As Mother’s Day is coming up, it’s time to reflect on this tradition and go back to its Christian roots. It’s true that Mother’s Day is a modern American invention. However, the day was originally Mothering Sunday, a day honouring Mother Churches. It is a day celebrated since the Middle Ages in the United Kingdom, Ireland and some Commonwealth countries which falls on the fourth Sunday in Lent. On this day, Christians have traditionally visited their Mother Church, the church at which they were baptised. During the early modern period, Mothering Sunday became a holiday, where maids and servants were allowed to visit their Mother Church. This often meant the chance to visit the family and in the UK it became a tradition to bring the mother a gift. This gift became Simnel cake, a rich fruit cake (which means it keeps well) with a marzipan (almond paste) centre and a marzipan topping. Celebrating a Christian even these cakes were invariably decorated with twelve marzipan balls, representing Christ and the Apostles (minus Judas). This is a modern version of that traditional cake that is quick to make and does not require maturing.
Prep time 30 minutes/Cook Time 150 minutes/Serves 10-12 (plus over-night soaking)
Ingredients:
225g (1/2 lb) sultanas
100g (3 1/2 oz) currants
50g (1 3/4 oz) mixed peel
Finely-grated zest of 2 lemons
juice of 1 lemon
50ml (3 tbsp) orange juice
50ml (2 tbsp) brandy (optional)
225g (1/2 lb) butter, softened
225g (1/2 lb) light muscovado sugar
4 medium eggs
225g (1/2 lb) self-raising flour
100g glacé (3 1/2 oz) cherries, quartered
2 tsp mixed spice (pumpkin pie spice)
For the topping
500g (1 lb) yellow marzipan
1 tbsp apricot jam
Method:
Combine the sultanas, currants and mixed peel in a bowl with the lemon juice, lemon zest, orange juice, and brandy (if using). Mix well, cover and leave to soak overnight
Pre-heat your oven to 150C (130C fan/300F/gas mark 2). Line the base and sides of a 20cm (8 in) round cake tin with baking parchment.
Add the remainder 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 18cm (7 in) in diameter and put it on the top. Gently add the rest of the cake mixture, levelling the surface again.
Transfer to the centre of your pre-heated oven and bake for approximately 150 minutes until nicely browned, well-risen and firm to the touch. A metal skewer should come out clean when inserted. Allow to cool for 20 minutes 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 remainder of the marzipan into 12 balls (these represent Christ and the loyal 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.
