Simnel Muffins

This is a slight variation on the traditional Easter Simnel cake. Instead of the top being covered with marzipan, there is a layer of marzipan inside each cake.

Recipe

Makes 12

Ingredients
250g mixed dried fruit
Grated zest and juice of 1 medium orange (reserve 2tbsp juice for the icing)
175g butter, softened
175g golden caster sugar
3 large eggs, beaten
300g self-raising flour
1 tsp mixed spice
1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
5 tbsp milk
100g marzipan, cut into 12 pieces


Decoration
200g icing sugar
2 tbsp orange juice
Mini eggs

• Put the dried fruit in a bowl and add the orange juice and zest and leave to soak for about an hour. Preheat the oven to 180C or gas mark 4 and line a 12 hole muffin tin with muffin paper cases.
• Beat together the butter, sugar, eggs, flour, spices and milk until light and fluffy. This will take about 3-5 minutes. Stir in the fruit and mix well.
• Spoon the mixture to half fill the paper cases. Roll each piece of marzipan into a ball and flatten with your thumb. Put one in each of the muffin cases and then spoon the rest of the mixture on top. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until risen and golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool completely before icing.
• Beat together the icing sugar and orange juice until well mixed. Drizzle over each muffin and decorate with mini eggs.