Alastair McLeod’s Easter McSimnel Cake recipe

A dash of whisky is just the shot to round out the flavours in this age-old recipe, says Alastair McLeod.

Simnel cake dates back 1000 years.

It’s understood the eleven orbs that decorate the cake represent the Twelve Apostles less Judas, for understandable reasons.

My incarnation, McSimnel Cake, is on account of the addition of a generous pour of a peaty, smoky Scottish whisky giving depth and complexity to this light fruit cake.

How this supplement sits with the solemnity of this ancient confectionary I am unsure.

Mr. Iscariot washed his hands literally and figuratively, which is darkly divinatory in this period of habitual hand hygiene.

Bake with your family this Easter, enjoy each other and the simple stuff.

This too shall pass.

McSimnel Cake by Alastair McLeod. Styling and photography by Miranda Porter.

MCSIMNEL CAKE

INGREDIENTS

325g mixed dried fruit (I used currant, raisins, sultanas and candied peel)

2 orange, zested

100ml Laphroaig whisky

500g marzipan

325g butter, softened

260g brown sugar

5 eggs

210g plain flour

130g ground almonds

1½ tsp baking powder

1 lemon

2½ tsp mixed spice

2 tsp vanilla paste

150g glacé cherries, halved

METHOD

Preheat oven to 130C. Line the base and sides of a 23cm springform tin.

Place dried fruit in a small pot with the orange zest and whisky, heat gently until the liquid has been absorbed then set aside to cool.

Roll out half the marzipan until a few millimetres thick and use the base of the cake tin as a template to cut out a circle. Wrap any offcuts with the remaining marzipan and set aside for later.

Beat butter and sugar together until creamy.

Add eggs, flour, almonds, baking powder, lemon zest, mixed spice and vanilla and mix until combined.

Mix in the cooled dried fruit and the cherries.

Scrape mixture into the lined tin and level with a spatula.

Place in preheated oven and bake for two hours. To ensure the cake is cooked, insert a skewer and if any mixture clings, return to the oven for a further 10 minutes.

Leave in the tin for 20 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack until completely cool.

Lay the disc of marzipan over the cake.

Roll the remaining marzipan into 11 equal-sized balls and arrange in a circle around the outside of the cake. Wave a blowtorch over each of the balls to gently caramelise.

Serves 12