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    Orange Simnel Cake

    Orange Simnel Cake is my version of the traditional cake without any dried fruit and with a lovely orange flavour, made especially for my mum.

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    Orange Simnel Cake with a layer of marzipan and 11 marzipan balls to decorate

    Orange Simnel Cake

    Simnel Cake was traditionally taken by servant girls to their mothers on Mothering Sunday, which falls three weeks before Easter. It's usually a fruit cake with a layer of almond paste, or marzipan, in the middle and another on top. It's decorated with 11 balls of marzipan, one for each disciple - apart from Judas Iscariot, who was persona non grata at this point.

    For Mothering Sunday or Easter

    Simnel Cake has become more of a general Easter cake for people who like fruit cake, but I do sometimes make one for my mother on Mothering Sunday. Then I'll make a chocolate cake - like Easter Nest Cake - for Easter itself. Any excuse for more cake really!

    Simnel Cake without fruit

    My mother isn't so keen on dried fruit anymore, so I now make a version without any fruit in. Essentially this is a Madeira Cake with lots of orange flavour. This 17/18cm cake will give 8-10 slices, depending on how hungry (or greedy) you are.

    I used orange zest, orange juice and orange extract in this cake but you could just use the extract (2-3 teaspoons) or extra zest. Using extra orange juice would alter the consistency unless the eggs aren't all large, although a little more isn't going to make much difference. If you omit the orange juice, add milk instead.

    Marzipan is a vital ingredient

    You could make the marzipan or buy it, in which case you need about 1kg. Any leftover can be kept in the fridge for a week or so until needed next.

    You could made into shapes like petit fours - or Marzipan Stars - or you could just eat it. You could also use it for Simnel Cupcakes.

    To get the right sized circles for inside and the top of the cake, put the ball of marzipan on a silicone baking mat so it won't stick, and pat with the flat of your hand until it's about the right size and shape. Then put a baking parchment circle of the right size on top and use a rolling pin to correct the shape. If you want to be exact, roll the marzipan a bit bigger than the parchment circle and use a knife to cut out the shape but, really, why bother?

    How to brown the cake

    Put the cake under the grill to brown the top (after a light eggwash). The marzipan balls browns nicely but if the cake top doesn't, you might need to resort to a blowtorch - the culinary kind of course. Although apparently, you can use them for small DIY tasks. (I keep that fact (and the blowtorch) well hidden to prevent it being hijacked for other purposes.)

    Unfortunately, I got a little impatient when I did this and moved the blowtorch too close so there's a little bit of darker brown on top. Not burning exactly, but not the nice golden brown I wanted.

    If you are buying a blowtorch, by the way, I would make sure it has a safety catch so that it can't be accidentally switched on. The flame wouldn't come on anyway, but you don't really want a cupboard full of butane gas.

    The grill and/or blowtorch also softens up the marzipan, so leave it in a cool place for a while before serving - or just forget about browning it altogether!

    Watch the baking powder

    A quick note about baking powder, if you're interested. This sort of cake needs less baking powder than a Victoria Sandwich, so using the all-in-one method to make it without extra BP is fine.

    How long will the cake keep?

    An Orange Simnel Cake will keep well for a couple of weeks in an airtight container in a cool place. I often put cakes like this in the fridge and they really stay very fresh. One cold Easter I kept it in my conservatory, which was almost as cold as the fridge.

    If you like this...

    ...Why don’t you try:

    Simnel Cupcakes on a glass dish decorated with icing and chocolate eggs

    Simnel Cupcakes

    Simnel Cupcakes are crammed with fruit and marzipan, flavoured with orange, and topped with icing and chocolate eggs.
    Light Simnel Cake on a patterned plate on a pinkcloth

    Simnel Cake

    Light Simnel Cake is a lighter version of the traditional rich fruit cake with marzipan filling and top, made for Mothering Sunday or Easter.
    Chocolate Easter Nest Cake topped with chocolate cream and mini eggs

    Easter Nest Cake

    Easter Nest Cake is made with ground almonds instead of flour, so it's gluten-free. It has a cream and chocolate topping and a nest of chocolate flake and mini eggs.
    16 Easter Biscuits on a wire tray , some sprinkled with sugar.

    Traditional Easter Biscuits

    Traditional Easter biscuits are lightly spiced, with currants and a sugar topping. Every recipe has its own twist - these have lemon juice and zest for a light zing.

    Recipe

    Orange Simnel Cake with a slice removed showing the layer of marzipan inside
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    Orange Simnel Cake

    Orange Simnel Cake is a plain orange cake with marzipan filling and topping in the tradition of a Simnel Cake. Great for Mothering Sunday or Easter.
    Prep Time20 minutes mins
    Cook Time1 hour hr 15 minutes mins
    Total Time1 hour hr 35 minutes mins
    Course: Teatime
    Cuisine: British
    Servings: 12 slices
    Author: Susie@Everyday Cooks

    Ingredients

    For a 17 or 18 cm (7-inch) round cake:

    • 200 g butter, at room temperature
    • 175 g caster sugar
    • 3 large eggs
    • 200 g self-raising flour
    • 75 g ground almonds
    • ½ large orange, zested and juiced (30ml)
    • 1 teaspoon orange extract (5ml)
    • 1 kg marzipan. bought or homemade
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    Equipment

    18 cm/7-inch deep round cake tin
    Baking parchment circle
    Rolling pin
    Mat for rolling out marzipan, e.g. Silicone baking mat

    Instructions

    Preparation:

    • Preheat the oven to 180°C/ 160°C fan/ gas mark 4/ 350°F
    • Line the base of the tin with a baking parchment circle. Grease the tin (if it needs it) with butter paper (or a little butter on kitchen paper)
    • Take ⅖ of the marzipan and roll it into a ball in your hands then flatten onto a prepared surface
      If you use a silicone baking mat, then you don't need any extra icing sugar
      1 kg marzipan.
    • Shape into a circle about the size of the tin, using your hands. Using a baking parchment circle as a template, roll the marzipan to fit. Cut off any excess
    • Using a baking parchment circle as a template, roll the marzipan to fit. Cut off any excess
    • Put the rest of the marzipan in the fridge to keep firm.

    For the Orange Simnel Cake:

    • Put all the ingredients, except the marzipan, in a food processor or mixer and mix until well combined. Scrape down and briefly mix again
      200 g butter,, 175 g caster sugar, 3 large eggs, 200 g self-raising flour, 75 g ground almonds, ½ large orange,, 1 teaspoon orange extract
    • Spoon half the mixture into the cake tin. Place the marzipan circle over the cake mixture.
      Spoon the rest of the cake mixture over the marzipan and smooth, making a slight dip in the centre
    • Cook for 1 hour 15 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean of cake mix
      The marzipan will stick to the skewer, so check carefully
    • Cool in the tin for 10 minutes then remove and put on a wire cooling rack

    For the topping:

    • Using another ⅖ of the marzipan, make a second disc - as before, but cutting the edge more carefully
    • Divide the remaining marzipan into 11 and fashion each piece into a ball
    • Place the marzipan disc on top of the cake and crimp with your fingers if desired (or if the edges are ragged). Using a sharp knife, cut a diamond pattern into the marzipan
    • Position each ball around the edge of the cake
    • If you want a browned top, lightly brush beaten egg over the marzipan and put under a medium grill for a few minutes.

    Video

    Notes

    EverydayCooks tips:
    • If your cake has dipped or peaked in the middle when it's cooked, put a piece of baking parchment or a clean tea towel on a cooling rack and turn the cake upside down as it cools in the tin. When you turn it out of the tin keep it upside down, and by the time it's cooled the top will usually be flat.
    •  If your cake top is below the surface of the tin, run a palette knife round the sides to loosen first so that the cake drops
    • Storage: Orange Simnel Cake keeps for at least a week in an airtight container in a cool place

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    Hi, I'm Susie. Mostly I love cooking and baking, but combining work and home life often leaves me feeling that providing healthy, tasty food for my family is a chore. On those days I am decidedly an Everyday Cook...

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    Orange Simnel Cake with a layer of marzipan and 11 marzipan balls to decorate
    Orange Simnel Cake with a layer of marzipan and 11 marzipan balls to decorate

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