How to bake a Traditional Easter Simnel cake

I'm trying to get this recipe up before Easter so EVERYONE can have a go... I usually buy a Simnel every Easter for my family, but this year since i'm not working I decided to make my own.

As with all  ideas I took it to Google and settled on THIS LINK which features a recipe from James Martin, one of my favourite TV Chefs... now, unfortunately I didn't find it fantastically easy to follow so I decided to give it a go, and explain it to you all...

So here is my take on my a traditional Simnel cake

Testament to taste I put it out this morning and there's less than 1/4 left... hehe

Step 1 Ingredients

        I prefer to do things by rule of thumb, but for those who need to measure EVERYTHING this is for you. I found that the ingredients cost me about £10 to make.

Cake:

• 175g/6oz light muscavado sugar
• 175g/6oz butter (I used 'Slightly Salted)
• 175g/6oz self-raising flour
• 4 large free-range eggs
• 25g/1oz ground almonds
• 2 tbsp milk
• 110g/4oz sultanas
• 110g/4oz glacé cherries
• 110g/4oz dried apricots
• 110g/4oz stem ginger I used the preserved stuff in a jar
• 1 tsp mixed spice
• 2 tsp ground ginger
• 500g bar of golden marzipan
• Apricot Jam
• Icing sugar

Equipment:

• Weighing Scales
• Mixing bowl
• Electric whisk or a big spoon
• Assorted spoons (well some tea spoons and table spoons)
• Butter knife
• Sharp knife
• Cutting board
• Tea Towl
• Scissors
• Pencil
• Oven  and Grill... Or a mini Blowtorch
• 8" baking tin
• grease proof paper

Comments

[MommasArtMess]

Fascinating instructions - I'd never heard of Simnel cake and enjoyed the history lesson when I went hunting for more information.

I also appreciate the caution about washing hands, but I've been around quite a few chefs. Without exception, they were all fanatics about hand washing. You don't see it on TV because it doesn't contribute to the plot, but trust me. All chefs wash and re-wash and re-re wash hands.

[Biggsy]

Oh I know... but I know alot of HOME chefs that don't wash their hands and don't remove their jewellery

The thing that REALLY annoys me is when someone tastes their food, then re-uses that spoon in the cooking....

Anyway I'm glad you liked the i'ble :)