Name: Raspberry, Orange and Almond Simnel Cake recipe
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 85 min
Yield: 11
Cuisine: british, greek
Ingredients: 1 orange large; 1/2 cup sultanas; 1/2 cup mixed peel; 150 g unsalted butter room temperature; 3/4 cup caster sugar; 4 eggs; 1 cup plain flour; 1 1/2 cups almond meal; 1 tbs baking powder; 1 1/2 cups frozen raspberries defrosted; 500 g marzipan; 11 white chocolate truffles

by Greer Worsley Last updated on 08/06/2019

Traditionally a fruit cake filled and topped with a layer of almond paste, this lighter version of the symbolic Easter cake has been decorated with 11 white chocolate truffles, reminiscent of the marzipan balls historically used to represent the 12 apostles, minus Judas. - Greer Worsley

Ingredients

1 orange large
1/2 cup sultanas
1/2 cup mixed peel
150 g unsalted butter room temperature
3/4 cup caster sugar
4 eggs
1 cup plain flour
1 1/2 cups almond meal
1 tbs baking powder
1 1/2 cups frozen raspberries defrosted
500 g marzipan
11 white chocolate truffles

Method

Step 1

Preheat oven to 180C (160 degrees fan-forced). Grease and line the base and sides of a 20-22cm springform cake tin.
Step 2

Remove zest from the orange, then juice it to yield half a cup. Pour over sultanas and mixed peel in a bowl and allow to soak for 10 minutes.
Step 3

Meanwhile, cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well between each addition. Fold through flour, almond meal and baking powder. Add soaked sultanas and mixed peel with the juice, zest and raspberries, and fold until just combined.
Step 4

Roll out one packet of marzipan between two sheets of baking paper to form a circle the same size as your cake tin. Pour half the batter into prepared tin. Gently place marzipan circle onto batter, then pour over remaining batter and smooth the top. Bake for approximately 1 hour until a skewer inserted partially into the top comes out clean. Allow to cool in the tin.
Step 5

Roll out second packet of marzipan to the same diameter as the cake. Remove cake from tin and place on serving platter. Drape marzipan over the top of the cake and smooth down. Place truffles evenly around the edge of the cake. Decorate with extra Easter eggs as desired.

Recipe Notes

from Australia’s Best Recipes team

The marzipan in the centre of the cake will look like uncooked cake batter on your skewer, so insert it only a couple of centimetres and at an angle in order to test if the cake is cooked.

You could use store-bought fondant icing rather than marzipan on the top of the cake if you prefer.

I used Lindt balls for the truffles, but you could choose something similar, or even make your own.

This recipe was created and photographed by Greer Worsley for Australia's Best Recipes.