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Simnel muffins

Simnel muffins on a wire rack

Simnel muffins

Name: Simnel muffins
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 12
Ingredients: 175g mixed dried fruit; 1 orange zested, ½ juiced (you’ll need about 2 tbsp juice); 1 lemon zested and juiced; 275g marzipan; 2 eggs; 100ml vegetable or sunflower oil; 120ml milk; 120g golden caster sugar; 235g self-raising flour; ¾ tsp mixed spice or ground cinnamon; 3-4 tbsp icing sugar sifted

Samuel Goldsmith

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Serves 12

Easy

Prep: 10 mins

Cook: 20 mins

plus 1 hr soaking

A star rating of 5 out of 5.4 ratingsRate

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Bake these easy miniature simnel muffins for an Easter-themed afternoon tea, or savour with a mid-morning cuppa for a seasonal springtime treat

Vegetarian

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Ingredients

Nutrition

Units:

MetricUS

175g mixed dried fruit
1 orange

zested, ½ juiced (you’ll need about 2 tbsp juice)
1 lemon

zested and juiced
275g marzipan
2 eggs
100ml vegetable or sunflower oil
120ml milk
120g golden caster sugar
235g self-raising flour
¾ tsp mixed spice

or ground cinnamon
3-4 tbsp icing sugar

sifted

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Nutrition: Per serving

kcal354
fat13g
saturates1g
carbs54g
sugars39g
fibre2g
protein5g
salt0.3g

Method

step 1

Put the mixed dried fruit, orange juice and both citrus zests in a bowl. Leave to soak for 1 hr.
step 2

Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4 and line a 12-hole muffin tin with paper cases. Chop 155g of the marzipan into small chunks and set aside. Beat the eggs, oil and milk together in a large bowl, then add the sugar and marzipan chunks. Sift in the flour and mixed spice or cinnamon, then fold everything together. Divide the mixture between the muffin cases until they’re each about three-quarters full, then bake for 25-30 mins until risen and golden. Leave to cool in the tin for 5-10 mins, then remove to a wire rack and leave to cool completely.
step 3

Heat the grill to high. Roll the remaining 120g marzipan into 12 balls (about 10g each) using your hands. Put the marzipan balls on a baking tray, then slide under the hot grill for 30 seconds-1 min until just golden on top.
step 4

Combine the icing sugar and lemon juice until you have a runny icing, then spoon this over the cooled muffins and decorate with the marzipan balls. Leave to set for 1 hr before serving. Will keep in an airtight container for up to three days.

Recipe tip

These muffins have a much shorter baking time than a traditional simnel cake, and use storecupboard ingredients you might already have at home.

Recipe from Good Food magazine, April 2023

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A star rating of 5 out of 5.4 ratings

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