All the delicious flavours of a traditional Simnel Cake in an easy to make cupcake size, these Mini Simnel Cakes are also gluten free and have an exciting marzipan surprise inside!
The impressive looking simnel cake, with its layers of fruitcake and marzipan, topped with lightly toasted marzipan balls has become synonymous with Easter, but did you know it was traditionally NOT an Easter treat at all, but a Mother’s Day cake?
Yep, that’s right – it used to be that young girls in domestic service would bake a simnel cake to take back home as a gift for their Mothers on Mothering Sunday, when they were traditionally given the day off.
Today though, this cake is very much seen as an Easter cake, topped with 11 marzipan balls to represent the 11 disciples (the original 12, minus Judas). Some simnel cakes also feature another ball of marzipan in the centre to represent Jesus.
But instead of making a big simnel cake this year, I thought it would be fun to make Mini Simnel Cakes – all the delicious flavours of a traditional big simnel cake in an easy to make format. These cupcake size simnel cakes could easily be made with children or for an Easter bake sale AND they have a rather fun surprise inside…a little ball of marzipan.
Of course if you wanted to, you could decorate these simnel cupcakes with a layer of marzipan (cut out with a pastry cutter) and then pop a ball of marzipan on top. But I thought it would be rather fun to hide the marzipan inside instead – and it’s super easy to do. Just fill the cupcake case half way up with cake mix, add a small ball of marzipan, and then cover with more cake mix.
These cute little cupcakes are also rather special as they are gluten free! Following on from the #FreeFromPancakes challenge last month, this month I have been challenged by the wonderful Free From Gang to create an Easter treat that is free from at least one allergen as part of the #FreeFromEaster challenge. You can find out more about the other #FreeFromEaster treats and Free From Gang bloggers at the end of this post.
To make these yummy Mini Simnel Cakes gluten free, I used the rather fabulous Free From Fairy Self Raising Flour. Vicki, who blogs at The Free From Fairy, originally developed this flour for her daughter, who was diagnosed with coeliac disease just before her third birthday. Vicki was concerned that her daughter was consuming a lot of rice in her diet (gluten free flours tend to contain rice flour). This was a particular concern as she had read lots of reports of rice containing low levels of arsenic. Not necessarily a problem if you occasionally consume rice, but if you are eating rice in some guise or other for breakfast, lunch and dinner every day, it becomes more of an issue.
Vicki, a scientist by background, turned her kitchen into a science lab, determined to create a flour that not only didn’t contain rice, but was also wholesome and nutritious and which worked as well as regular flour. A tall order, but she did it…and some!
Vicki’s flour is amazing – made from a blend of teff, sorghum and buckwheat flours, it is a source of protein and fibre and works an absolute treat in these Mini Simnel Cakes. It works exactly like regular flour, you can literally substitute it directly in a recipe and one blend does everything (she has a plain flour for all your plain flour needs and a self raising flour for anything that needs self raising flour).
I was interested to see how Vicki’s gluten free flour compared to normal gluten-containing flour, so I made two batches of these simnel cakes, one with regular self raising flour and one with Vicki’s gluten free self raising flour and the comparison was quite interesting.
Texture-wise both bakes were very similar, the ones made with gluten free flour were maybe just a tad more crumbly (but nowhere near as crumbly as other gluten free flours I’ve come across) and taste-wise the gluten free cakes actually tasted better – I was expecting them to taste a bit healthy and wholemeal, but they didn’t at all – they had an extra richness and something I can only describe as extra yumminess – I was seriously impressed!
Of course if you don’t have a gluten allergy, you can absolutely make these little simnel cupcakes with regular flour too. It works well both ways (but I really recommend using Vicki’s flour anyway for that extra flavour dimension!!).
If you want to get your hands on these fab gluten free flours Vicki sells them on her website – you can buy Free From Fairy Flour here.
Mini Simnel Cakes (Gluten Free)
Ingredients
- 200 g butter softened
- 200 g light soft brown sugar
- 4 eggs
- 200 g gluten free self raising flour (I used Free From Fairy)
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 75 g ground almonds
- 250 g dried mixed fruit and peel (I used Tesco)
- Juice and zest of 1 orange
- 120 g Marzipan rolled into 24 little balls
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180C / 160C fan/ gas mark 4 / 350F.
- Beat the sugar and butter together.
- Add the eggs one at a time and stir to combine.
- Fold in the flour gently, then add the cinnamon, almonds, dried mixed fruit, orange juice and zest and stir to mix everything together, ensuring the dried mixed fruit is well distributed.
- Place cupcake cases in a cupcake tray and put 1 tablespoon of mixture in each case. Roll the marzipan into 24 roughly equal balls and place one in each cupcake case.
- Cover the marzipan balls with 1 teaspoon of the remaining cake mixture.
- Place in your preheated oven for 15 minutes, or until golden on top.
- Remove from the oven and, when cool enough to touch, transfer to a wire rack to cool completely – or eat whilst warm!
Notes
Pin Mini Simnel Cakes for later
And here’s what the rest of the fabulous Free From Gang have been making…
Chocolate Marshmallow Crispie Squares – Nathalie at The Intolerant Gourmand
Berry Breakfast Easter Nests – Emma at Free From Farmhouse
Quick Chocolate Cream Nests – Rebecca at Glutarama
Easter Rocky Road – Nova at Cherished By Me
Hot Cross Bun Chocolate Rolls – Vicki at The Free From Fairy
No Bake Creme Egg Biscuit Cake – Kate at Gluten Free Alchemist
Mini Eggs White Chocolate Fudge – Grace at Eats Amazing
And coming soon, exciting #FreeFromEaster treats from…
Laura at Dairy Free Kids
Mel at Le Coin De Mel
And if you like my Mini Simnel Cakes then do come back on Tuesday, when I will be sharing another #FreeFromEaster treat!
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Mandy says
These sound seriously good Eb – I want to make them right now! Except I made flapjacks yesterday and have just made 18 fairy cakes for the school bake sale so that’s probably enough baked goods for now, right? Maybe tomorrow!
Eb Gargano says
Definitely tomorrow! 😀 Thanks for the kind comments. Eb x
Vicki Montague says
What a lovely review! Thank you so much Eb…I am truly touched and so pleased you liked the flour so much. My mum who is able to eat gluten prefers to bake with my self raising flour as it gives better rise (due to double acting raising agents)!
Eb Gargano says
You are welcome 🙂 It’s a great product…I expect to see it in all the major supermarkets before long 😀 I didn’t notice a significant difference in the rise, but the flavour was sooo much better 🙂 Eb x
Rebecca says
Loving these, so simple for the kiddies to make too. Oh! Hang on one moment! Tis Mothers Day this weekend, guess what Mummy wants…..
Eb Gargano says
Hahaha – better leave my recipe open on your computer so they take the hint! This is a great recipe to make with kids…and my two really liked them…I wasn’t sure if they’d go for it (they are not big fans of raisins etc.), but they wolfed them down! And the secret marzipan centre was a big hit!! My son even asked if he could take one in for his teacher as she has a gluten allergy – bless him. Thanks for your lovely comments 🙂 Eb x
Laura says
These look divine! I must make a df version with df margarine.
Eb Gargano says
Thanks Laura – let me know how it goes if you try it! 🙂 Eb x
Kate - gluten free alchemist says
Love these Eb. Perfect Easter flavours too. I hate using most commercial GF flour blends (which is why I generally blend my own mixes)….. most of them use way too much rice flour and are gritty and gross. So it is lovely to see Vicki’s alternative out there and good to see gluten-eaters using it too! Lovely review xx
Eb Gargano says
Thanks Kate – Vicki’s flour is great! Really nice and none of the dryness/grittyness you normally find in commercial blends. I imagine your own bespoke mixes are great too 🙂 Eb x
Monika Dabrowski says
I never had simnel cake before but these mini cakes sound delicious, sweet and fruity and I love the idea of hiding a marzipan ball inside! The perfect Easter treat:)
Eb Gargano says
You’ve never had simnel cake? Oh you have missed out – you have to try it! The flavours are amazing!! Eb x
Kat (The Baking Explorer) says
I bet it is far too easy to much your way through several of these fab little cakes!
Eb Gargano says
Hahahaha – yep, me too! Eb x
Midge says
These look lovely! We are big fans of Vicki’s flour too and your right it does add something extra to the taste!
Eb Gargano says
Thanks Midge…yeah, I know there is definitely an extra flavour dimension going on there isn’t there? And in a really good way! I was expecting it to taste a bit healthy and wholemeal but actually it’s more like an extra richness and yummyness. The regular gluteny ones were definitely not quite as delicious (they were still pretty good though!) Eb x
Angela / Only Crumbs Remain says
Ooh these sound (& look) absolutely scrummy Eb. I love marzipan so having that little ball of yumminess nestled in the centre of them is a winner for me.
It certainly sounds like I’m going to have to try some of Vicki’s flour after your side-by-side Eb. I have to confess that up until now when I bake with GF flours I just use the supermarket’s blend. It must have been somewhat alarming for Vicki (and other parents of children with gluten intolerances) to realise that rice contains arsenic (something that I only learnt a few short weels ago!)
Angela x
Eb Gargano says
Oh yes, you should do a proper side-by-side Angela…mine was a bit impromptu! You would do it justice…I can imagine trying normal flour, Vicki’s flour and a regular GF flour from the supermarket would be fascinating! I don’t think the arsenic levels are very high…so for most people it’s probably not going to be an issue (or else rice would be banned, I would imagine!) But I think the problem is it can build up in the body over time and, if you are eating it a lot, that can cause a problem later down the line…Eb x
Sarah James @ Tales From The Kitchen Shed says
Delicious Eb, I love marzipan any time of the year. I tend to steer clear of gluten free flours as the ones I’ve tried in the past have been disappointing but I really like the sound of the flavours in Vicki’s flour.
Eb Gargano says
Oh you have to try Vicki’s flour – it’s so different from normal GF flours. It works brilliantly…almost the same texture as regular flour (a touch more crumbly, but not at all dry and a good rise) and the flavour is actually better! Eb x
Ohmummymia says
I love it? something sweet and healthy. I’m gluten and dairy free so it’s another recipe for me which I will save ☺
#brillblogposts
Eb Gargano says
Aw, thanks! Glad to have made a recipe that you can eat. Hope you enjoy them, if you make them! 🙂 Eb x
emma says
What a lovely idea. I love marzpan but I think I’ve only had Simnel cake once in my life!
Eb Gargano says
Aw, thanks! Oh if you are a marzipan fan then you have to make these Emma! They are easy to do – great to make with the kids – and that yummy marzipan centre…! 😀 Eb x
Nico @ yumsome says
Weirdly enough, I was thinking of making mini simnel cakes, but covered in marzipan with wee balls on top… your idea is so much more sensible and do-able, Eb! LOL!
Eb Gargano says
That was actually my original plan, but then I got the idea of hiding the marzipan inside the cupcakes and thought that would be even more fun! Plus it’s even quicker and easier 😀 Eb x
Helen Costello says
I bet the marzipan is such a wonderful treat in the centre of these super cute cakes! Simnel cake is one of my favourite bakes of the year. Thanks so much for joining in with #bakeoftheWeek
Eb Gargano says
Aw, thanks Helen – the marzipan centre is a very lovely treat! Eb x
Jenny Paulin says
Eb I am so sorry that I completely forgot to comment on your little cakes! I retweeted them but never popped over to see them properly. I am so sorry about that *slaps wrists*
I love marzipan in baking and I love how you have adapted such a classic Easter inspired recipe to maker something unique and delicious.
Thank you for linking to #Bakeoftheweek x
Eb Gargano says
Hahaha – don’t worry…thanks for popping over now though! Marzipan is fab, isn’t it? And it is so fun finding the secret ball of marzipan inside 🙂 My kids couldn’t get enough of these…and they usually don’t like dried fruit!! Eb x
Honest Mum says
These look utterly perfect. Yay for the Free From Fairy Flour too which is brilliant! x
Eb Gargano says
Aw, thanks sweetie – they are super yummy. And yes, Vicki’s flour is totally fab!! Eb x
Mel says
I’ve never had Simnel cake but I love Marzipan and your little cakes look perfect in every way! I’d love to try one of these babies with a cuppa!
Eb Gargano says
Oh you have to try simnel cake…it’s amazing! And the little balls of marzipan in the middle go so well…rather wishing I had some to eat right now!! Eb x
Cherished By Me says
I was so sold at the marzipan but they look amazing too! What a great idea and a treat to find a ball of marzipan inside. Mmmm, another recipe to get the children baking for Easter!
Eb Gargano says
Haha…I know what you mean. Marzipan is sooo good! And it is lots of fun to find a little ball of marzipan inside. Lots of fun for kids to make too! Eb x
Annie says
Hello
I wanted to let you know that I made these delicious buns yesterday and my family loved them. So pleased to have found a gluten free sweet bun recipe which doesn’t actually taste like it’s gluten free!
Thank you
Eb Gargano says
Hi Annie. Thanks so much for this lovely comment – I am so pleased you enjoyed this recipe! Eb 🙂