Simnel Muffins

Ingredients:

250g mixed dried fruit

grated zest and juice of 1 medium orange

175g soft butter

175g golden caster sugar

3 eggs

300g self raising flour

1tsp mixed spice

1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

5 tbsp milk

150g marzipan

2-3 tbsp icing sugar mixed to a paste with tiny amount of water

sugar flower decorations (optional)

Method:

1. Soak the fruit in the orange juice with the zest for about an hour.

2. Cream the butter and sugar together until they are light a fluffly (I used an electric mixer)

3. Add the eggs one at a time and keep beating.

4. Sieve together the flour and the spices and then add in portions alternatively with the milk (bit by bit), only stir lightly.

5. Add the fruit and orange mixture and sitr until just combined.

6. Spoon into muffin cases in a muffin pan (I used an ice-cream scoop to make them all even) The mixture makes about 15 muffins.

7. Bake at 180C or 160 fan or gas 4 for 25-30 minutes, then cool on a wire rack.

8. When the muffins are completely cool, roll out the marzipan to about the thickness of a pound coin and cut out circle with a biscuit cutter. Stick on the top of the muffins with a little icing mixture and decorate with sugar flowers if you like.