HOT CROSS BUN CAKE

It's quite well documented that I'm not the biggest fan of fruit cake or marzipan but I do like marzipan cooked into cakes. Marzipan gives it a chewy texture that I can't resist hence my Simnel Scones recipe.  Nigella does a delicious Simple Almond Cake in her Domestic Goddess book that really is simple to make and irresistible to eat and it's all down to the marzipan.

So this recipe is almost like a Simnel cake but I think a little lighter to eat.  The warm spices give it the flavours of hot cross buns and it's just as moreish warm from the oven or cold if it lasts that long.

Heat the oven to 160C fan and line a 2lb loaf tin, I use ready made loaf liners. Cream together 110g Butter with 110g Sugar. Then add 225g Self Raising Flour, 225g Mixed Fruit, 2 Eggs, 50ml Milk, 
1 tsp Cinnamon and 1/2 tsp Mixed Spice. Mix everything well till combined.

Now cut 80g Marzipan into small cubes and put to one side, I like the natural whiter marzipan but you could use the yellow version if you prefer. Put half the cake mixture into the loaf tin then top with 1/3 of the marzipan cubes.  Now add the rest of the mixture and finish with the remaining marzipan cubes, press them in lightly so you can still see them.


Bake for 50-60 minutes till cooked through. To finish, warm
1 tbsp Honey and brush the top of your cake with it. Use another 80g Marzipan to decorate the top.  Divide it into 2 pieces and roll them into sausages, gently twist them together to form a rope and place them on the cake to make your cross.  You could leave it like that or give it a quick blast with a cooks blow torch.  If you don't have a blow torch grill it, but keep an eye on it so you don't burn your cake.

HAPPY EASTER

SIMNEL SCONES

So Easter is just around the corner and as always this presents us with many baking opportunities. I'm not a great fan of fruit cake or marzipan so Simnel cake is out for me.  However, I rather like marzipan baked into things, so, combined with a handful of sultanas (the fruit bit) I've come up with these little beauties, and guess what, it makes 11-12!  They make a great alternative treat to chocolate at Easter.

The grated marzipan gives you enough of a hit of almond and some nice chewy bits.  You could of course have them with jam and cream, but these went down very well still warm from the oven with butter.

400g Self Raising Flour
100g Butter or Baking Margarine
50g Soft Brown Sugar
150g Marzipan, grated
50g Sultanas
200g Milk
Egg wash to finish

Rub the butter into the flour till you get a fine crumble and all the butter has disappeared.  Stir in the sugar, marzipan and sultanas then gradually add the milk to form a soft dough.  Tip the dough onto a floured surface and gently bring it together to form a smooth ball.  Don't work it to much, no kneading, you don't want to make it all tough.  Remember, the softer your dough the softer your scones will be.

Now roll out the dough to about 4cm or 1.5".  Cut out your scones using a 2.5" cutter and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment.  Re-roll any off cuts until all the dough is used.

Brush the scones with egg wash (1 egg beaten with a dash of milk) and bake for 20-25 minutes at 180C fan.

HAPPY EASTER BAKING x