A conventional Gluten Free Simnel Cake – the proper bake for Easter or Mom’s Day! This wealthy fruit cake has a secret layer of marzipan and a burnished marzipan topping too.

A gluten free Simnel cake actually is a factor of magnificence, full of spices, combined fruits, candied peel, glacé cherries and a touch of almonds.

Simnel cake is historically made throughout Lent – apparently it was made half approach via the 40 days as a respite from fasting.

This often falls round Mom’s Day, so the cake has turn out to be synonymous with each Easter and Mothering Sunday.

Marzipan performs an enormous half on this gluten free Easter cake. Not solely is there a hidden layer, it is also embellished with marzipan which is then scorched.

Very similar to Sizzling Cross Buns, one other conventional Easter baking mission, it’s wealthy and fruity and superbly spiced with cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, coriander and allspice.

What’s Simnel Cake?

A Simnel Cake is a conventional fruit cake which dates again to Medieval Occasions, thought to initially have been made utilizing a leavened bread.

Now it’s extra of a light-weight fruit cake which is eaten throughout Lent. It’s embellished with 11 balls of marzipan, mentioned to characterize the 11 apostles.

It’s possible you’ll be pondering a Simnel Cake appears much like a Christmas Cake – and it does have some similarities.

Each desserts are full of fruit, although a Christmas cake incorporates a heavy soaking of alcohol. It is a lighter model for March or April!

With a simnel cake recipe, the fruits are heated with orange juice and combined spice earlier than being added to a cake constructed from floor almonds and gluten free flour.

It creates a lighter fruitcake than its Christmas counterpart – and it additionally has a layer of marzipan cooked into the centre of the cake.

They don’t seem to be historically coeliac-safe however with just a few tweaks I’ve made this recipe gluten free so anybody could make it!

Simnel Desserts was once massively common however the demand for chocolate-laden Easter treats appear to be diminishing this Easter custom.

That being mentioned, now I’ve made my very own gluten free model I’m hooked. I would take a slice of this over a chocolate egg any day!

Simnel Cake Elements

To make my gluten free Simnel cake recipe, you may want the next components…

• Combined Dried Fruit – I have a tendency to make use of the pre-mixed baggage that are a combination of sultanas, raisins, currants and candied peel. You may combine your individual for those who favor extra of 1 fruit – or need to omit something.
• Glacé Cherries – I purchase the pre-halved cherries. If you happen to actually do not like these you’ll be able to at all times change them for the equal weight of additional dried fruit.
• Orange – For this recipe you may use each the zest and juice of the orange.
• Combined Spice – It is a combination of spices, within the UK you should purchase it premixed. It accommodates a combination of ginger, cinnamon, cloves, coriander nutmeg and generally mace.
• Gentle Brown Sugar – This helps so as to add to the beautiful color of the cake in addition to giving it a richer flavour.
• Unsalted Butter – To make this recipe dairy free, use an equal corresponding to Stork baking block.
• Eggs – You will want 4 massive (UK) eggs for this recipe – it helps to bind the massive amount of fruit!
• Gluten Free Plain Flour – Any plain flour combine corresponding to Freee, Juvela, M&S or Asda will work on this cake. You desire a plain or all objective flour combination.
• Xanthan Gum – A vital ingredient in gluten free baking! A tiny bit goes a great distance and it will assist stop the cake from changing into too crumbly.
• Baking Powder – It will give the cake a small quantity of rise. We do not want it to rise as a lot as some desserts. Make sure you use a gluten free baking powder.
• Floor Almonds – These add a stunning texture to the cake, holding it good and moist. Additionally they add to the beautiful marzipan flavour.
• Marzipan – You should utilize white marzipan or yellow marzipan, relying on which you like. Each work equally nicely and are important for each the cake filling and ornament.

Gluten free simnel cake FAQs

The complete recipe card is under however in case you’ve got any burning questions, let me assist…

Is simnel cake gluten free?

Simnel cake is historically made with wheat flour so typically it isn’t gluten free.

Nevertheless, my recipe is 100% gluten free and secure for folks with coeliac illness with barely any modifications.

The gluten-eaters won’t ever know the distinction!

Is simnel cake dairy free / vegan?

This gluten free simnel cake recipe does include butter however this may simply be switched for a dairy free equal.

Nevertheless I have not examined the recipe with an egg replacer so I can not give any assured outcomes on make it vegan.

Why does a simnel cake have 11 balls?

It’s possible you’ll suppose the marzipan balls on high of this cake are simply to look fairly however they do have a that means.

They’re designed to characterize Jesus’ disciples – minus Judas. Nevertheless sometimes you may even see 12 balls, with the additional representing Christ.

When making my simnel cake recipe I are likely to weigh the balls out so they’re all even. I would hate for them to be all lopsided and uneven!

How lengthy will this simnel cake maintain for?

Usually fruit desserts maintain very nicely – I’ve had this saved in an hermetic container for weeks!

You may also freeze slices of this simnel cake. I like to recommend doing this between sheets of baking paper so they do not all stick collectively.

That approach you’ll be able to defrost a slice everytime you fancy some cake even when Easter has been and gone.

Do I would like a blow torch for this recipe?

I used to be gifted a small kitchen blow torch for Christmas just a few years in the past and it is good for scorching the marzipan.

Nevertheless you do not want a blow torch to make a simnel cake!

You may merely burn the marzipan below the grill. The recipe card under has a way for each methods!

How do you double line a baking tin?

I extremely advocate that you just do a double lining of baking paper when making a simnel cake to keep away from burning the marzipan.

To do that, use the cake tin base to chop a circle of baking paper. Then minimize strips of baking paper approx 2 inches greater than the peak of the tin.

Grease the within your tin utilizing both butter or some spray-oil. I usually favor to make use of butter however the spray is lots simpler and fewer messy.

Take the lengthy piece of baking paper and fold over roughly 1-inch from the bottom. Use scissors to then diagonally snip at round 1-inch intervals.

Line the within of the tin with this piece, so the snipped edge folds alongside the bottom of the tin.

Rub the paper onto the greased tin to make it stick and use a bit of additional oil/butter to stay any overlaps down.

Repeat with the second layer of baking paper. After you have accomplished this, place the spherical piece of baking paper onto the bottom of the tin.

Stick down onto the butter/oil, utilizing a bit of additional if wanted.

My gluten free simnel cake recipe

This recipe makes an 8-inch (20cm) diameter spherical cake, good for serving a crowd of hungry visitors.

It is going to additionally maintain rather well in an hermetic container so you do not have to scoff it unexpectedly.

I are likely to slice this into 11 items to make sure everybody will get their very own ball of marzipan however you may stretch it to extra if wanted.

If you happen to make this recipe and find it irresistible, please do let me know by tagging me on my Instagram or utilizing #theglutenfreeblogger. I really like seeing your bakes!

Yield: 11

Gluten Free Simnel Cake

Prep Time:
1 hour

Cook dinner Time:
2 hours

Whole Time:
1 hour

This gluten free Simnel Cake is a conventional Easter cake, often made throughout Lent and round Mom’s Day. It’s a wealthy fruit cake with a marzipan centre and a marzipan topping – full with 11 caramelised marzipan balls, mentioned to characterize the 11 apostles.

Elements

• 250g combined dried fruit and peel (a combination of sultanas, raisins, currants and candied peel)
• 100g halved glacé cherries
• zest and juice of 1 orange
• 2 tsp combined spice
• 200g mild brown sugar
• 200g butter (softened)
• 4 massive eggs
• 175g gf plain flour
• ¼ tsp xanthan gum
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 150g floor almonds
• 1 tbsp apricot jam (warmed)
• 500g marzipan

Directions

1. Add the combined fruit, orange zest and juice and the combined spice to a saucepan together with 2 tbsp water. Place on a low warmth and cook dinner with the lid on, stirring sometimes, for five minutes. (Alternatively you’ll be able to microwave in a bowl for two minutes.)
2. Take a 3rd of the marzipan and roll it out to chop a disc the scale of your 8-inch/20cm cake tin (use the bottom as a template). Wrap the leftover marizipan and any offcuts and place to 1 aspect for adorning later.
3. Grease your cake tin with butter after which double-line it with baking paper, roughly an inch greater than the cake tin. It will assist cease the cake and marzipan burning. Preheat the oven to 150C / Fan 130C / Gasoline mark 2.
4. Add the butter and brown sugar to a big mixing bowl and beat with an electrical whisk till creamed.
5. In a separate bowl, combine the gluten free flour, baking powder and xanthan gum to mix. Add this to the butter/sugar combination together with the bottom almonds and eggs. Beat once more with the electrical whisk till simply mixed – do not over-mix.
6. Pour within the fruits and all of the juices from the pan and fold this into the cake combine utilizing a spatula.
7. Spoon half the combination into the lined cake tin and clean out in a fair layer. Lay the circle of marizpan on high and spoon the remainder of the cake batter on high, smoothing the floor.
8. Bake within the oven for two hours, till a skewer inserted within the centre comes out clear. Take away from the oven and funky utterly within the tin earlier than adorning.
9. When the cake has cooled, take away the in and paper and brush the highest with apricot jam. Reserve 165g of the marzipan and roll the remaining out, reducing a disc the scale of the cake (utilizing the cake pan base as a template once more!). Lay on high of the cake and gently flatten – you should use your fingers to crimp the sides for those who like.
10. Divide the remaining 165g of marzipan into 11 equal-sized balls – if you wish to weigh them, they will be 15g every. Form them into balls and high your cake with them.
11. To complete, both use a blow torch to caramelise the marizpan or place the cake below a sizzling grill. Keep watch over it – it takes 1-2 minutes however as soon as it begins to show brown it is going to rapidly burn for those who look away for even a second!

NEED MORE gluten free Easter bakes?

Listed here are some extra gluten free Easter recipes you’ll be able to check out as soon as you have made this gluten free simnel cake:

If you happen to do make this recipe please let me know! I’d like to see your images utilizing #theglutenfreeblogger, share them in my Fb group or tag me on Instagram. 

In case you have any recipe strategies, please let me know within the feedback under what you’d prefer to see subsequent!

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