A simnel cake is eaten at Easter and is a fruit cake with many marzipans. However, it used to be particularly related to Mothering Sunday. During the fast of Lent, Mothering Sunday appeared in the center of the fast, offering a break from the 40 days of religious severity. Mothering Sundays appears on the 4th Sunday of Lent. A unique day where folks visited their cathedral or mother church. However, Mothering Sunday shouldn’t be confused with Mothers’ Day. Mothers’ Day is related to showing enforced acknowledgment to our mothers. Simnel cake has a layer of marzipan on top and inside and is designed with eleven marzipan balls, each representing the eleven disciples of Jesus minus the betraying Judas. Also, we shall make this recipe more exciting by adding cannabis. Let’s look into it.
The Simnel Cake
It’s a kind of fruit cake containing a layer of marzipan inside. This fruit cake is quite dense, so you put half of it in the pan. Then a marzipan circle in the center and the rest of the dough on top. Smith (1996) showed that once baked, it’s shielded with apricot jam and adorned with another marzipan layer with 11 balls that symbolize the 11 apostles of Jesus minus Judas. Since the dough is thick, like many fruit cakes, bake the simnel cake at low temperatures and for a longer time. That’s for it cook correctly.
Gloster (1960) reported that the simnel cake is likely to have gotten its name from the Latin name “simila” implying flimsy wheat flour. According to Smith (2003), simnel cake was related to Mothering Sunday, where servants were allowed a break to visit their homes. A simnel cake was more reasonable after lent when folks became free to use sugar, dried fruit, and butter.
A great simnel cake should be spring-like and lighter, not just a Christmas cake decorated with marzipan balls. It should be full of candied lemon peel and other great stuff. More importantly, it should be homemade.
The Foundation
For the best chefs, the best raising agent is the expression of baking powder because it gives a more delicate and softer crumb. For others, it’s the yeast version. You can also add ground almonds, but for some people, this might be excessive, considering the marzipan topping, although it causes the crumb to be sweeter and somewhat moister. Soft brown sugar flavor for optimum flavor. You might not find milk in all the recipes, but a looser batter produces a moister effect.
Dried Fruit
A blend of sour and sweet juicy sultanas and currants immersed in booze proves the best mix. One can replace the candied peel, and the darker cherries are the sugary ones. They add color and additional juiciness; however, if you’re not an advocate, you can avoid them. Also, whole toasted almonds add a different and welcoming texture and flavor.
Seasoning
Although some recipes use nutmeg, allspice, ginger, and cinnamon separately, lemon and orange are the commonest additions. So is mixed spice. Some people use cocoa powder and coffee for their cake; they’re delicious and richly flavored, though not a simnel.
The Marzipan
One can use ready-made marzipan, but making yours at home is quite easy. According to Woźniczko & Orłowski (2020), some folks argue that marzipan was initially confined to the middle of the cake and that the 11 disciples are a reasonably current innovation but one you’d love.
The Cooking-a slow and low bake is likely to produce the moistest results. Covering the top is critical.
Preparation time: 25 minutes
Cook: 2 ½ hours
Yields: 8
Ingredients
- ¼ cup milk
- 175g sultanas
- 175g currants
- 4 tablespoons brandy, dark whisky rum, or golden
- 50g whole-skinned almonds
- 50g cherries halved
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 50g ground almonds
- 175g all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon mixed spice
- A pinch of fine salt
- 175g, fine, light brown sugar
- 175g room temperature butter
- 3 beaten eggs
- 1 tablespoon golden syrup
- 45g mixed peel and chopped
- Zest of 1 orange and 1 lemon
- Apricot jam, marmalade, and sugar syrup for topping
For the Marzipan
- 200g icing sugar and extra to dust
- A drop of almond essence
- 200g ground almond
- 1 egg separated
- 1 teaspoon orange blossom water
Directions
- You can make the preparations early in advance. Place the dried fruit and candied peel inside a bowl and gush the alcohol. You can utilize black tea for a non-alcoholic version. Mix well, cover, and put aside to soak. Warm the milk mildly until it starts to steam, then remove it from the heat.
- Grease a high-sided tin with butter and line its bottom with greaseproof paper. Pull out an additional circle of greaseproof paper similar to the top, creating a small space at the center for the cake to rise. Bake the whole almonds on a baking tray until golden brown. Put aside to chill.
- Whisk the ground almonds together with icing sugar in a food processor or a bowl. Blend in the orange blossom, egg yolk, water, and almond essence. Mix the egg white with a little water to slacken in a different bowl. Subsequently, add enough to the egg yolk blend to create a soft dough. Wrap into a ball and chill. Remember, you can purchase ready-made marzipan.
- Mix the baking powder, flour, ground almonds, spices, and salt in a large bowl. Mix the batter thoroughly, add sugar, and continue stirring until fluffy and light. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Beat in one egg at a time, adding some flour mixtures between the additions, then the zest and syrup.
- Slice the almonds roughly and add the blend together with the mixed peel, dried fruit, cherries, and saffron. Put half the mixture into the prepared tin and level the top. Roll out the marzipan on a thin, sugared surface to a circle the size of your tin. Place the excess circle of greaseproof paper on top and bake for almost two and half hours. A toothpick pressed inside should come out clean. Let it cool before serving.
Conclusion
Traditionally, simnel cake is eaten during Easter. It’s a rich fruit cake layered with marzipan at its center. Again it’s completed with an additional layer of marzipan and designed with eleven marzipan balls symbolizing the eleven disciples of Jesus, excluding Judas, the betrayer. The marzipan base is the almonds due to their naturally high sugar levels that offer sweetness. The simnel cake is spring-like and lighter than a Christmas fruit cake filled with zesty peel, fiery ginger, and moist dried fruit. More importantly, simnel cake is homemade, unlike Eater eggs. Also, it’s vegan-friendly and simply good.
References
Gloster, H. M. (1960). Simnel cake. Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4, 1(3), 229-231.
Smith, G. (1996). Lambert Simnel and the King from Dublin. The Ricardian, 10(135), 498-536.
Smith, A. (2003). INTERNATIONAL NEWS.
Woźniczko, M., & Orłowski, D. (2020). Traditional cake products as a culinary tourism attraction from the regional perspective. Geography and Tourism, 8(1), 37-46.
MS, University of Latvia
I am deeply convinced that each patient needs a unique, individual approach. Therefore, I use different psychotherapy methods in my work. During my studies, I discovered an in-depth interest in people as a whole and the belief in the inseparability of mind and body, and the importance of emotional health in physical health. In my spare time, I enjoy reading (a big fan of thrillers) and going on hikes.
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