Super Simnel Muffins!

These are my husband's favourite.  They have a hidden layer of marzipan and we prefer them with no icing!  Once tasted, you will never use another recipe again...

 Simnel Muffins with Orange Icing.

Makes 12 large muffins

Ingredients
250g mixed dried fruit
Grated zest and juice of 1 orange
175g softened butter
175g golden caster sugar (but white works too)
3 eggs
300g self-raising flour
1tsp mixed spice
1/2 tsp nutmeg
5tbsp milk
175g marzipan

Icing
200g icing sugar
2bsp orange juice for mixing
Mini eggs for decoration.

• Preheat oven to 180C/Gas mark 4.  Line a muffin tin with 12 muffin cases.

• Tip fruit and orange juice (plus zest) into a bowl and leave to soak for an hour or heat in the microwave, on medium, for 2 minutes.  

• Roll the marzipan into a log and cut into 12 pieces.  Shape each piece into a disc to put in the middle of each muffin.

•  Beat together butter, sugar, eggs, flour, spices and milk until light and fluffy.  Then add the fruit and stir gently.

• Half fill each muffin case with the mixture and add a marzipan disk to each muffin.  Add another spoon of mixture on top of the marzipan and make sure it is  to covered. 

• Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes, until they have risen, are golden brown and firm to the touch.

• You can make orange icing by beating the icing sugar and 2 tbsp of orange juice and top with mini-eggs or try sugared violets. 

 Happy Easter everybody!

Recipe adapted from The National Trust's Scrummy Simnel Muffins: 2014