Simnel cake has a fascinating cultural heritage with roots that stretch back to the Romans and Athenians. The word simnel probably derived from the latin word ‘simila’, meaning fine, wheaten flour from which the cakes were made. The fourth Sunday in Lent is still known as Simnel Sunday in some area sof Britain. After a period of fasting and repentance during Lent, for a feast of seasonal and symbolic foods, the Simnel cake recipe is rich with fruits, spices and marzipan, all forbidden during the period of Lent. Also, from medieval times, Simnel cakes were a Mothering Day tradition, when young girls in service would be baked to take home to their mothers on their day off.
Simnel-style cakes are now also eaten at Easter when eleven balls of marzipan are placed around the top layer to represent the eleven true.
This recipe is base on the version in Margaret Costa’s Four Seasons Cookery Book.
Ingredients:
Marzipan (almond paste): (or use ready prepared organic)
350g (1 3/4C) Rapadura sugar, ground in a coffee grinder
350g (4 1/3C) ground almonds
3 egg yolks, lightly beaten
2tsp (10ml) lemon juice
1tsp (5ml) almond essence
Cake:
450g (3C) currents
350g (1 3/4C plus 2tbsp) sultanas
300ml (1C plus 3tbsp) water
175g (3/4C) ghee
225g (2C) Buckwheat flour
1/2tsp salt
1 1/2tsp bicarbonate of soda
1tsp cinnamon
1tsp nutmeg
3 eggs, lightly beaten
115g (1/2C plus 2tbsp) chopped mixed peel
Pineapple juice, if required by the tbsp
Glaze:
A little jam, warmed
1 egg yolk beaten with a little oil (egg wash)
Method:
Line an 8in (20cm) diameter) cake tin with a double layer of brown paper, covering the bottom and the sides. This is to provide extra protection for the cake as it is in the oven for a long time, and will help to reduce burning. Line the inside of this ‘protected tin’ with a double layer of parchment or greaseproof paper.
Also, cut a length of brown paper to fold round the outside of the tin, ensure that it is big enough to stick up 1in (2.5cm) or so above the edge of the cake tin, wrap it around and secure with a paper clip. This offers another level of protection. Make a lid out of brown paper, or a double thickness of greaseproof paper, to put over the top of the tin for the second half of cooking, as well.
First, make the marzipan.
In a large bowl, mix the ground Rapadura sugar with the ground almonds. Add the lightly beaten egg yolks, lemon juice and almond essence. Initially mix with a wooden spoon, then use your hands, knead until the paste is smooth and crack free. Cover and let it rest in the fridge for a while, preferably overnight. This way it will be more pliable and easier to handle when you take it out and let it get to room temperature.
Place water, ghee, currents and sultanas in a large saucepan, heat and bring the mixture to the boil, then simmer for 20 minutes.
Leave fruit mixture to cool.
In a large bowl, or large plastic freezer bag, mix the flour, bicarbonate of soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg, lifting into the air to aerate the ‘flour ‘mix.
Preheat the oven to 150C/300F/Gas Mark 2.
Knead the marzipan and divide into two portions, one larger than the other. Roll out the smaller portion to a diameter equal to that of the inside of the cake tin. Wrap up the other portion and store at room temperature.
Transfer the cooled fruit mix into a large mixing bowl.
Into the fruit mix, gradually add the beaten eggs, a little at a time (with a little sprinkling of the flour mix to stop any possibility of the mixture curdling if required), mixing with a wooden spoon, then, adding in the mixed peel lightly stirring. Then, lightly stir in the ‘flour mix’ until well combined.
Finally, if required, add pineapple juice by the spoonful – a fairly stiff batter is required. I didn’t require any.
Pour half of the cake mixture into the lined cake tin, pressing well into the bottom, levelling and smoothing the top. Cover with the rolled circle of marzipan. Add the rest of the cake mixture.
Add
Bake for 2¾ hrs – 3 hrs in the preheated oven, and half way through add the ‘paper lid’ to the cake tin to stop the top of the cake from burning. The cake will be thoroughly baked when a skewer comes out clean when pushed in to the depth of the marzipan layer. If you go further you may think that it is undercooked.
Remove from oven when the cake is done, and cool in the tin overnight. Then it will be completely cooled.
Remove from the cake tin and peel off the parchment/greaseproof paper.
Roll out a second, oversized round of marzipan.
Brush the top with a little warmed jam, and place a second round of oversized marzipan on top, pressing down well and crimping the overhanging edge with your finger or thumb. Mark the top into 1in (25.4mm) squares with a sharp knife.
For the Easter cake variety, with the marzipan scraps, make eleven small marzipan balls and arrange around the cake. Brush the top lightly with the egg wash.
Pre-heat the grill at full blast (for approx 10mins)
Place the cake under the grill (about 4in (10cm) from the heat and grill for a few minutes to give a toasted appearance. Beware – watch it like a hawk – if it gets too hot it will melt and run!
Cool and let the marzipan dry out before storing in a cake tin.
And enjoy.
Simnel-style cakes are now also eaten at Easter when eleven balls of marzipan are placed around the top layer to represent the eleven true.
This recipe is base on the version in Margaret Costa’s Four Seasons Cookery Book.
Ingredients:
Marzipan (almond paste): (or use ready prepared organic)
350g (1 3/4C) Rapadura sugar, ground in a coffee grinder
350g (4 1/3C) ground almonds
3 egg yolks, lightly beaten
2tsp (10ml) lemon juice
1tsp (5ml) almond essence
Cake:
450g (3C) currents
350g (1 3/4C plus 2tbsp) sultanas
300ml (1C plus 3tbsp) water
175g (3/4C) ghee
225g (2C) Buckwheat flour
1/2tsp salt
1 1/2tsp bicarbonate of soda
1tsp cinnamon
1tsp nutmeg
3 eggs, lightly beaten
115g (1/2C plus 2tbsp) chopped mixed peel
Pineapple juice, if required by the tbsp
Glaze:
A little jam, warmed
1 egg yolk beaten with a little oil (egg wash)
Method:
Line an 8in (20cm) diameter) cake tin with a double layer of brown paper, covering the bottom and the sides. This is to provide extra protection for the cake as it is in the oven for a long time, and will help to reduce burning. Line the inside of this ‘protected tin’ with a double layer of parchment or greaseproof paper.
Also, cut a length of brown paper to fold round the outside of the tin, ensure that it is big enough to stick up 1in (2.5cm) or so above the edge of the cake tin, wrap it around and secure with a paper clip. This offers another level of protection. Make a lid out of brown paper, or a double thickness of greaseproof paper, to put over the top of the tin for the second half of cooking, as well.
First, make the marzipan.
In a large bowl, mix the ground Rapadura sugar with the ground almonds. Add the lightly beaten egg yolks, lemon juice and almond essence. Initially mix with a wooden spoon, then use your hands, knead until the paste is smooth and crack free. Cover and let it rest in the fridge for a while, preferably overnight. This way it will be more pliable and easier to handle when you take it out and let it get to room temperature.
Place water, ghee, currents and sultanas in a large saucepan, heat and bring the mixture to the boil, then simmer for 20 minutes.
Leave fruit mixture to cool.
In a large bowl, or large plastic freezer bag, mix the flour, bicarbonate of soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg, lifting into the air to aerate the ‘flour ‘mix.
Preheat the oven to 150C/300F/Gas Mark 2.
Knead the marzipan and divide into two portions, one larger than the other. Roll out the smaller portion to a diameter equal to that of the inside of the cake tin. Wrap up the other portion and store at room temperature.
Transfer the cooled fruit mix into a large mixing bowl.
Into the fruit mix, gradually add the beaten eggs, a little at a time (with a little sprinkling of the flour mix to stop any possibility of the mixture curdling if required), mixing with a wooden spoon, then, adding in the mixed peel lightly stirring. Then, lightly stir in the ‘flour mix’ until well combined.
Finally, if required, add pineapple juice by the spoonful – a fairly stiff batter is required. I didn’t require any.
Pour half of the cake mixture into the lined cake tin, pressing well into the bottom, levelling and smoothing the top. Cover with the rolled circle of marzipan. Add the rest of the cake mixture.
Add
Bake for 2¾ hrs – 3 hrs in the preheated oven, and half way through add the ‘paper lid’ to the cake tin to stop the top of the cake from burning. The cake will be thoroughly baked when a skewer comes out clean when pushed in to the depth of the marzipan layer. If you go further you may think that it is undercooked.
Remove from oven when the cake is done, and cool in the tin overnight. Then it will be completely cooled.
Remove from the cake tin and peel off the parchment/greaseproof paper.
Roll out a second, oversized round of marzipan.
Brush the top with a little warmed jam, and place a second round of oversized marzipan on top, pressing down well and crimping the overhanging edge with your finger or thumb. Mark the top into 1in (25.4mm) squares with a sharp knife.
For the Easter cake variety, with the marzipan scraps, make eleven small marzipan balls and arrange around the cake. Brush the top lightly with the egg wash.
Pre-heat the grill at full blast (for approx 10mins)
Place the cake under the grill (about 4in (10cm) from the heat and grill for a few minutes to give a toasted appearance. Beware – watch it like a hawk – if it gets too hot it will melt and run!
Cool and let the marzipan dry out before storing in a cake tin.
And enjoy.
