Category: Easter Cake

Classic Easter Simnel Cake

15/3/2017

Simnel cake is the traditional name for a fruity, spicy cake eaten at Easter. You could of course choose to bake it and eat it at any time of the year.

It is easy to make, and really just a variation on plain fruit cake.

Ingredients
6 ounce butter, or margarine if preferred
6 ounces of soft brown sugar
3 eggs lightly beaten
8 ounce of self-raising flour, sieved
1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon of ground nutmeg
4 ounce sultanas
12 ounce currants
2 ounce ground almonds

For decorating the cake
2 x 8 ounce packets of almond paste, or make your own.
12 tiny Easter egg sweets selecte your favourite type. These can be chocolate or marzipan balls rolled into an egg shape.

Preparation time
30 minutes

Baking time
21/2 hours

Oven setting
350 degrees F, Gas mark 4

Method

Grease and line with baking paper a 7 inch cake tin
Cream the fat and the sugar until it is light and fluffy
Beats in the eggs, a little at a time
Fold in the dry ingredients, then stir in the sultanas, currants and almonds
Put half of the cake mixture into the prepared cake tin
Roll out the contents of both of the almond paste packets.
Roll the paste thin enough to measure the size of the cake tin leaving a little over for trims
You will need two of these cake tin sized circles of almond paste
Place one of the almond paste circles onto the cake mixture, which is in the cake tin
Cover with the remainder of the mixture
Bake in the centre of a moderate oven for roughly 21/2 hours
Cool slightly before turning the cooked cake onto a wire tray
Remove the baking paper
Place the other almond paste circle on top of the cake
Roll the paste trims into egg shaped decorations, 11 is ideal
Place small egg sweets of your choice on the centre of the cake or leave plain for a stylish, adult finish

Hints and tips

If preferred do not decorate the cake
Do not use any almond paste, if not liked

Use oil to brush the cake tin
Make sure the baking paper stands higher than the sides of the tin. By about an inch is good
Using baking paper as well as oil or grease will ensure the cake is easily turned out of the baking tin.

Making Almond Paste
Combine 10 ounces of ground almonds with 10 ounces of caster sugar. Mix into a stiff paste, with juice of half a lemon and one large egg.

Note: Adjust quantities as necessary

Try the following recipes also;
http://www.goodtoknow.co.uk/recipes/441855/Mini-eggs-simnel-cake

0 Comments

Daffodil Easter cake

23/12/2016

0 Comments

Full list of Ingredients

225g self-raising flour
2 level tsp baking powder
300g butter, softened
225g caster sugar
4 large free-range eggs
2 lemons, zest of
150g icing sugar, plus extra for dusting
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp milk
100g Asda Lemon Curd
50g butter, for the daffodils
25g caster sugar, for the daffodils
75g plain flour, for the daffodils
500g pack Ready to Roll Coloured Icing, for the daffodils
Lolly sticks, for the daffodils
Asda Green Natural Food Colouring (optional), for the daffodils
Small jellied sweets, for the daffodils

How to make the cake

Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4.
Grease and base-line two 20cm cake tins with baking paper. Line a baking tray with baking paper.
Beat together the flour, baking powder, 225g of the softened butter, caster sugar, eggs and lemon zest until creamy and evenly mixed.
Divide between the tins, level the tops and bake for about 25 minutes or until the tops spring back when lightly pressed.
Cool on a wire rack.
Gradually beat the icing sugar into the remaining 75g butter. Add the vanilla and milk, and beat until light and creamy. Set aside 1 tbsp of this icing.
Use the rest to sandwich the cakes with the lemon curd. Dust with icing sugar.

For the daffodils and icing you will need

50g butter, for the daffodils
25g caster sugar, for the daffodils
75g plain flour, for the daffodils
500g pack Ready to Roll Coloured Icing, for the daffodils
Lolly sticks, for the daffodils
Asda Green Natural Food Colouring (optional), for the daffodils
Small jellied sweets, for the daffodils

How to make the daffodils

For the daffodils, make a biscuit dough by creaming the butter and sugar together. Mix in the flour. Chill for 30 minutes, wrapped in clingfilm.
Roll out between two sheets of clingfilm until 1cm thick.
Cut into stars using a cutter and put on the baking tray. Trim the lolly sticks to different lengths and stick into the biscuits, about one-third of the way.
Brush the lolly sticks with the green food colouring and leave to dry. Or simply leave them white.
Roll out the yellow coloured icing and cut out stars. Stick on top of biscuits using the reserved butter-cream.
Press jellied sweets into the centre of each daffodil and score lines on the petals with the back of a knife. Stick the daffodils into the cake.

The daffodil looks fab and will be a great addition at a special Easter lunch or afternoon tea. As you can see from the nutritional information below the cake is not a healthy option but will be fine for a luxury treat. Substitute a low fat vegetable oil or margarine for the butter to reduce the fat and calories. Make sure you use a fat that is suitable for baking though.

Serves 12
Ready in 1 Hour(s) 10 Minutes
Each serving of this recipe contains 633 calories
The sugar is rated HIGH
The fat is rated HIGH
The saturated fat is rated HIGH
Salt is rated at MED

Source:
Asda recipes

0 Comments

Classic Easter Simnel Cake

Daffodil Easter cake

Archives

Categories