At Easter we enjoy flowers and cake!
Posted:17 April 2014
Easter in the Garden House is all about spring flowers, about potting on seedlings and preparing the ground for planting – it’s also about Simnel cake which we love (see our favourite recipe below!).
Margaret’s Easter Cake (Frangipane/Almond Cake)
Our friend Margaret passed away recently; she had been gardening at The Garden House for many years as one of the regular ‘Friday group’ of women who keep this wonderful garden looking at its best. Margaret’s particular gardening loves were roses, knot gardens and garden history.
We love Margaret’s delicious version of the traditional Simnel cake; a cake typically eaten during the Easter period in Great Britain, Ireland and some other countries.
For the base:
- 8oz rich shortcrust pastry (use ready-made Jus-Rol sweet shortcrust)
- Apricot jam or conserve
For the cake mixture:
- 4oz ground almonds
- 4oz caster sugar
- 4oz unsalted butter
- 1 tbls plain flour
- 2 medium eggs
- Orange flower essence (optional)
For the almond paste topping:
- 8oz ground almonds
- 8oz caster sugar and icing sugar (roughly half/half each)
- 1 medium egg
- 1tsp lemon juice
Method Cake:
- Medium oven 150c or gas mark 4
- Roll out pastry and line an 8” tart tin (no need to pre-bake)
- Coat bottom of tart with apricot jam or conserve (about 1 tbls)
- To make cake mixture, beat the sugar into the softened butter
- Fold in almonds and flour, then gradually add in eggs beating as you add
- Add a few drops orange flower essence (optional)
- Pour mixture into tart and cook for approx 40-45 mins
- Set aside to cool
Method Almond paste topping:
- Sift icing sugar into a bowl, add caster sugar and ground almonds, mix together
- Stir in the beaten egg and 1 tsp lemon juice to make a fairly stiff lump
- Cut off a piece and make 12 small balls of paste (eleven marzipan balls represent the true disciples of Jesus; Judas is omitted – in some variations Christ is also represented, by a ball placed at the centre. We suggest, to make cutting easier, use twelve balls around the edge)
- Smooth the remaining paste over the cooled cake
- To finish, giving that slightly ‘toasted’ colour, put under the grill or back in the oven for 2/3 minutes until lightly browned.
Spring in The Garden House:
