Easter Cake

Photo © Anne-Marie Minhall

It's an early Easter for 2024.

For my place of work, just like Christmas, it's a busy time of year.

Food plans need to be made. Obviously.

There's a plan to meet a friend for Easter Sunday lunch at a pub in north London which will also be showing a big football match that day.

Man City v Arsenal.

I'm an Arsenal girl. My friend, a City one. I can only hope our friendship remains solid by the final whistle.

For the troops working across the Easter weekend there are thoughts about edible treats .. 

Cheese & Crackers

Chocolate Eggs Mini & Big

Oh .. plus ..

Simnel Cake.

This beauty has an extraordinary history dating back to the 13th Century. Where did the name come from? A fine white flour perhaps. The Latin 'simila' meaning 'fine flour' .. In previous times the cake could have been boiled or baked. It's a light fruit cake with two layers of marzipan involved - one in between the cake layers & the other laid atop with eleven marzipan rolled treats on top. 

Eleven or twelve? Some say eleven to represent the Apostles but no place for Judas. Others, say twelve & include Jesus. 

I have gone rather leftfield with my cake. This is because the sultanas in the store cupboard upon which I was relying, were .. 

OUT OF DATE

By two years. The shame.

Anyhow, there's a Plan B. Always. Different dried fruits & what spices are in the cupboard.

Photo © Anne-Marie Minhall

175g Light Muscovado Sugar

175g butter softened plus extra for greasing 

175g Self-Raising Flour

3 Large Free-Range Eggs

50g Ground Almonds

3 tbsp Milk

100g Chopped Dates

200g Dried Apricots cut into small pieces

1 tsp Ground Ginger

1 tsp Ground Cinnamon 

450g Golden Marzipan

Oven 160C/140C Fan/Gas 3

Grease a 20cm round, deep-sided, loose-bottomed tin with butter & line the base with baking paper

Put the cake ingredients into a large bowl & beat together

Spoon half the mixture into the prepared tin and level the surface

Roll one third of the marzipan  (add a light dusting of flour) to the same size as the base of the tin & place on top of the cake mixture

Spoon the remaining cake mixture on top of the marzipan and level the surface. 

Bake for 1¾-2 hours or until golden-brown on top and firm in the middle

Leave the cake to cool overnight before removing from the tin

Cover with greaseproof paper & foil before placing in an airtight Tupperware container

We'll get to the topping in a few days.

Home smells of Christmas.

In March.

Robert will be cross with me for having mentioned Christmas.

In March.

AMM