Easter Simnel Cake with Marzipan Layer and Eleven Balls

What you need

• 170 g (1 1/4 cups) sultanas
• 170 g (1 1/4 cups) raisins
• 170 g (1 1/4 cups) dried currants
• 85 g (1/2 cup) mixed candied peel, chopped
• 85 g (1/2 cup) glace cherries, quartered
• 1 large orange, zest only, finely grated
• 3 tbsp brandy, or orange juice
• 170 g (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
• 170 g (3/4 cup packed) light brown sugar
• 4 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 170 g (1 1/3 cups) plain flour, all-purpose in the US
• 85 g (3/4 cup) ground almonds
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp mixed spice, UK blend, or 1/2 tsp allspice plus 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1 pinch salt
• 500 g (1 lb 2 oz) golden marzipan, divided: 160 g, 220 g and 120 g
• 2 tbsp apricot jam, warmed
• 1 tbsp icing sugar, for dusting the work surface

Method

Restated from the original video

1. 1

   Put the sultanas, raisins, currants, peel, cherries, orange zest and brandy in a large bowl and stir. Cover and soak for 2 hours, or overnight.

2. 2

   Heat the oven to 150 °C (300 °F). Grease a deep 20 cm (8 in) round tin with butter and line it with two layers of baking paper.

3. 3

   Beat the butter and brown sugar with an electric mixer for 4-5 min, until pale and fluffy.

4. 4

   Pour in the eggs in small amounts, mixing until smooth after each. If the mixture starts to curdle, beat in a spoonful of the flour.

5. 5

   Mix the flour, ground almonds, cinnamon, mixed spice and salt in a separate bowl. Fold into the butter mixture.

6. 6

   Stir in the soaked mixture and any liquid left in the bowl until evenly spread through the batter.

7. 7

   Dust the work surface with icing sugar and roll 160 g of the marzipan into a circle 18 cm (7 in) wide.

8. 8

   Spoon half the batter into the tin and level it. Lay the marzipan circle on top, then add the rest of the batter and level it with a shallow dip in the middle.

9. 9

   Bake for 2 1/2-2 3/4 hours, until a skewer pushed into the center comes out clean. Cover the top loosely with baking paper if it browns too fast.

10. 10

    Cool in the tin for 20 min, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely, about 1 hour.

11. 11

    Roll 220 g of the marzipan into a circle 20 cm (8 in) wide. Spread most of the jam over the cake top, cover with the circle and crimp the edge with your fingers.

12. 12

    Roll the last 120 g of marzipan into 11 balls. Stick them around the edge with the remaining jam.

13. 13

    Brown the marzipan under a hot broiler for 1-2 min, watching constantly, or toast it with a kitchen blowtorch until golden at the edges.

Imported from deliciousmagazine.co.uk. Recipe Grab pulled out what you need to cook it; the video stays where its author put it.