Vegan Simnel Cake Food

VEGAN SIMNEL CAKE

Steps:

• Mix the soya milk with the lemon juice in a jug and set aside for a few minutes to thicken. Cut 150g of the marzipan from the larger block. Roll this out on a work surface lightly dusted with icing sugar until it's just slightly smaller than the base of a 23cm cake tin. Using the dairy-free spread, butter a 23cm springform cake tin and line with a double layer of baking parchment. Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4.
• Mix the dried fruit, lemon zest, chopped cherries and orange zest and juice together in a large bowl, tossing a few times until well combined.
• Beat the vegan spread with the brown sugar until pale using an electric whisk, then add the flour, almonds, baking powder, spices and vanilla. Tip in the milk mixture until you have a smooth batter. Fold in the fruit along with a pinch of salt and any juice from the bowl until well combined - don't worry if the batter looks slightly curdled.
• Spoon half the batter into the prepared tin, then gently smooth the surface with the back of the spoon and top with the round of marzipan. Spoon over the remaining batter and smooth the surface again. Bake for 30 mins, then reduce the oven to 150C/130C fan/gas 2 and bake for another 1 hr 45 mins-2 hrs, or until a skewer comes out clean and the cake is well-risen and firm. Carefully remove from the tin and leave to cool completely on a wire rack. Cut into slices to serve. Will keep for two weeks in an airtight container.
• Brush the warm apricot jam over the cooled cake. Cut a 200g piece from the remaining marzipan and roll it out again as before. Cut out a 23cm circle using the base of the cake tin as a guide. Use the rolling pin to help you lift the marzipan circle over the cake and gently press it onto the surface (the apricot jam will help it stick). Divide the remaining marzipan into 11 pieces and roll into balls. Use a little more jam to stick the balls around the edge of the cake - these represent the 12 apostles, minus Judas. If you like, use a kitchen blowtorch to slightly burnish the marzipan balls and topping until just golden (do this carefully so they don't burn).

SIMNEL CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 150 degrees Celsius Grease and line a 20 cm round deep cake tin with double thickness of baking (parchment) paper.
• Sift flour, nutmeg, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt into a bowl. Stir in the zest, cherries, peel, sultanas, raisins, and currants.
• Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in the eggs, adding a little extra flour if the mixture begins to curdle. Add the flour and fruit mix and milk and mix to a soft dropping consistency. Spread just over half of the mixture in the tin.
• On a surface dusted with icing sugar, roll out 200 g almond paste to a 19 cm circle. Place on top of the mixture in the tin. Spoon in the rest of the mixture. Level the top and make a slight dent in the centre. Bake for 2 3/4 hours, or until golden and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Cool in the tin.
• For the decoration, dust the work surface with icing sugar. Knead a little yellow colouring into 350 g almond paste, then cut off 50 g and set aside. Roll out the remainder into a 20 cm circle. Brush the top of the cake with the jam and put the almond paste on top. Crimp the edges.
• Take the remaining almond paste and divide into 5 pieces. Dust your hands with icing sugar and roll each piece into an egg shape. Arrange on the cake with the violets.

SIMNEL CAKE

Steps:

• Put the sultanas, currants and mixed peel in a bowl with the lemon juice, orange juice, and brandy, if using. Mix well, cover and leave to soak overnight.
• Heat the oven to 150C/130C fan/gas 2. Line the base and sides of a 20cm round cake tin with baking parchment.
• Add the rest of the cake ingredients to the soaked fruit and stir until well combined. Spoon half of this mixture into the bottom of the cake tin and level it off so it's as flat as possible. Roll a third of the marzipan into a circle 20cm diameter and put it on the top. Gently add the rest of the mixture, levelling the surface again.
• Bake for approximately 2½ hours until brown, well-risen and firm to the touch. A metal skewer should come out clean when inserted. Allow to cool for 20 mins in the tin and then turn out to cool on a wire rack.
• Warm the apricot jam in a small saucepan and brush on the top of the cake. Roll out half of the remaining marzipan to the size of the top of the cake. Press it down firmly and push the edges down with your thumb to crimp it round the sides.
• Roll the rest of the marzipan into 11 balls (these represent the Apostles). Place the balls evenly on top of the cake in a circle, sticking them down with a little dab of the jam. Gently blow torch the top of the cake until the balls are a light golden brown, alternatively put the whole cake under a hot grill until the marzipan turns a light golden colour.