Sinful Chocolate Simnel Cake


   Firstly, I've never even tried Simnel cake but, since writing a piece on the history of it for my food writing class, I now know a fair bit about it. Enough to know that the chocolate Simnel cake I made breaks all the rules...sorry Simnel cake purists!

   There's no fruit and there aren't 11 balls of toasted marzipan representing the 11 apostles (minus Judas).  Instead, I went for a 4 layered chocolate malt sponge, sandwiched between layers of chocolate fudge buttercream, covered in more chocolate fudge buttercream, topped with mini eggs, malteser bunnies and a little dusting of gold stars.
This is the same recipe I used for my malteser bunny cupcakes, just doubled up to make the 4 layers.

Chocolate malt sponge (makes 2 layers):

     115g unsalted butter, softened
     115g caster sugar
     2 eggs, lightly beaten
     1 teaspoon vanilla extract
     115g self raising flour, sifted (replace 2 tablespoons with chocolate malt powder)
     1 tablespoon milk

Chocolate buttercream:

     250g unsalted butter, softened
     500g icing sugar
     100g dark chocolate (at least 70% cocoa solid), melted and cooled

Mini eggs and malteser bunnies for decoration.
  • Preheat the oven to 180 degrees and grease 2 8 inch round sandwich tins (I used Dr. Oetker's cake release spray).
  • Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
  • Slowly add the egg, a spoon at a time, lightly beating after each addition. Add the vanilla extract.
  • Using a metal spoon, gently fold in the sifted flour and chocolate malt, before adding the milk.
  • Divide between the two sandwich tins and bake for 15 minutes.
  • Repeat these steps again so that you have the four layers.
  • For the buttercream, melt the chocolate in the microwave or over a bain marie.
  • Beat the icing sugar and butter together in a stand mixer and add the melted chocolate once slightly cooled.

12 comments

  1. Those gold stars look so pretty :) Are they edible too? xx

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    1. They're non toxic, so you can eat them but technically not edible! I seem to put them on a lot of my bakes now!

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  2. What a lovely looking cake...it looks very decadent and I love the little Malteaser bunnies on the top! :-)

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  3. This looks delicious, and the bunnies are so cute :)

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  4. It's like you just read my mind, I've been thinking about making a very similar cake this week. This looks sooooo good.

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    1. Oh, Jo! It really is so fun to make, hope you do!

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  5. What a great looking (and sounding!) cake :)

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  6. I've just found your blog and I adore it! Great name and exactly the same interests as me! Great names, great minds.
    This is a really cute take on the traditional. I looove those Malteaser bunnies!

    Sophie xx

    www.laviesophie.com

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    Replies
    1. Thanks Sophie, love your blog too. Your pizza pops are so cute!

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