A British simnel cake is a lightly spiced fruit cake with a delicious marzipan icing, a great dessert to serve up at Easter.

Prep Time : 0:30 | Cook Time : 0:35 | Total Time : 1:05 | Serving : 12 person.

Ingredients

• 125g butter, chopped, room temperature

• 1/2 cup brown sugar

• 1 tablespoon golden syrup

• 1 egg, plus 1 egg-yolk extra

• 1/4 cup orange juice

• 2 cups self-raising flour

• 1 teaspoon mixed spice

• 2 1/3 cups mixed dried fruit

• 2 tablespoons apricot jam, warmed

• 2 2/3 cups icing sugar mixture, sifted

• 3/4 cup almond meal

• 2 tablespoons brandy

• 1 egg yolk

• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Method

• Step 1

  Preheat oven to 180C (160C fan-forced). Grease a 12-hole muffin pan. Line bases and sides with baking paper.

• Step 2

  For the icing, combine all ingredients. Turn onto clean surface and knead gently. Wrap in plastic wrap. Set aside.

• Step 3

  Beat butter, sugar and syrup together until pale and creamy. Add egg, yolk and juice. Beat well. Sift flour and spice together and fold through mixture with fruit.

• Step 4

  Spoon into muffin pan recesses until half full. Smooth top. Roll out 1/3 of icing on a surface dusted with icing sugar, until 3mm thick.

• Step 5

  Using a 6cm cutter, cut 12 circles from icing. Place on fruit mixture in recesses. Cover circles with remaining fruit mixture.

• Step 6

  Bake for 10 minutes. Reduce oven to 150C. Bake for a further 15-20 minutes, until cooked when tested. Cool in pan.

• Step 7

  Turn cakes onto a clean surface. Brush tops with warm jam. Roll out remaining icing until 3mm thick. Using a 7cm cutter, cut out another 12 circles. Place on top of cakes and smooth with the palm of your hand.

• Step 8

  Roll remaining icing mixture into balls. Arrange on top of cakes. Decorate with ribbon.