Name: Easter cake with orange & marzipan
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 45 min
Yield: 10
Ingredients: 175g/6oz butter, softened; 175g/6oz light soft brown sugar; 3 Large British Lion eggs, beaten; 175g/6oz self raising flour, sieved; 5ml/ 1tsp baking powder; 1 (200g) tub mixed chopped peel; 100g/4oz ground almonds; rind and juice 1 orange; 5ml/1tsp almond essence

Serves: 10
Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 45 mins

Here’s something for the adults - if you’re looking for something a little different to the traditional Simnel cake, this recipe results in a luxurious, rich and indulgent Easter alternative. Combining zesty flavours of orange with almonds, soft brown sugar and bound by British Lion Eggs, one slice is definitely not going to be enough.

This rich moist cake flavoured with almonds and orange makes a wonderful change to traditional Simnel cake. The eleven balls of marzipan placed on top of Simnel cakes are meant to represent Jesus' eleven faithful disciples.

Ingredients

175g/6oz butter, softened
175g/6oz light soft brown sugar
3 Large British Lion eggs, beaten
175g/6oz self raising flour, sieved
5ml/ 1tsp baking powder
1 (200g) tub mixed chopped peel
100g/4oz ground almonds
rind and juice 1 orange
5ml/1tsp almond essence

Method

Preheat the oven to 190C/375F/Gas Mark 5. Grease a 20cm/8in round, deep cake tin and line with baking parchment.
Place the butter, sugar, eggs, flour and baking powder in a large bowl. Use an electric whisk to beat the mixture until it is smooth and glossy.
Fold in the remaining ingredients and spoon into the prepared tin.
Bake for 45-50 minutes or until risen and firm to the touch.
Cool in the tin for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool.
To decorate: use a sharp knife to split the cake in half through the middle. Roll out two thirds of the marzipan on a icing sugar dusted surface and cut out two 20cm./8in rounds.
Brush the centre of the cake with marmalade and sandwich together with one of the marzipan rounds. Brush the top of the cake with marmalade and arrange the second marzipan round on top, crimp the edges.
Roll the remaining marzipan into eleven balls and arrange on top of the cake, attaching with marmalade.
Melt the chocolates in separate bowls over simmering water. Spoon into separate greaseproof paper piping bags. Drizzle the melted chocolate.