Home > Recipes > Simnel cake recipes > Simnel loaf cake

Simnel loaf cake

Published: 11 Mar 20
Updated: 18 Mar 24

Our easy simnel cake recipe is made in a loaf tin to keep things nice and easy. It’s delicious served warm, too, topped with apricot jam. Try it for a special Easter weekend treat.

Now, check out this chocolate simnel cake made with sour cherries and hazelnuts. Or, if you need to go wheat-free, we also have a gluten-free simnel cake recipe, by Becky Excell.

Easy
March 2020

Test kitchen approved

Serves 10-12
Hands-on time 30 min, oven time 2¼ hours, plus at least 2 hours soaking

Our easy simnel cake recipe is made in a loaf tin to keep things nice and easy. It’s delicious served warm, too, topped with apricot jam. Try it for a special Easter weekend treat.

Now, check out this chocolate simnel cake made with sour cherries and hazelnuts. Or, if you need to go wheat-free, we also have a gluten-free simnel cake recipe, by Becky Excell.

Nutrition: For 12

Calories: 448kcals
Fat: 19.4g (8.4g saturated)
Protein: 7.3g
Carbohydrates: 58.1g (43.1g sugars)
Fibre: 2g
Salt: 0.2g

Save recipe

Save

Save recipe Print

Rate

Ingredients

100g sultanas
100g raisins
100g currants
50g mixed candied peel
50g glacé cherries, halved
Finely grated zest 1 large orange
3 tbsp brandy (or orange juice)
170g unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
140g light brown sugar
4 medium free-range eggs, lightly beaten
85g self-raising flour
85g plain flour
85g ground almonds
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground mixed spice
150g marzipan, cut into 1cm chunks
6 tbsp apricot jam

You’ll also need…

900g loaf tin, greased and lined with 2 layers baking paper

Cook Mode Sticky screen? No thanks! Tap to prevent your screen from going off while cooking.

Method

Mix the dried fruit, peel, cherries, zest and brandy/orange juice in a non-metallic mixing bowl, then cover and set aside for at least 2 hours or overnight (see Make Ahead).
When ready to cook, heat the oven to 150°C/130°C fan/gas 2. Put the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl, then beat with an electric mixer for about 5 minutes until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in the beaten eggs, bringing the mixture back to smooth before each addition, adding 1 tbsp flour if the mixture looks as though it might curdle.
Add the flours, ground almonds, spices and a pinch of salt, then gently fold in until almost combined. Add the soaked fruits and any juices, scatter the marzipan chunks on top, add 2 tbsp apricot jam, then fold everything together using a large metal spoon until smooth. Spoon into the prepared tin, level the top, then bake for 2¼ hours until a skewer pushed into the centre comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tin for 30 minutes, then remove and set on a wire rack to cool completely (see tip).

Warm the remaining apricot jam until just melted, then brush over the cake before slicing to serve.

Recipe from March 2020 Issue

Nutrition

Nutrition: per serving

Calories: 448kcals
Fat: 19.4g (8.4g saturated)
Protein: 7.3g
Carbohydrates: 58.1g (43.1g sugars)
Fibre: 2g
Salt: 0.2g

delicious. tips

This cake is also delicious served warm. After cooling in the tin for 30 minutes, top with the apricot jam and serve warm.

Fancy a more traditional cake?

If you want to decorate the simnel cake for Easter in a more traditional style, cover the cake with a rectangle of marzipan (about 150g), then scatter with edible flowers (from Ocado as we’ve done here. To make it truly traditional, roll some extra marzipan into 11 small balls and arrange on top to represent the ‘good’ apostles.
Soak the dried fruit for up to 1 week ahead of making the loaf cake.