Have You Ever Tried Simnel Cake (Cakes)

Member Name: JoandLee

Product:	Cakes
Date:	18/01/06 (325 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Tasty Treat For Mum

Disadvantages: Marzipan / Almond Paste

Hi again.... I know you probably think oh no another recipe but what can I say I love to cook. And on tidying up I came across all my recipes so I thought I'd share some of them with you lovely people.

SIMNEL cake is a traditional cake for Sundays in Lent, i.e Easter or Mothering Sunday.

So here goes the recipe.

CAKE INGREDIENTS
4 ounces (125 grams) butter, softened
4 ounces (125 grams) soft brown sugar
3 eggs, beaten
5 ounces (150 grams) all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon mixed spice
12 ounces (350 grams) mixed dried fruit
2 ounces (50 grams) mixed citrus peel
Grated zest of 1/2 lemon,
1 teaspoon apricot jam warmed
Beaten egg for glazing

ALMOND PASTE INGREDIENTS
4 ounces (125 grams) sugar
4 ounces (125 grams) almonds, ground
1 egg, beaten
1/2 teaspoon almond extract

METHOD

Preheat oven to 140°C (275° F)

CAKE METHOD
Cream together butter and sugar. Beat in eggs, a bit at a time. Sift flour, salt and spice, and add to mixture alternately with dried fruit, mixed peel and zest of lemon. Mix well together.

Place half the mixture into a well lined 7 inxh (18 cm) tin and smooth top with a wooden spoon. Roll out 1/2 the almond paste into a circle and place on top of the cake mixture. Pour in remainder of cake batter and smooth top, hollowing the top slightly. Bake in a preheated oven 140°C (275° F), for one and a half to two hours. Remove and set on rack to cool. When cake is quite cold, brush top with slightly warmed apricot jam.

Roll out remainder of almond paste to fit top of cake. (Save scraps.) Lay it on top of the apricot jam. With the scraps of paste, form eleven small egg shapes, and place eggs around the edge. Brush entire top including eggs with a little beaten egg. Return cake to the oven for about 10 minutes at 180° C (350° F) for almond paste to brown.

PASTE METHOD

Mix together sugar and ground almonds, and add enough beaten egg to give a soft consistency. Add almond extract and knead for one minute or until the paste is smooth and pliable. Set aside, covered.


And there you have it a simnel cake not everyone cup of tea, I cant stand it but mum likes it so I try and make it when I can. And if you prefer you can use marzipan instead of almond paste but I dont think theres that much difference

thanks for reading

Summary: Mothers Days Coming