Easter Simnel Cake

Hey, Foodies!
So as you can tell from the title I have baked a Simnel cake for the Easter Sunday. This was my first time baking a simnel cake.
Fun fact is when the cake is fully decorated it has 11 mini easter eggs on them. Why do you ask? Well, there were 12 disciples and when Judas betrayed Jesus he was cut out so there are 11 eggs to identify the 11 disciples.

Ingredients:
6oz (175g) butter
6oz (175g) caster sugar
3 eggs
8oz (225g) flour
rind 1/2 lemon
rind 1/2 orange
a little bit of orange juice
225g (1/2lb) of sultanas
225g raisins
50g (1/2 lb) mixed peel
475g almond paste
apricot jam (heated and passed through a sieve.
225g white roll icing

Method:

1. Line the 8" cake tin.

2. Cream the butter and sugar. Beat in the eggs slowly adding in a little flour if the mixture begins to curdle. Fold in the remaining flour and spice. (I just added a teaspoon of mixed spice)

3. Pour the orange juice and the rinds on top of the dried and mix well.

4.Add the cake batter to the fruits and mix well by hand. Pour half into the prepared tin and then set the circle of almond paste on top.

5. Press down firmly and then place the remainder of the mixture on top.

6. Bake in a slow oven 2-2 1/2 hours. 130*C/300*F. Cool tin

7. Brush the top of cooled cake apricot glaze. Use the remaining almond paste to cover the top of the cake make the 11 balls around the outside of the cake. And finally, put a yellow ribbon on the cake.

That's it! Hope you enjoy the post! And I wish you all a Happy Safe Easter! See you all next week!
PB x