Individual Simnel Cakes

Name: Individual Simnel Cakes
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 1 h 20 min
Total time: 2 h 5 min
Yield: 4 serving(s)
Ingredients: 150 g ground almonds; 100 g golden caster sugar; 100 g golden icing sugar, sifted; 2 tbsp. egg, beaten; Grated zest of ¼ lemon; 1 -2 tsp lemon juice; few drops vanilla extract; few drops almond essence; 175 g butter, softened; 175 g light muscovado sugar; 3 medium eggs, beaten; 225 g plain flour, sifted; pinch of salt; 1 tsp. ground cinnamon; 1 tsp. grated nutmeg; 1 tsp. mixed spice; 125 g natural glace cherries, washed, dried and cut into quarters; 50 g whole natural peel, chopped; 250 g currants; 125 g sultanas; finely grated rind and juice of 1 lemon; 1 egg white

These little spiced fruit cakes are enriched with home-made almond paste. Wrap them up to make thoughtful edible gifts for Easter.

By The Good Housekeeping Cookery TeamUpdated: 21 February 2024

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Celebrate the flavours of Easter this spring with these picture perfect mini simnel cakes! Delicious fruit cakes are covered in a homemade almond flavoured marzipan. They're perfect as an edible gift this Easter.

This recipe uses homemade marzipan, to make it that bit more special, however if you’d like a short cut, then use shop bought marzipan instead, to speed up the preparation time.

If you’d prefer to make a traditional sized Simnel cake, then we have just the recipe for you. A light fruit cake is covered in marzipan, topped with eleven balls of marzipan and then blowtorched to add caramelisation.

If you're looking for a simpler recipe that still has simnel cake flavours then try our simnel cupcakes (topped with mini eggs) or we even have an easy simnel cake traybake - which you don't even have to ice. Perfect if you're short on time.

If you’re not a fan of Simnel cake then don’t worry, we have plenty of other sweet treat options suitable for the Easter holidays. If you’re more of a chocolate cake fan, then check out our array of Easter appropriate options, from bundt cakes topped with homemade truffles, to a Crème Egg traybake. If you prefer an easier option, then try one of our Easter cupcake recipes.

For Easter Sunday dessert inspiration, breakfast bakes or teatime treats, peruse our collection of delicious sweets that includes this year’s brand new hot cross bun recipe, Apricot and Cardamom!

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Yields:

4 serving(s)

Prep Time:

45 mins

Cook Time:

1 hr 20 mins

Total Time:

2 hrs 5 mins

Cal/Serv:

375

Ingredients

For the almond paste

150 g
ground almonds
100 g
golden caster sugar
100 g
golden icing sugar, sifted
2 Tbsp.
egg, beaten
Grated zest of ¼ lemon
1
-2 tsp lemon juice
few drops vanilla extract
few drops almond essence

For the cakes

175 g
butter, softened
175 g
light muscovado sugar
3
medium eggs, beaten
225 g
plain flour, sifted
pinch of salt
1 tsp.
ground cinnamon
1 tsp.
grated nutmeg
1 tsp.
mixed spice
125 g
natural glace cherries, washed, dried and cut into quarters
50 g
whole natural peel, chopped
250 g
currants
125 g
sultanas
finely grated rind and juice of 1 lemon
1
egg white

Directions

1. Step 1
  Grease and line four 7.5cm wide and deep rosti rings* (or 325g sweetcorn tins). To make paste: put almonds and sugars in a bowl. Make a well in centre, add remaining past ingredients and mix. Dust a surface with icing sugar and knead paste until smooth. Wrap. Chill for 1-2hr.
2. Step 2
  Preheat oven to 170 °C ( 150 °C fan oven) mark 3. To make cakes: beat butter and sugar in a bowl until pale and fluffy. Add eggs a little at a time, beating well each time. Add 2tbsp flour if it curdles. Add remaining flour, salt, spices, dried fruit, lemon rind and juice and fold together.
3. Step 3
  Divide half the cake mixture among the prepared tins. Take a third of the almond paste and dust a surface with icing sugar. Roll to 3mm thickness and cut out four rounds with a 7.5cm cutter. Put the almond paste circles on top of the cake mixture.
4. Step 4
  Add the remaining cake mixture, level surface and bake for 20min, then turn the oven down to 150 °C (130 °C fan oven) mar 2 and continue to cook for 1h. Remove cakes from the oven, leave to cool in their tins for 1hr, then turn out on to a wire rack and cool completely.
5. Step 5
  Peel off the paper. Slice the top off each cake to make a flat surface. Halve the remaining almond paste, roll out to 3mm thickness and cut out four rounds with the cutter as before. Divide the remaining almond paste into four, then divide each portion into 11 pieces. Roll each of these pieces into a ball.
6. Step 6
  Preheat the grill. Lightly beat the egg white and brush over the top of the cakes. Put the circles on top and fix the balls around the top edge of the cakes with a little egg white. Brush the paste circles and balls with the remaining egg white and put under a hot grill for 1-2min (or use a kitchen blow torch) until golden brown.
7. Step 7
  To wrap cakes: Position a cake in the centre of a 23cm circle of ivory tulle with a peaked edge**. Lift the tulle up around the cake. Get a friend to ease a rubber band around he base of the cake to secure the tulle. Wrap a 102cm piece of string twice around the cake and tie in a knot to secure.