Best 2 Mothering Cake Recipes
The traditional Mothering Cake is a sweet, fruity treat with historical origins in the United Kingdom. It is celebrated on Mothering Sunday, a day to honor and celebrate mothers which falls on the fourth Sunday of Lent. This special cake is known for its moist and flavorful texture, created by a combination of dried fruits, spices, and a hint of citrus. Typically made with self-raising flour, butter, sugar, eggs, and a variety of dried fruits such as currants, raisins, and sultanas, the Mothering Cake is a symbolic gesture of appreciation for motherhood and the love shared within families. The cake is often decorated with almonds, flaked coconut, or candied fruits, adding a festive and colorful touch to the occasion.
Here are our top 2 tried and tested recipes!
TRADITIONAL BRITISH MOTHERING SUNDAY SIMNEL CAKE
A wonderul spiced & fruited cake which heralds the advent of Spring. I used to make one for my Mum every year, when I lived in England! Traditionally made to mark Mothering Sunday, this cake is also known as an Easter Cake; Simnel cake has a fascinating cultural heritage with roots that stretch back to the Romans and Athenians. In Britain, known as the Shrewsbury Simnel, it is simply made using white flour, fragrant spices and is generously studded with dried fruits and pungent peel. Like a Christmas cake, it is covered with pale sweet almond paste. The decoration is plain - eleven little balls of smooth paste which represent the apostles (omitting Judas). A specially baked simnel cake is a wonderful gift to take to your mother, for Mothering Sunday Tea Time. Decorate it with crystalised flowers and tie some yellow ribbon around the side.
Provided by French Tart
Categories Dessert
Time 2h
Yield 1 Simnel Cake, 6-8 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 16
Steps:
- CHECK LIST: a sifter, nest of bowls, food processor or electric beater, spatula, wooden spoon, 24 cm round cake tin, baking paper, brown paper and twine, rolling pin, thin metal skewer.
- STAGE 1.
- To make your own almond paste you will need a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Don't be tempted to use store-bought almond paste because it contains lots of sugar and few almonds, it will turn to liquid under the grill.
- Place icing sugar and almonds in food processor bowl. Process, slowly dripping in egg yolk, orange juice and almond essence. The mixture should form a pliable paste.
- Set aside a small portion for balls with which to decorate the cake.
- Roll out the remaining paste into 2 circles which are the approximate size of the tin. Set aside.
- STAGE 2.
- Preheat oven to 160°C/320°F.
- Use a sturdy non-stick cake tub or line the buttered base with baking paper. As the baking period is long (1-1 1/2 hours), prevent the cake drying out by wrapping a double thickness of brown paper around the pan and securing it with twine.
- Sift flour, salt and spices together, then stir in fruit and peel.
- Cream butter and sugar thoroughly until light and creamy then beat in eggs one at a time, until the mixture is fluffy. (Reserve a drop of egg yolk for brushing over top layer of almond paste.).
- Stir flour and fruit into creamed mixture (you may need to add a little milk to give the mixture a dropping consistency).
- STAGE 3.
- Place half the mixture into a greased and lined cake tin.
- Place one pre-rolled round of almond paste over the top.
- Cover with remaining cake mixture. Before baking the cake, give the pan of mixture a sharp tap on to a firm surface. This settles the mixture and prevents holes from forming in the cake.
- Bake in the centre of the oven for 1-1 1/4 hours or until a thin metal skewer inserted in the centre of the cake comes out without a trace of stickiness.
- Level the cake by placing a weighted plate on top of the cooked cake while it is still hot.
- Turn out cake on to a wire rack after leaving it to settle in the cake tin for between 10 and 15 minutes. Peel off paper and leave to cool completely.
- STAGE 4.
- Cover the top of the cake with a second round of almond paste. Roll 11 small balls of paste and place evenly around the top of the cake. Brush the top with a little beaten egg and very lightly brown under the grill until the almond paste turns light golden brown.
- Remove and leave to cool.
MOTHERING CAKE
During the 1600s, England commemorated a day called Mothering Sunday, as celebrated on the 4th Sunday of Lent in honour of the mothers of England. Class structures were abandoned on Mothering Sunday and servants would have the day off from their duties. All were encouraged to return home and spend the day with their mothers. A special cake, called the mothering cake, was often brought along to provide a festive touch for the occasion. This flour-less cake recipe is not for novice bakers, and it is rumored to be the current Queen Mother's favorite chocolate cake. Try it out on your Mum this Mother's Day, as she is your Queen for a Day!
Provided by Millereg
Categories Dessert
Time 1h55m
Yield 1 Mothering Cake, 6-8 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- Toast almonds in a single layer on a cookie sheet in a 350°F degree oven for about 15 minutes or until the almonds are lightly colored and fragrant.
- Make sure to shake the pan occasionally to turn almonds while toasting.
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Spray the bottom of a 9-inch spring form pan with a non-stick cooking spray.
- Dust lightly with flour or, preferably, very fine, dry breadcrumbs.
- Shake out any excess and set prepared pan aside.
- Warm chopped chocolate in the top of a small double boiler over warm water set at moderate heat.
- Cover until partially melted, and then stir until smooth.
- Set aside to cool to room temperature.
- Reserve ½ cup sugar and place the remaining ¼ cup sugar with the almonds in a food processor or blender and chop until nuts are fine and powdery; set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl beat the butter until soft.
- Add ¼ cup of sugar and reserve the remaining ¼ cup sugar for use later.
- Beat sugar and butter until thoroughly combined.
- Add the egg yolks, one at a time, and continue to beat until smooth.
- Add the melted chocolate and blend on low speed until combined.
- Add almonds and continue to beat mixture on a low speed setting.
- In a clean bowl with clean beaters, beat the egg whites with salt and lemon juice.
- Start on low speed and gradually increase until the egg whites hold a soft shape.
- Reduce speed again and add remaining ¼ cup sugar.
- Then on high speed, beat egg whites until soft peaks form.
- Gently fold the egg whites into the chocolate mixture about one-third at a time until blended.
- Pour the cake batter into the prepared spring form pan and quickly rotate to level the batter.
- Bake for 20-minutes at 375°F, then reduce heat to 350°F and continue to bake an additional 50-minutes.
- Remove cake from pan when cooled, after about 1 hour.
- ****ICING****.
- Scald the heavy cream in a saucepan over medium heat until a thin skin forms on the top.
- Add the espresso or coffee powder and whisk to dissolve.
- Add the chocolate and whisk to dissolve, for about a minute or two.
- Remove from heat and continue to stir to finish melting the chocolate.
- Let icing cool for about 15 minutes, and then pour over the top of the cake, starting at the center.
- Gently push the icing with a spatula over the sides to dribble down the cake.
- Top with shaved chocolate or whipped cream just prior to serving.
- A fresh strawberry is an optional garnish with each served slice.
Tips:
- Use fresh, high-quality ingredients. This will make a big difference in the flavor of your cake.
- Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. This will help to incorporate air into the batter, making the cake light and airy.
- Gradually add the eggs to the creamed mixture. Beating well after each addition.
- Sift the dry ingredients together before adding them to the batter. This will help to prevent lumps.
- Do not overmix the batter. Overmixing can make the cake tough.
- Bake the cake in a preheated oven. This will help to ensure that the cake bakes evenly.
- Let the cake cool completely before frosting it. This will help to prevent the frosting from melting.
Conclusion:
Mothering cake is a delicious and versatile dessert that can be enjoyed by people of all ages. With its simple ingredients and easy-to-follow instructions, this cake is a great choice for beginner bakers. Whether you are looking for a special treat for a loved one or a simple dessert to enjoy with your family, mothering cake is sure to please. So next time you are in the mood for a sweet treat, give this classic recipe a try.
Are you curently on diet or you just want to control your food's nutritions, ingredients? We will help you find recipes by cooking method, nutrition, ingredients...
Check it out »
#weeknight #time-to-make #course #main-ingredient #cuisine #preparation #occasion #desserts #eggs-dairy #fruit #oven #european #refrigerator #potluck #dinner-party #heirloom-historical #holiday-event #kid-friendly #picnic #cakes #english #chocolate #nuts #grains #eggs #dietary #gifts #low-sodium #comfort-food #inexpensive #low-in-something #pasta-rice-and-grains #taste-mood #to-go #equipment #4-hours-or-less
You'll also love