Simnel Cake |
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| Method: | Ingredients: |
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Makes one x 23cm cake 1kg dried mixed fruits Fruisana Marzipan 250g ground almonds |
1. Heat the fruits in a saucepan with the orange juice until bubbling, then set aside and leave to soak overnight. 
2. Make the marzipan by mixing the almonds and Fruisana then gradually working in the egg white and essence plus a squeeze of lemon juice until you have a thick paste. You may not need all the egg white; the mixture should not be too sticky. Cover in cling film and set aside.
3. Grease the sides and base of a 23cm diameter deep cake tin with a teaspoon of the butter. Line the base with a round of baking parchment and the sides with a strip. Heat the oven to 150°C. Gas mark 2.
4. Beat the butter and Fruisana with an electric mixer until light and creamy, scraping down the sides once or twice. Sift together the flour and spice.
5. Gradually mix in the eggs alternating with the flour then stir in the soaked fruit and any remaining juice. Spoon half mixture into the tin and level the top. Roll out a third of the marzipan (dusting the board with a little cornflour or sifted icing sugar) to the same size round and place on the cake mixture, then spoon over the rest of the mixture, level the top and bake for up to 2 hours until evenly risen, golden on top and a thin skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.
6. Cool for 10 minutes in the tin, then turn out to cool completely. Remove the paper. Roll out another third of the marzipan to a round. Brush the cake top with the warmed apricot jam and press on the round crimping the edge with your fingers or a fork.
7. Roll the remaining marzipan into 11 balls and press these on the cake edge. If you have a cook’s blow torch you could caramelise the balls and marzipan top, otherwise brown under a hot grill for a few moments. Tie a pretty Easter ribbon round the sides and serve.
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