Simnel Cake

Simnel cake is the stuff of legends, most of them entirely unfounded in reality. The name probably comes from the Roman simla, which was one of the grades of flour available in ancient Rome. By the Middle Ages, there were references to simnel cake being baked at Easter. By the twentieth century, it had evolved into a light fruitcake with marzipan, the almond paste usually included as both decoration and a layer inside the cake. Different regions had their own versions, however, inclu