Simnel cakes were traditionally made for Mothering Sunday when people in service were given the Sunday off to go home to their Mother Church. As this fell in Lent they took simnel cakes home to their parents when they visited and these were kept to be eaten after the Lenten period at Easter.
Ingredients:
150g mixed dried fruit
1 orange
150g soft butter or margarine
150g caster sugar
3 eggs
175g self raising flour
1 teaspoon ground mixed spice
pinch of nutmeg
4 tablespoons milk
175g marzipan (omit for people with nut allergies)
Ingredients: for the icing
200g icing sugar
Juice of 1 orange
mini eggs
How to make simnel cakes….WASH YOUR HANDS.
- Place the mixed fruit into a bowl, add the zest and juice of the orange and leave to soak for an hour.
- Ask an adult to preheat oven to 170oc/Gas Mark 4 and put a shelf onto the centre runner. (Aga Roasting oven – shelf on oven floor).
- Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, beat in the eggs then fold in the flour, mixed spice and nutmeg. Fold in mixed fruit.
- Divide marzipan into 12 and roll into little balls and flatten slightly.
- Half fill muffin cases with the fruit and cake mixture. Put one flattened marzipan ball into each cake case and top with a spoonful of fruit mixture. Ask an adult to place the tray in the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes until they are a pale golden brown.
Beat together icing sugar and enough orange juice (approx 2 tablespoons) to make a smooth paste. Spoon over the top of each muffin once cooled and top with mini eggs.
