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    Home » Cakes and Desserts

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    Simnel Cupcakes

    Simnel Cupcakes are crammed with fruit and marzipan, flavoured with orange, and topped with icing and chocolate eggs - a perfect Easter teatime treat.

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

    Simnel Cupcakes

    I usually make small cakes in fairy cake cases, on the grounds that a small bite is all you need to feel indulged, but not over-indulged. I've made an exception here because there is no way I could get everything I wanted into a very small cake. You won't be eating two of these at a sitting.

    If they're too big you could always share, but some occasions demand a hefty cake - and this is it.

    I love Simnel Cake, either the traditional kind or the Orange Simnel Cake I recently made, which doesn't have dried fruit in it.

    The beauty of these Simnel Cupcakes is that they have all the good things of both of those cakes - fruit, orange, marzipan - and then you have icing and chocolate as well. What more could you want?

    Well, you might want a slight taste of alcohol, I suppose. If you do, just soak the fruit in 60 ml of orange liqueur - or any spirit really - instead of orange juice.

    And if chocolate really isn't your thing, you could use more marzipan and cut out Easter shapes to go on top. Or you could cut out stars for Christmas. In fact, you could have these cakes at any time of the year and put an appropriate motif on top.

    SImnel cupcakes topped with icing and chocolate eggs
    Simnel Cupcakes

    I did try these cakes without any icing - and actually sent some down to my mother-in-law un-iced. Not because I was being mean, but I didn't have time to finish them.

    We all liked them in their naked state and I might make them again like that, but if you do want indulgence you need icing and as much as you can cram on top.

    If you like this...

    ...Why don’t you try:

    8 Easter Nest Cupcakes full of mini eggs on a grey plate

    Easter Nest Cupcakes

    Easter Nest Cupcakes are a teatime treat for the Easter holidays using your favourite chocolate mini eggs. Easy for kids to make or help decorate,
    Orange Simnel Cake with a slice removed showing the layer of marzipan inside

    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.
    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.
    Iced Easter Bunny Biscuits and chicks in a variety of colours on a wire rack

    Easter Bunny Biscuits

    Easter Bunny Biscuits are fun to make and can be iced and decorated any way you or your children want.

    Recipe

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

    Simnel Cupcakes are crammed with fruit and marzipan, flavoured with orange, and topped with icing and chocolate eggs.
    Prep Time30 minutes mins
    Cook Time30 minutes mins
    Total Time1 hour hr
    Course: Teatime
    Cuisine: British
    Servings: 12 cupcakes
    Author: Susie@Everyday Cooks

    Ingredients

    For the cake mixture:

    • 1 large unwaxed orange
    • 250 g dried mixed fruit
    • 175 g butter
    • 150 g caster sugar
    • 3 large eggs
    • 20 ml milk
    • 250 g self-raising flour
    • ½ teaspoon baking powder (2.5ml)
    • 1 teaspoon mixed spice (5ml)
    • ½ teaspoon grated nutmeg (2.5ml)
    • 50 g marmalade

    For the filling and decoration:

    • 150 g marzipan
    • 150 g icing sugar
    • 1 sachet powdered egg white (15ml or 1 tablespoon)
    • 20-30 ml warm water
    • chocolate mini eggs
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Equipment

    12-hole cupcake/muffin tin
    Cupcake/muffin cases
    Citrus juicer
    Lemon zester

    Instructions

    PREPARATION:

    • Zest the orange and put into a bowl big enough for the dried fruit.
      If you're using a grater, try to keep just the orange zest, not the white pith underneath
      Juice the orange. Put in the bowl with the zest and mix
      1 large unwaxed orange
    • Add the fruit to the bowl and stir to cover in juice. Set aside.
      If you have time, leave the fruit for an hour
      250 g dried mixed fruit
    • Set the oven to 180°C/ 160°C fan/ gas mark 4/ 350°F
    • Set out the paper cases in the muffin tin
    • Divide the marzipan into 12 pieces and put in the fridge.
      150 g marzipan

    For the Simnel Cupcakes:

    • Put the remaining cake ingredients, except the marmalade, into a bowl and mix well. About 2 minutes on high with an electric mixer, 1- 1 ½ minutes in a food processor
      175 g butter, 150 g caster sugar, 3 large eggs, 20 ml milk, 250 g self-raising flour, ½ teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon mixed spice, ½ teaspoon grated nutmeg
    • Scrape down with a spatula. Add the marmalade and mix again briefly
      50 g marmalade
    • Stir in the fruit and orange mixture by hand to avoid breaking the fruit
      250 g dried mixed fruit
    • Half fill the paper cases with mixture. Flatten a ball of marzipan into a round disc and place on top of the mixture in each paper case. Spoon the remaining mixture on top of the marzipan
      150 g marzipan
    • Bake for 25-30 minutes until the cakes are golden brown and spring back when lightly touched on top
    • Leave in the tin for 10 minutes before removing and transferring to a wire rack to cool.

    FOR THE ICING:

    • Sift the icing sugar and dried egg white into a bowl. Mix the powders carefully with a spoon, to avoid sugar everywhere
      If your icing sugar is new and looks okay, you may not need to bother (I didn’t, but I would for non-family guests)
      150 g icing sugar, 1 sachet powdered egg white
    • Add the water to the sugar a little at a time and mix until it is spreadable, but not too runny.
      You may not need all the water
      20-30 ml warm water
    • Coat the top of the cake with icing and arrange chocolate eggs on top.
      chocolate mini eggs

    Video

    Notes

    Everyday Cooks tips:
    • If you prefer. you can use orange liqueur instead of orange juice
    • Decorate with marzipan shapes instead of chocolate eggs for a non-Easter treat
    Storage:
    • The cakes will keep in an airtight container for up to a week, longer in the fridge.

    More Everyday Cake, Bakes and Dessert Recipes

    • Sherry Trifle decorated with cream and raspberries in a crystal bowl on a dark worktop
      Sherry Trifle
    • Small Christmas Loaf Cake decorated with marzipan, icing and marzipan stars. Two mugs of tea and a Christmas decorations in the background.
      Easy Christmas Loaf Cake
    • Half a Coconut Loaf Cake with a slice cut on a grey plate
      Coconut Loaf Cake
    • Stack of 6 Anzac Biscuits on a square white plate
      Anzac Biscuits

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Krissy says

      February 14, 2021 at 2:31 pm

      Hi Susie.

      Just discovered your blog and am looking forward to trying out your amazing recipes!

      I’d like to know whether I can use fresh egg white in this recipe and, if so, how much to use and the best way to combine it.

      Many thanks!

      Krissy x

      Reply
      • Susie Collings says

        February 14, 2021 at 9:55 pm

        Hi Krissy, If you want to use egg whites, use 1 large per 250g icing sugar (or see the recipe for Royal Icing). Use part of the egg white for a smaller quantity.
        Glad you like the recipes 🙂 Cheers - Susie

        Reply
        • Krissy says

          February 18, 2021 at 6:06 pm

          That’s fantastic - thanks Susie! x

          Reply

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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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    Simnel cupcakes topped with icing and chocolate eggs
    Simnel cupcakes topped with icing and chocolate eggs

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