Easy Simnel Traybake Recipes

EASY SIMNEL TRAYBAKE

Steps:

• Soak all the dried fruit in the orange juice for 2 hrs, or overnight.
• Butter and line a 20 x 30cm tin with baking parchment. Heat oven to 160C/ 140C fan/gas 3. In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar with an electric whisk until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time; mix well between each addition.
• Sift the flour into the bowl and mix in the ground almonds and spices. Add the marzipan chunks, zest and dried fruit with any remaining juice, and give everything a good stir to combine.
• Tip the cake mix into the prepared tin, level the surface, and bake for 45 mins - the cake may still be a little gooey in the centre at this point. Remove from the oven and increase the heat to 200C/ 180C fan/gas 6.
• Make the topping. Rub the butter, sugar and flour together with your fingers to a crumbly breadcrumb texture. Grate in 200g reserved marzipan, add the flaked almonds and golden syrup. Mix everything with a fork, making sure it stays crumbly and doesn't clump. Sprinkle over the cake and return to the oven for 12-15 mins. Meanwhile, divide the rest of the marzipan into 11 and roll into balls.
• Remove the cake from the oven once cooked through, arrange the marzipan balls on top and allow to cool in the tin. Mix the icing sugar with enough orange juice to give a runny icing, drizzle it all over the cake, then let it set a little before slicing it.

LEMON DRIZZLE SIMNEL SLICES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Oil and line a 20cm x 30cm baking tin with baking parchment. Beat the butter and sugar with most of the lemon zest until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing constantly, then add the flour, almonds and baking powder, and keep mixing until you have a smooth cake batter. Stir in the milk and dried fruit.
• Scrape half the cake batter into the tin and level the surface. Coarsely grate half the marzipan onto the batter to create an even layer, then cover with the rest of the batter, trying not to disturb the marzipan too much. Level the top and bake for 35-40 mins or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. If any wet cake mixture clings to the skewer, return the cake to the oven for 5 mins, then check again. Mix the remaining caster sugar with a quarter of the lemon juice, then drizzle over the cake while still warm. Leave the cake to cool in the tin.
• Mix the icing sugar with enough lemon juice to make a drizzly icing - 2-3 tsp should be enough. Divide the rest of the marzipan into 11 even lumps and roll into balls. Drizzle the icing over the cake, top with the marzipan balls and sprinkle with the remaining lemon zest. Will keep in an airtight container for up to five days.