Simnel Cake Recipe

First, make the marzipan. Beat the eggs, then put the sugar and the ground almonds into a separate bowl and mix in enough beaten egg to give a fairly soft, workable consistency. Add the almond essence, then gently knead the paste for a minute or so, until smooth. Divide the marzipan into three, and roll one-third out to make an 18cm diameter circle (reserve the remainder for the cake topping).

Next, switch the oven on to preheat at 140°C (Gas Mark 1). Place an 18cm round cake tin on a sheet of baking paper and draw around the base to make a paper circle, then cut this out. Grease the insides of the tin, then use the paper circle to line the base. In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until smooth, then beat in the three eggs one at a time, ensuring they’re well mixed in. Next, stir in the syrup, then add the flour a little at a time, together with the mixed spice and the salt, stirring to combine. Grate in the lemon zest and add all the dried fruit, mixing well.

Pour half of the cake batter into your prepared tin and smooth the top as best you can. Take your pre-rolled circle of marzipan and lay it on top of the cake batter in the tin, then dollop the rest of the batter on top. Smooth the top, and if you can, try and make a slight indent in the top to allow the cake to rise. Put the cake into the preheated oven and bake for 1¾ hours. You can test the cake by inserting a clean skewer or knife into the middle; if it comes out without any trace of cake mix clinging to it, the cake is ready. When the cake is ready, take it out of the oven and leave it to cool on a wire rack.

While the cake cools, take the remaining two-thirds of the marzipan; roll one-third out into an 18cm circle to cover the top of the cake, and use the other to make 11 evenly-sized small balls. When the cake is cool, put the apricot jam into a small saucepan over a low-medium heat for a few minutes, stirring, until it has softened and become more liquid. Preheat the grill to high. Brush the top of the cake with the jam, then carefully lift the marzipan circle on to the top of the cake. Set the balls around the edge, spacing them evenly (you can use more jam to stick them on if you like). Beat the remaining egg, then use a clean pastry brush to brush the marzipan topping lightly all over with the egg. Next, put the cake on a baking tray and put it under the grill for about one minute, or until the top of the marzipan begins to turn golden brown (watch it carefully). Remove from the grill and serve, or store for later use – this cake will keep well if stored in an airtight container.