Simnel Cake Recipe |
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You will need:- 6 oz. butter 6 oz. soft brown sugar 3 eggs, lightly beaten 8 oz. self raising flour, sieved ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg 4 oz. sultanas 12 oz. currants 2 oz. ground almonds For the center and decoration:- 2 8 oz. packets almond paste 12 tiny Easter egg sweets
Preparation Time:- 30 minutes
Cooking Time:- 2½ hours
Oven Setting:- 350°F; Gas Mark 4
Cream the fat and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs a little at a time. Fold in the dry ingredients and then stir in the sultanas, currants and ground almonds. Put half the mixture into a greased and lined 7 inch cake tin (see Quick Tip below).
Roll out both packets of the almond paste thinly enough to cut circles round the cake tin; reserve the trimmings. Place one on top of the mixture in the tin. Cover with the remainder of the cake mixture and bake in a moderate oven for about 2½ hours. Turn out and cool on a wire tray, removing the paper.
Place the second circle of almond paste on the cake. Out of the trimmings make the 11 small balls for the top. Place around the edge of the cake. Little Easter egg sweets and fluffy chickens can be used as additional decoration.
Quick Tip
To line a cake tin: cut a circle of greaseproof paper to fit the base, and band 1 inch longer than the circumference and 1 inch wider than the depth of tin. Brush the tin with oil. Snip band at ½ inch intervals, put inside the tin with the snipped edge at the base. Line the base.
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