Cardamom-Spiced Simnel Cake with Citrus Glaze
A moist, spiced fruitcake inspired by traditional Mothering Sunday treats, featuring toasted almonds and a bright citrus glaze for a festive finish. This British-inspired recipe, ready in about 70 minutes, layers all-purpose flour, baking powder, ground cardamom into a dessert worth slowing down for — great for weekend baking, holiday tables, or any time you want a sweet payoff at the end of a meal. Each serving lands at about 320 calories and feeds 8, so it slots into a weekend bake or a special-occasion dessert tray. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp ground cardamom
- 1 1/2 cups, chopped mixed dried fruit
- 1/2 cup, roughly chopped toasted almonds
- 1/2 cup, softened unsalted butter
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 tbsp orange zest
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
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Equipment for this recipe
Tools this recipe's steps call for, with a link to each on Amazon.
Instructions
- Step 1: Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 9-inch round cake pan.
- Step 2: In a bowl, whisk together 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 tsp baking powder, and 1 tsp ground cardamom.
- Step 3: In a large mixing bowl, beat 1/2 cup softened unsalted butter and 3/4 cup brown sugar until fluffy, about 3 minutes.
- Step 4: Add 3 large eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, then stir in 1 tbsp orange zest.
- Step 5: Alternately add the flour mixture and 1/4 cup milk to the butter mixture, beginning and ending with flour, mixing just until combined.
- Step 6: Fold in 1 1/2 cups chopped mixed dried fruit and 1/2 cup toasted almonds until evenly distributed.
- Step 7: Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake for 45-50 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Step 8: While the cake cools, whisk 1 cup powdered sugar with 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice until smooth to make the citrus glaze.
- Step 9: Once cooled, remove cake from pan, drizzle the glaze over the top, and let set before slicing.









