Mel’s Simple Simnel Cupcakes
Alison Owens
It wouldn’t be Easter without Simnel cake and these buns are a cheats version of the original recipe (I do love a short cut – less time cooking, means more time left for sewing!).
Makes 18
12 oz mincemeat
3 eggs
5 oz caster sugar
5oz butter/margarine
8 oz self raising flour
Zest and juice of an orange
1 pack of marzipan
2½ oz icing sugar
Mini eggs to decorate
18 paper cases
1. Measure mincemeat, eggs, sugar, butter, flour and zest into a large bowl and beat well, until combined.
2. Pop a spoonful of cake mixture into each paper case (use just under half of the mixture). Roll 18 small balls of marzipan (roughly ¼ oz is about right for size). Flatten each ball into a disc and pop them on top of the mixture. Spoon the remaining mixture on top of the marzipan.
3. Bake at at 160c for about 25 mins (until golden and springy), leave to cool on a wire rack.
4. Roll out the remaining marzipan and cut 18 circles, stick to the cooled buns using a little warmed jam.
5. Mix the icing sugar with about 1tbsp of the orange juice and pipe or drizzle over the top to decorate, before finishing with a mini egg.
Happy Easter!