Spring has Sprung

Spring has sprung, the grass is ris,

I wonder where the birdies is?

Some say the bird is on the wing,

But that's absurd
The wing is on the bird. 

(anon, or Spike Milligan, depending on which Google entry you want to believe)

This little piece of nonsense was taught to me by my father when I was a child, and I have remembered ever since at the onset of Spring. To get the full effect of its silliness though, you have to say it in a faux 'noo yoik' accent. Funny, the things that make you smile.

I digress.

Spring has arrived, and to that, I say, Hurrah! The cold dark days of winter are behind us, there is a warmth in the air, flowers are emerging from their winter hibernation, and Summer is not so far away. And, of course, there is Easter, which is just around the corner.  

To celebrate, why not mix up a Simnel Cake for your tea time table? This is the fruit cake which is traditionally eaten at Easter in England and Ireland, and is often likened to Christmas Cake simply because it contains fruit, and involves marzipan. That, for me, though, is where the similarity ends.





It is lighter than Christmas cake. It doesn't have to be made weeks in advance nor does it have to be doused in alcohol. And, if you are short on time, the recipe below uses the all-in-one method, although at least two hours are needed to bake it.

The cake is made with two layers of marzipan. One is baked into the middle (which gives a gorgeous almondy dampness) and one is placed on the top, and toasted. To decorate, eleven marzipan balls (which represent the twelve apostles of Jesus, excluding Judas) are placed around the top edge of the cake. 
Simnel cake has been around since at least medieval times, and it was made for the middle Sunday of Lent, when on this day the Lenten fast was relaxed. In more recent times however, it became the tradition for young girls in service to make a Simnel cake for their mothers when they visited on Mothering Sunday.
The name 'simnel' possibly comes from the Latin word 'simila', meaning fine, wheaten flour.

I hope that you give this cake a try. I think there is something special about eating food that 
has a history and is tied into the feast for which it is made. Try to make and eat it at any other time of year, and it doesn't quite taste the same!

For the cake

(from Mary Berry)

100g glacé cherries
225g unsalted butter, at room temperature
225g light muscovado sugar
4 large eggs, at room temperature
225g self-raising flour, sifted
225g sultanas
100g currants
50g chopped candied peel
2 lemons, grated zest only
2 tsp ground mixed spice

For the filling and topping

450g marzipan
1-2 tbsp apricot jam, warmed and sieved 

1 egg, beaten

Preheat the oven to 150C / 280F / Gas 2. Grease and line a 20cm/ 8in cake tin with baking paper.

1.Cut the cherries into quarters, and rinse under running water in a sieve. Drain well, and dry thoroughly on kitchen paper.

2. Put the cherries in a large bowl with remaining cake ingredients and beat well until thoroughly mixed. Pour half the mixture into the prepared tin.

3. With one-third of the marzipan, roll it out to a circle the size of the tin and then place on top of the cake mixture. Spoon the remaining mixture on top and level the surface with the back of a spoon.

4. Bake in the pre-heated oven for about 2½ hours, or until well risen, evenly brown and firm to the touch. (If you think the top is browning too quickly, cover with a layer of foil or baking paper after one hour). Leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before turning out, peel off the paper and finish cooling on a wire rack.

5.When the cake is cool, brush the top with a little of the apricot jam and roll out half of the remaining marzipan to fit the top. Press firmly on the top and using a fork, crimp around the edges.

6. Roll the remaining marzipan into 11 balls.

7. Brush the marzipan with beaten egg and arrange the marzipan balls around the edge of the cake. I like to press down lightly on them with a fork. This not only ensures that the balls are stuck down properly, but I think it adds a nice touch.
8. Brush the tops of the balls with beaten egg and then place the cake under a hot grill until the top is lightly toasted. I would recommend that you watch the cake like a hawk, because this doesn't take long, and lightly toasted can easily become burnt!