Simnel Cake Recipe: How to Bake a Traditional Easter Cake for Spring

Our step-by-step Simnel cake recipe is a traditional Easter day cake the whole family will love. Fruity, zesty, and with the added goodness of Cornish butter, this is the traditional Easter recipe that fills your kitchen with the warm, spiced scent of Spring. A light, fruity bake layered with golden marzipan, it’s a cake steeped in centuries of tradition.  Here’s how to make a traditional Simnel cake that earns its place at the Easter table.

What is a Simnel Cake?

A simnel cake is a light fruit cake traditionally eaten at Easter in the UK, distinguished by two layers of marzipan – one baked into the middle, and one pressed onto the top of the cake. It’s decorated with eleven marzipan balls, each representing one of the faithful apostles. Spiced, fruity, and golden, it’s the Easter bake with a centuries-old history.

Why Does Simnel Cake Have 11 Marzipan Balls?

The eleven marzipan balls on top of a Simnel cake represent the eleven faithful apostles of Jesus (twelve, minus Judas Iscariot, whose betrayal saw him excluded from the lineup entirely). It’s a small but quietly powerful piece of symbolism, baked into every Simnel cake made since the tradition took hold, and one of the details that makes this Easter bake feel like something more than just a cake.

Is Simnel Cake for Easter or Mothering Sunday?

Both, as it happens. Simnel cake has its roots in Mothering Sunday (the fourth Sunday of Lent), when servants and apprentices were given a rare day off to visit their families and would bring a Simnel cake as a gift. 

Over the centuries, as Lenten traditions shifted, the cake gradually became associated with Easter Sunday instead. Today it’s firmly a traditional Easter bake, though you’ll still find it on Mothering Sunday tables too.

What You’ll Need to Make This Simnel Cake Recipe

• Prep time: 30 mins 
• Cook time: 2½ hrs 
• Serves: 10–12 
• Tin: 20cm (8in) round
  

For the Fruit Cake:

• 175g Trewithen unsalted Cornish butter, softened
• 175g light brown soft sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 225g plain flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp mixed spice
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp ground ginger
• 150g ground almonds
• 2 tbsp Trewithen Dairy Cornish whole milk
• 175g sultanas
• 175g currants
• 100g glacé cherries, quartered and rinsed
• 50g mixed peel
• Zest of 1 unwaxed lemon and 1 orange

For the Marzipan Layers and Decoration

• 500g golden marzipan
• 2 tbsp apricot jam, warmed
• 1 egg, beaten (for brushing)
• Icing sugar for dusting

Equipment

• 20cm (8in) deep round cake tin
• Baking parchment
• Rolling pin
• Blow torch or grill

How to Make Simnel Cake – Step by Step

There’s a reason Simnel cake has been made the same way for generations. Follow these steps, and you’ll have a beautifully spiced, marzipan-layered Easter bake that looks as good as it tastes.

Step 1 – Prep Your Tin and Fruit

Start by preheating your oven to 150°C/Fan 130°C/Gas 2. Grease your 20cm (8in) deep round cake tin and line the base and sides with a double layer of baking parchment – the double layer matters here, as it protects the sides of the cake during the long, slow bake and stops the edges drying out before the centre is done.

Next, prepare your glacé cherries. Quarter them, rinse well in a sieve under cold water (this stops them sinking to the bottom of the cake), and pat dry with kitchen paper. Toss them in a tablespoon of your measured flour to lightly coat, then set aside with the rest of your fruit.

Step 2 – Cream the Butter and Sugar

This is where the foundations of a great Simnel cake are laid, and where the quality of your butter really makes itself known. Beat your softened Trewithen Golden Cornish Butter with the light Muscovado sugar until the mixture is pale, light, and noticeably fluffy. Don’t rush this step – a good five minutes of beating makes for a lighter, more tender crumb.   

Step 3 – Add the Eggs, Flour and Spices

Beat in your 3 large eggs one at a time, adding a tablespoon of the measured flour with each one to prevent the mixture from curdling. Once all the eggs are incorporated, sift in the remaining flour along with the baking powder, mixed spice, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, and a pinch of salt. Add the ground almonds and fold everything together gently – you want to combine without overworking the batter. Finally, stir in the 2 tablespoons of whole milk to loosen the mixture slightly. It should drop easily from a spoon.

Step 4 – Fold in the Fruit

Fold in the sultanas, currants, prepared glacé cherries, mixed peel, and the orange and lemon zest. Use a large metal spoon and a gentle hand – you’re folding, not stirring. The citrus zest is worth taking a moment over; finely grated directly into the batter, it lifts the whole cake and gives it that brightness that sets a good Simnel apart from a heavy one.

Step 5 – Layer in the Marzipan

This is the step that makes a Simnel cake a Simnel cake. Dust your work surface lightly with icing sugar and roll out roughly a third of your 500g of golden marzipan to a circle the same size as your cake tin – use the base of the tin as a template and a pizza cutter or sharp knife to trim it neatly.

Spoon half the cake batter into your prepared tin and smooth it level with the back of a spoon. Lay the marzipan circle carefully on top, pressing it gently to the edges. Spoon the remaining cake mixture over the top and smooth it level again. The marzipan will bake into the centre of the cake, creating that distinctive, yielding layer that simnel cake is famous for.

Step 6 – Bake Low and Slow

Place the tin in the centre of your preheated oven and bake for approximately 2½ hours. Fruit cakes need low, steady heat – resist the urge to turn the oven up. Check the cake after about an hour; if the top is browning too quickly, lay a sheet of baking parchment loosely over the top to protect it.

The cake is ready when it’s deep golden brown, firm to the touch, and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Be careful not to push the skewer all the way through to the marzipan layer, as the warm marzipan can give a false reading. Leave the cake to cool completely in the tin before turning out  – at least two hours, and ideally overnight. Then leave on a wire rack to completely cool. 

Step 7 – Top, Decorate and Toast

Once the cake is completely cold, brush the top with a thin layer of warmed apricot jam. Roll out half of the remaining marzipan to a circle the same size as the cake and press it firmly onto the top, crimping the edges lightly with your fingers or a fork to give it that classic finish.

Roll the last of the marzipan into eleven equal balls (use the scales if you want them perfectly even, at roughly 15g each) and arrange them around the edge of the cake, pressing each one gently into the marzipan base to secure it. Brush the marzipan top with beaten egg and arrange the  balls.

Now for the best bit: use a kitchen blow torch to toast the marzipan to a deep, burnished golden brown. If you don’t have a blow torch, place the cake under a hot grill for two to three minutes, watching it closely. The toasted marzipan takes on a slightly nutty, caramelised flavour that makes the whole thing smell extraordinary – and taste even better.

How to Get the Marzipan Layers Right

The marzipan is what sets a simnel cake apart from every other fruit cake. That soft, yielding middle layer and the golden, toasted top are worth a little extra care and attention.

How to Roll Marzipan Without It Sticking

• Cold marzipan is stiff, so take it out of the fridge at least 30 minutes before you need to work with it. 
• Dust your work surface generously with icing sugar rather than flour (flour can dry the marzipan out and make it too crumbly).
• Roll from the centre outwards, turning the marzipan a quarter turn between each roll to keep it even, and lift it occasionally to make sure it isn’t sticking underneath. 
• Use the base of your cake tin as a template and cut around it cleanly with a pizza cutter or sharp knife.  

Getting the Middle Layer Even

The key to a good middle layer is making sure your batter is spread level before the marzipan goes on. Use the back of a wet spoon to smooth the first half of the batter right to the edges of the tin, so there are no gaps for the marzipan to sink into. 

When you lay the marzipan circle on top, press it down gently but firmly, working from the centre outwards to push out any air pockets. Then add the second half of the batter and smooth that level too.

If the marzipan is slightly smaller than the tin, don’t worry — it will soften and spread slightly as it bakes. What you want to avoid is the marzipan overlapping the sides, as this can cause the edges to bake unevenly.

Make It Your Own – Simple Simnel Cake Variations

The simnel cake is a forgiving bake. The fruit, spice, and marzipan are solid enough to take a little creative licence without losing what makes it special. Here are a few simple ways to make it your own.

Add a Splash of Brandy or Sherry

For a slightly richer, more complex flavour, soak your dried fruit in two tablespoons of brandy or sherry for a few hours before baking, or overnight if you can plan ahead. The fruit absorbs the liquid and plumps up beautifully, and the alcohol softens the sweetness of the marzipan in a way that feels decidedly grown-up.  

Swap Currants for Dried Apricots

If you find currants a little sharp or simply want something slightly different, swap them out for the same weight of soft dried apricots, chopped to roughly the same size as a sultana. Apricots bring a gentler, honeyed sweetness that pairs beautifully with the orange zest and the nuttiness of the marzipan.   

Decorate with Spring Flowers or Mini Eggs

The eleven marzipan balls are traditional, but the space inside them is yours to play with. A scattering of small chocolate mini eggs nestled in the centre looks joyful and instantly Easter-ready. For something more elegant, arrange fresh edible flowers around the base of the cake once it’s done. Both look beautiful and take no more than a few minutes to arrange.

Make-Ahead and Storage Tips

Good news for busy Easter bunnies – simnel cake is one of the most obliging bakes you can make ahead of time.

Can You Make Simnel Cake in Advance?

Yes, and it’s actually better for it. The flavours deepen, and the fruit softens over a day or two, making a simnel cake baked on Thursday noticeably better by Easter Sunday. Bake the cake and leave it undecorated, wrapped tightly in baking parchment and foil, and add the marzipan top and decoration on the day you want to serve it.

How Long Does Simnel Cake Keep?

Stored in an airtight tin in a cool place, simnel cake will keep well for up to two weeks. Once decorated, keep it loosely covered at room temperature rather than in the fridge, which can cause the marzipan to sweat.

Can You Freeze Simnel Cake?

Yes. Freeze the undecorated cake, wrapped tightly in a double layer of cling film and foil, for up to three months. Defrost overnight at room temperature, then decorate as normal. Freezing the finished cake once decorated isn’t recommended as marzipan doesn’t take kindly to freezing!

How to Serve Simnel Cake

Simnel cake is made for lazy afternoons – a generous slice alongside a pot of proper tea is one of the quiet pleasures of Easter weekend. Serve it at room temperature with a dollop of Trewithen Cornish clotted cream on the side, which beautifully softens the marzipan’s richness. As Easter traditions go, we think this simnel cake recipe is the best there is.Made this Simnel cake recipe at home? We’d love to see it. Share your Easter bakes with us on social media using #TrewEaster – there’s nothing better than sharing your own hints and tips with our active community!

This recipe is inspired by Nigella Lawson’s Simnel cake recipe

Simnel Cake Recipe FAQs