Recipe for Easter simnel cake, from Saga, 2026 04 02

[Colin Howard]

Greetings,

Sounds scrumptious! I am extremely fond of fruit cakes, especially like this
one! My diabetics say "no way Hosay!" but surely, I can enjoy one small
piece!

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

Method

Notes

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

Colin Howard, living in Southern England.