This muffin version of the classic English light fruit cake were traditionally baked for Mother's Day, but are now associated more with Easter. They're a big hit with lovers of marzipan. To make Easter Simnel Muffins you will need around an hour of your afternoon, 15 ingredients and some eager taste testers!
Preheat the oven to 180°C (fan 160°C, gas mark 4). Place 12 muffin tulip wraps (available from all good supermarkets) in a 12 hole muffin tin.
Step 2:
For the topping, beat the egg and stir through the flour and sugar and then add little pieces of the marzipan and put to one side. Don't worry what this looks like at this stage.
Step 3:
In a large bowl whisk together both sugars with the butter until well combined. Gradually beat in the eggs.
Step 4:
In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, bicarbonate of soda and mixed spice. Toss the fruit and cherries through the flour mixture to coat.
Step 5:
Slowly add the flour mixture and buttermilk to the mixed sugar and butter alternately and mix together until just combined.
Step 6:
Add the mixture to a large piping bag with no nozzle and fill each muffin wrap half way. Dot the 50g of marzipan over the muffins and then pipe the remaining muffin mixture into the wraps.
Step 7:
Spoon over the marzipan topping using up all the sugary liquid. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes until a cocktail stick comes out clean from the sponge, not the marzipan. Cover with foil if browning too much.
Step 8:
Remove and cool on a cooling rack.
If you like this recipe, try our chocolate Easter cake! Full recipe here
Ingredients
MetricImperial
For the Muffins
100gBillington's Unrefined Dark Muscovado Sugar
100gBillington's Unrefined Light Muscovado Sugar
120gSalted butter (at room temperature)
3Large eggs
450gAllinson's Self Raising White Flour
1.5 tspBicarbonate of soda
1 tbspMixed spice
170gDried mixed fruits
125gGlacé cherries (roughly chopped)
200mlButtermilk
50gMarzipan (cut into small pieces)
For the Topping
1Egg
1 tbspAllinson's plain white flour
25gBillington's Unrefined Dark Muscovado Sugar
175gMarzipan
Utensils
Muffin cases
Mixing bowl
Recipe Reviews
I love a twist on a classic. Gran liked these a lot and she's not usually a muffin fan.