Simnel Cake

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recipe by Kenwood https://kenwoodworld.com/

  • Time icon
    Total Time
    1hr 55mins
  • Serves icon
    Serves
    8
  • Calories icon
    Calories
    827

This rich fruit cake is a traditional Easter cake with a layer of marzipan baked into the middle.

recipe updated Feb 18, 2026

Ingredients

  • Candied citrus peel icon
    Candied citrus peel
    55 g
  • Lemon icon
    Lemon
    2
  • Unsalted butter icon
    Unsalted butter
    225 g
  • Egg icon
    Egg
    4
  • Brandy icon
    Brandy
    60 ml
  • Currants icon
    Currants
    225 g
  • Sultanas icon
    Sultanas
    115 g
  • Glace cherries icon
    Glace cherries
    100 g
  • Marzipan icon
    Marzipan
    500 g
  • Caster sugar icon
    Caster sugar
    225 g
  • All purpose flour icon
    All purpose flour
    225 g
  • Baking powder icon
    Baking powder
    3 teaspoons
  • Ground almonds icon
    Ground almonds
    25 g
  • Allspice icon
    Allspice
    ½ teaspoon
  • Mace icon
    Mace
    ½ teaspoon
  • Ground cinnamon icon
    Ground cinnamon
    ½ teaspoon
  • Nutmeg icon
    Nutmeg
    ½ teaspoon
  • Apricot jam icon
    Apricot jam
    30 g

Tools

  • kCook icon Oven
  • kCook icon Wooden spoon
  • kCook icon Cooling rack
  • kCook icon kCook Multi
  • kCook icon Round pan - 20cm (8")
  • kCook icon Small bowl
  • kCook icon Kcook bowl
  • kCook icon Work surface
  • kCook icon Work surface

Step preview

  1. Pre-heat oven - 170°C
  2. Grease and flour a clean round pan
  3. Fit stir tool to kCook bowl
  4. Add brandy to the kCook bowl
  5. Fit kCook bowl to kCook Multi
  6. Attach lid to kCook bowl
  7. Heat with filler cap removed - 30 sec, 80°C, speed 3
  8. Then add currants, sultanas, glace cherries, candied citrus peel and lemon to the kCook bowl
  9. Stir with filler cap removed - 30 sec, speed 4
  10. Transfer content of kCook bowl to small bowl then set aside
  11. Add marzipan to a clean work surface
  12. Roll out and cut into a circle, using the round tin as a guide, and set aside
  13. Add marzipan to the work surface
  14. Roll out and cut into a circle, using the round tin as a guide, and set aside
  15. Add marzipan to the work surface
  16. Roll into a log
  17. Cut into pieces
  18. Roll into balls and cover
  19. Set aside and continue
  20. Clean kCook bowl
  21. Fit midi blade to kCook bowl
  22. Add unsalted butter and caster sugar to the kCook bowl
  23. Fit kCook bowl to kCook Multi
  24. Attach lid to kCook bowl
  25. Mix with filler cap removed - 2 min, speed 5
  26. Then add egg to the kCook bowl
  27. Mix with filler cap removed - 1 min, speed 6
  28. Then add all purpose flour, baking powder, ground almonds, allspice, mace, ground cinnamon and nutmeg to the kCook bowl
  29. Mix with filler cap removed - 2 min, speed 5
  30. Return content of small bowl to kCook bowl
  31. Mix with filler cap removed - 1 min, speed 5
  32. Transfer half of content of kCook bowl to round pan
  33. Spread until level
  34. Place 1 of the marzipan circles on top
  35. Transfer the rest of content of kCook bowl to round pan
  36. Spread until level
  37. Bake - 1 hr 30 min, 170°C
  38. Let cool - approx 5 min
  39. Turn out carefully
  40. Let cool onto cooling rack
  41. Brush with apricot jam
  42. Place the other marzipan circle on top
  43. Place the marzipan balls around the edge of the cake
  44. Gently use a blowtorch to grill and caramelise the marzipan
  45. Serve
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