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Spring·Medium

Simnel cake with candied Primroses

Winter is officially over. Beautiful Primroses are brightening the garden and we thought we should enjoy eating a few too.

Prep: 30 mins
Cook: 2 hours
Primrose

Ingredients

  • Primrose flowers
  • 1 egg white
  • caster sugar
  • 350g ground almonds
  • 250g Icing sugar
  • 1 tblsp lemon juice
  • 3 egg yolks
  • 250g plain flour
  • 200g soft butter
  • 200g light brown sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 200g raisins, 200g currants, 200g sultanas
  • 100g mixed chopped peel

Method

Candied primroses: mix egg white and 1 tbsp water, paint each flower, toss in caster sugar, dry in airing cupboard. Marzipan: mix 350g ground almonds and 250g icing sugar. Add 1 tbsp lemon juice and 3 beaten egg yolks, knead into stiff paste. Rest. Cake: cream 200g butter and 200g brown sugar. Beat in 3 eggs with sifted 250g flour, 0.5 tsp salt, 2 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp mixed spice. Add citrus juices, 200g each raisins, currants, sultanas, 100g mixed peel, zests. Bake in a tall 20cm tin at 150C for 2-2.5 hours. Cool, brush top with jam, add marzipan disc, glaze and decorate with candied primroses.

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