“For the past 4 years now, (since 1872), I have always make two or maybe three Simnel Cakes for Easter. 

In the 1600s this was a rich fruit cake, with a crust of saffron-flavoured flour and water paste.  My Simnel Cake is a fruit cake with a layer of marzipan in the centre and on top.“

Mrs Stearn (1876) 

INGREDIENTS
1lb marzipan
6oz butter
6oz caster sugar
3 eggs
8oz sultanas
6oz currants
2 tbsp icing sugar
2oz cut mixed peel
2oz glace cherries, halved
Grated rind of 1 lemon
8oz self raising flour
1 level tsp mixed spice
2 tbsp milk

METHOD
1. Line an 18 cm (7 inch) cake tin with greaseproof paper. Roll out half the marzipan to the size of the tin. Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs to this mixture a little at a time. Stir in the dried fruit, peel, cherries and lemon rind.

2. Fold in the flour and spice alternately with the milk. Place half the mixture in the cake tin and smooth top, cover with a circle of marzipan and spread remaining mixture on top.

3. Bake in the centre of oven at 170C (325F/Gas 3) for 2 hours. Reduce to 150C (300F/Gas 2) for a further 20 minutes. Test by pressing top, if cooked it should spring back and have begun to shrink from the sides of the tin. Leave to cool in the tin, turn out, remove paper and store in an airtight container.

4. To decorate, form remaining marzipan into a roll to fit around top edge of cake. Stick in place with a little honey or syrup. Using the prongs of a fork, flatten marzipan against cake.

5. Mix icing sugar with a little water to make a thick glace icing. Spread in centre of cake and leave to set before arranging edible sugar frosted flowers for decoration.