Mar

Hop into Easter weekend with this chocolatey twist on the traditional simnel cake recipe

With a rich history and flavour to match, the traditional simnel cake is a recipe we always come back to at Easter. But this year, we’re putting a delightful chocolate spin on the classic fruit cake. Before we dive into the details of this chocolate simnel cake recipe, let’s ‘hop’ back in time and explore the history of this sweet treat.

When the simnel cake first came into existence in Medieval times, it was, in fact, not so sweet. According to history, the simnel ‘cake’ in fact first came into existence as a yeast-leavened bread. This bread, while seemingly ordinary, held a special status, as it was only made with the finest and highest quality of flour around at the time. Basically, it used the crème de la crème of Medieval flours! Derived from the Latin word, “simila”, meaning the whitest and finest of flours, the term “simnel” became synonymous with this premium ingredient – hence its name!

Now, let’s fast forward into the 17^th and 18^th centuries to a big turning point for the simnel bread – or pudding, we should now say. During these centuries, the simple composition of the bread evolved into a pudding batter, similar to culinary delights like spotted dick. The pudding batter also got jazzed up with all sorts of goodies that are in it today – dried fruits, spices, and almonds. Delicious!

Come the late 19^th century, the simnel cake wasn’t done evolving yet. It was then that it ditched its pudding persona and embraced its inner cake. Surprisingly, however, it wasn’t until the 20^th century that the familiar marzipan layers and decorative balls representing the 11 apostles (minus Judas) appeared.

From fancy flour and pudding cameos to a final cake destination, the simnel cake has had quite the journey. And now, armed with this delightful history, get ready to bake up a storm with our own twist on this classic treat – the chocolate simnel cake!

Ingredients (Including homemade chocolate marzipan)

For the cake:

100g glacé cherries, chopped
225g unsalted butter, softened
225g caster sugar
4 large eggs
225g self-raising flour
225g dark chocolate, melted
100g sultanas
100g currants
50g chopped candied peel
Zest of 2 oranges
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp vanilla extract

For the filling and topping:

500g Homemade Chocolate Marzipan (see below)
3 tbsp Apricot jam

For the homemade chocolate marzipan:

200g ground almonds
100g icing sugar, sifted
50g cocoa powder, sifted
100g caster sugar
1 large egg white
1 tsp almond extract
1-2 tbsp water (if needed)

Method

Preparation: preheat your oven to 150° and line the base and sides of a 20cm round deep cake tin with baking parchment.
Prepare the ingredients: Rinse the chopped glacé cherries under running water and drain them well. In a mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter and caster sugar until light and fluffy.
Mix the batter: Add the eggs, one at a time, to the butter and sugar mixture, beating well after each addition. Gradually fold in melted dark chocolate, self-raising flour, sultanas, currants, candied peel, orange zest, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and vanilla extract until everything is thoroughly combined.
Homemade chocolate marzipan: In a separate bowl, combine 200g ground almonds, 100g icing sugar, 50g cocoa powder, and 100g caster sugar. Add 1 large egg white and 1 tsp almond extract. Mix until a dough forms, adding 1-2 tbsp water if needed. Knead the dough until smooth.
Layer the cake: Pour half of the chocolate batter into the prepared cake tin and spread it out evenly. Take one-third of the homemade chocolate marzipan and roll it into small balls. Arrange these marzipan balls on top of the cake batter.
Finish layering: Spoon the remaining chocolate batter over the marzipan balls and smooth out the surface with a spatula.
Bake: Place the cake tin in the preheated oven and bake for approximately 35-45 minutes, or until the cake is well risen, evenly browned, and firm to the touch. If the top begins to brown too quickly, cover it loosely with aluminium foil.
Cool and decorate: Once baked, allow the cake to cool in the tin for 10 minutes. Then, transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely. Warm the apricot jam slightly and brush it over the top of the cooled cake. Roll out half of the remaining chocolate marzipan to fit the top of the cake and press it firmly in place. Use the remaining marzipan to form decorative balls around the edge of the cake.
Final touch: Brush the marzipan with a beaten egg and carefully toast the top of the cake under a hot grill or use a blowtorch for a beautifully caramelized finish.