Mini Simnel Muffins

I started my Easter baking today with these Mini Simnel Muffins, which are a twist on the traditional Simnel Cake that I bake every year for Easter. These muffins are light, moist, packed with gorgeous vine fruits and gooey nuggets of marzipan baked within which melt deliciously into the fruit. The top of each muffin is then decorated with a blanket of marzipan and adorned with lovely spring sugar flowers!

Mini Simnel Muffins

Makes 12

Ingredients
175g butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
175g caster sugar
3 medium eggs
225g plain flour, sifted
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp mixed spice
350g luxury mixed dried fruit
100g chopped walnuts or almonds
Grated zest and juice of 1 orange
50g natural almond paste, cubed

For the decoration
Icing sugar, to dust
250g natural almond paste
Small sugar flowers

Preheat the oven to 160°C/fan140°C/gas 3 and lightly grease a 12 x 125ml muffin tin or mould. Beat the butter, sugar, eggs and flour in a mixing bowl until smooth. Add the baking powder, spice, fruit and nuts, orange zest and juice, and mix well. Divide between the muffin holes and push in the almond paste pieces. Bake for 40 minutes or until golden and firm. Cool for 20 minutes, then remove from the tin and set aside on a wire rack.

To decorate, dust a work top with icing sugar. Thinly roll out 250g almond paste. Press out 12 rounds with a 7cm fluted cutter (re-roll the trimmings). Press on each cake and decorate with sugar flowers.