Tangy Simnel Cake with Candied Fruit Topping

By AislePrompt Test Kitchen · Reviewed by AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-05-28 · Updated 2026-05-28

A traditional British fruitcake layered with marzipan, filled with dried fruits and spices, crowned with a candied fruit topping for Mother’s Day celebration. This british-inspired desserts ready in about 130 minutes layers (226g) unsalted butter, softened, light brown sugar, large eggs 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 450 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

• 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup ground almonds
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 2 cups mixed dried fruit (currants, raisins, chopped apricots)
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 tbsp orange zest
• 1 tbsp lemon zest
• 7 oz marzipan roll
• 1/2 cup, chopped candied peel
• 1/4 cup, warmed apricot jam

Instructions

1. Step 1: Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease and line an 8-inch round cake pan with parchment paper.
2. Step 2: In a large bowl, cream 1 cup softened unsalted butter with 1 cup light brown sugar until pale and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes using an electric mixer.
3. Step 3: Beat in 4 large eggs one at a time until fully incorporated.
4. Step 4: In another bowl, sift 2 cups all-purpose flour with 1 tsp baking powder, then stir in 1/2 cup ground almonds, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg, 1 tbsp orange zest, and 1 tbsp lemon zest.
5. Step 5: Fold the dry ingredients into the butter mixture gently until combined, then stir in 2 cups mixed dried fruit until evenly distributed.
6. Step 6: Pour half the batter into the prepared pan. Roll out half the 7 oz marzipan to fit the pan’s diameter and place marzipan layer over batter.
7. Step 7: Pour remaining batter over marzipan and smooth the surface.
8. Step 8: Bake for 90-100 minutes until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan for 10 minutes then transfer to a wire rack.
9. Step 9: Roll remaining marzipan into eleven 1-inch balls and arrange on top of the cooled cake in a circle.
10. Step 10: Brush 1/4 cup warmed apricot jam over the cake and marzipan balls, then scatter 1/2 cup chopped candied peel around the marzipan balls for garnish.
11. Step 11: Let set for at least 1 hour before slicing and serving.