Easter simnel cake

Name: Easter simnel cake
Prep time: 1 h

Bake this traditional Easter simnel cake - packed with fruit and topped with marzipan.

A traditional Easter Simnel cake on a stand with a blue frill with painted Easter eggs on the right

By Saga Magazine | Published - 26 Mar 2026

Simnel cake is a traditional light fruit cake with a hidden almond filling and marzipan topping.

It has been served at Easter since at least the medieval times, and is usually served with 11 marzipan balls on top to represent the 12 apostles, minus Judas. More recently simnel cakes have also been served on Mothering Sunday.

This recipe is from Gopi Chandran, Executive Head Chef at Sopwell House, in Hertfordshire.

Prep time

1 hour

Ingredients

For the cake

175g soft butter or margarine
175g light muscovado sugar
3 eggs
175g self-raising flour
175g sultanas
45g dried apricots
45g dried apples
90g glacé cherries, quartered, rinsed and dried
30g candied peel, roughly chopped
Grated lemon zest
1 tsp ground mixed spice

For the decorating

500g almond paste
2 tbsp apricot jam
1 egg white

Equipment

A 7-inch deep, round, loose bottom cake tin

Method

Pre-heat oven to 165C.
Roll out a third of the almond paste. Using the base of the cake as a guide, cut out an 18cm disc.
Grease the cake tin, then line the bottom and side with greaseproof paper.
Combine all the cake ingredients in a bowl. Beat well until thoroughly blended. Spoon half of the cake mixture into the prepared tin and smooth the surface. Top with the pre-cut disc of almond paste.
Spoon the remaining cake mixture on top of the disc and smooth the surface.
Bake in the pre-heated oven for between 45 minutes and an hour, or until golden brown and firm to the touch. If the cake is browning too quickly, cover the top of the cake with greaseproof paper.
Leave to cool for 10 minutes, then remove from the tin and leave to cool fully.
Warm the apricot jam and brush on top of the cake.
To decorate the cake, roll out half of the remaining almond paste and use the tin to cut out another 18cm disc. Put it on top of the jam and crimp the edges. Roll the remaining almond paste into 11 even-sized balls. Place the balls evenly around the edge of the cake, attaching them with egg white.
Brush the tops of the balls and the almond paste top with egg white. Place under a hot grill for 1-2 minutes, until golden.

Notes

Sopwell House is a stunning Georgian manor located in the city of St Albans, deep within the Hertfordshire countryside. Located only 20 minutes from London St Pancras, the hotel provides an idyllic getaway from the hustle and bustle of the capital.

The hotel is the perfect place to dine, boasting two restaurants, an elegant cocktail lounge and a conservatory bar, all of which look out on 12 acres of beautiful gardens.

(Hero image credit: Getty Images)