Lemon Drizzle Simnel Slices

Lemon drizzle meets almondy simnel cake in this Easter traybake.

Good food magazine March 2019

Oil, for the tin

250 g butter, softened

250 g golden caster sugar, 50 g for the topping

2 large lemon, zested and juiced

3 large eggs

200 g plain flour

100 g ground almonds

2.5 tsp baking powder

50 ml milk

100 g mixed dried fruit

300 g marzipan, chilled

50 g icing sugar

Heat oven to 180c/160c fan/gas 4.  Oil and line a 20cm x 30cm baking tin with parchment.

Beat the butter and sugar with most of the lemon zest until pale and fluffy.  Add the egg one at a time, mixing constantly, then add the flour, almond and baking powder, and keep mixing until you have smooth cake batter.  Stir in the milk and dried fruit.

Scrape half the cake batter into the tin and level the surface.  Coarsely grate half the marzipan onto the batter the create an even layer, then cover with the rest of the batter, trying not to disturb the marzipan too much. Level the top and bake for 35-40 min until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.

Mix the remaining caster sugar with a quarter of the lemon juice, then drizzle over the cake while still warm.  Leave the cake to cool in the tin.

Mix the icing sugar with enough lemon juice to make a drizzly icing --- 2-3 tsp should be enough.  Divide the rest of the marzipan into 11 even lump and roll into balls.  Drizzle the icing the cake, top with the marzipan balls and sprinkle with remaining lemon zest.

With keep in an airtight container for up to five days.