 225g). Place it on a pastry cloth, or flat surface sprinkled with granulated sugar. Using a rolling pin, roll out to a circle 8" in diameter. Set this aside.
- Place the sugar and room temperature butter (or butter and oil) in the bowl of your mixer. Beat at medium speed until it is light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, incorporating each before adding the next. Next, add the vanilla extract and the orange blossom water.
- Add the rehydrated fruit, along with any accumulated liquid and mix at low speed for about a minute. Add the flour mixture and mix, again at medium speed for a minute. Stop and scrape down the sides and bottom of the mixing bowl to insure that all ingredients are evenly combined. Mix for another minute.
- Pour one half of the batter into your prepared springform pan. Place the 8" circle of Marzipan on top of the batter, and cover with the remaining half of the batter. Place on the center rack of your preheated oven. As a precaution, set the timer for 30 minutes. If the cake looks like it is browning too quickly, turn the temperature down by 10 or 15 degrees. Set the timer again for another 30 minutes, and keep checking until the cake is done, or has an internal temperature (instant read thermometer) of 200-205 degrees.
- NOTE: This cake bakes slowly, and generally takes about 90 minutes. Depending on your oven and the composition of your springform pan, the bottom and rim of the cake can become a bit "overdone" I wrap the bottom and edges of my pan with a sheet of heavy weight aluminum foil, and place it on a baking sheet. This seems to help.
- Place the cake on a rack to cool. After about 15 minutes, carefully run a knife around the rim to loosed the cake. Remove the rim, cool another 15 minutes, then remove the bottom ring of the springform pan. Cool the cake for at least another 45 minutes then proceed to" Finishing the Cake".
Finishing the Cake
- Heat 1/3 cup of the apricot jam to the point where it can easily be spread in a thin layer. Using a pastry brush, brush the top and sides of the cake. Divide the remaining Marzipan in half. Take one half and roll that piece into a circle about 7" in diameter, and place the disk in the center of the cake. Take the remaining half and form 11 small balls (12 if you wish to add Christ to the center) about the size of a cherry. Place the balls around the rim of the cake, and with brush with more of the apricot jam.
- Using either a kitchen hand held torch, or your oven broiler, lightly brown the top of the cake. If you use your broiler, watch closely as it can quickly burn. As an added touch, many times the perimeter is encircled with a piece of satin or paper ribbon. Once cut, just cover the cut portion with plastic wrap and the cake will be good for at least 2 weeks.