The delicious spiced fruit cake has a layer of marzipan baked inside it as well as being decorated with toasted marzipan. A Simnel cake is a type of fruit cake that contains plenty of marzipan and is eaten at Easter, although it used to be specifically associated with Mothering Sunday. Collins English Dictionary. In English history, simnel cake was prepared by servant girls for their mothers during the Mothering Sunday, the fourth Sunday of Lent. simnel cake. The celebration of Mothering Sunday began centuries ago. The name Simnel probably comes from the Latin word similawhich means a fine wheat flour usually used for baking a cake. Simnel cakes have a long history. ‘Very many thanks for a multitude of letters, and for unfailing generosity, courtesy, tea and simnel cake.’ Origin Mid 17th century simnel from Old French simenel, based on Latin simila or … In shape the Simnel cake resembled a pork pie, but in materials it was a rich plum pudding inside a stiff and hard pastry crust. I’le to thee a Simnel bring, ‘Gainst thou go’st a mothering: This occasion is when people, usually together as families, would go to the mother church to honor the patron saints and ask for blessings. Meaning of simnel cake. However, the general consensus seems to be that, in years gone by, girls in domestic service would bake a simnel cake to take home to their mothers on Mothering Sunday (also known as Simnel Sunday! The traditional Easter cake, with saffron and citrus peel and topped with marzipan, is the very essence of spring. Definition of simnel cake in the Definitions.net dictionary. In the Middle Ages, simnel actually referred to a biscuit-bread made from fine flour that was boiled and then baked. Because many families were poor and could not care for all within the poor household, younger children were sent away to live with wealthier families. The 1799 edition of Johnson’s Dictionary gives the simple definition of ‘simnel’ as ‘A kind of sweet bread or cake’, but one of the earliest mentions is in the short poem by Robert Herrick, first published in 1648:. a fruit cake containing a layer of marzipan, often coloured with saffron and topped with marzipan, traditionally eaten at Lent or Easter. It does not correspond to the Mother's Day festival in US which falls on the second Sunday in the month of May. simnel (n.) "sweet cake," c. 1200, from Old French simenel"fine wheat flour; flat bread cake, Lenten cake," probably by dissimilation from Vulgar Latin *siminellus(also source of Old High German semala"the finest wheat flour," German Semmel"a roll"), a diminutive of Latin simila"fine flour" (see semolina). The history of the simnel cake. It is distinguished by two layers of almond paste or marzipan , one in the middle and one on top. noun British a fruit cake containing a layer of marzipan, often coloured with saffron and topped with marzipan, traditionally eaten at Lent or Easter Word Origin for simnel cake C13 simenel, from Old … Definition of simnel 1 : a bun or bread of fine wheat flour 2 British : a rich fruitcake sometimes coated with almond paste and baked for mid-Lent, Easter, and Christmas It consists of a light fruit cake (less rich, heavy and boozy than a Christmas fruit cake ) which has a layer of almond marzipan in the … As with so many classic recipes, there are many conflicting stories of how the simnel cake first came about! Shop our range of traditional Easter cakes today. When folk were fasting during Lent , Mothering Sunday, appearing in the middle of the fast, offered a respite from 40 days of religious austerity. The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable ELIZABETH KNOWLES Simnel cakes and hot cross buns are the traditional staples of an indulgent Easter weekend. By the late 17th century it could also refer to the fruit cake that we know today. noun. The origin of the Simnel cake is recorded in a Shropshire legend. simnel in American English. 1. a crisp bread of fine white flour 2. a fruitcake (sometimes covered with almond paste) eaten at mid-Lent or Easter or Christmas Familiarity information: SIMNEL used as a noun is rare. It turns out that an interesting mythology has formed around this ancient fruity fare. in England, a. a kind of bread or roll formerly prepared by boiling, or boiling and baking. The story is told of Simon and Nell who both wanted to make a cake to give to their mother. LAMBERT SIMNEL (fl. There is an anniversary in Bury, and I believe only in that place in England, called "Simnel Sunday." /ˈsɪmnl keɪk/. Simnel cake is a traditional bake at Easter in the UK. I brushed the warm cake … A Ceremonie in Glocester. The word simnel comes from the Old French simenel, this from Latin simila, meaning ‘fine flour’. If you’re looking for a dessert steeped in Easter tradition, look no farther than Simnel cake: a fruit and nut cake that's similar to a lighter fruitcake. SIMNEL CAKE Origin. ). Just made this Simnel Cake and it came together beautifully. Traditionally the cakes were given by servant girls to … I did use ready made almond paste and used 3 X 7oz tubes as we all love it. Dictionary entry overview: What does simnel mean? Simnel Cake is an Easter time fruit cake, made with lemon, dried fruits and peel, treacle and marzipan. There, these younger children became “domestic servants” and would be assigned to one or more household chores including washing clothes, lighting morning fires, cleaning, sc… /ˈsɪmnl keɪk/. The date of Mothering Sunday in UK varies every year. A rich fruity cake, it has a layer of almond paste baked into the middle and is covered with a thick layer of toasted almond icing. https://anglicanway.org/2018/05/06/simnel-the-history-behind-a-cake And if you’re interested in the history, the tradition of eating Simnel cake at Easter … Silvana Franco shows you how to make this traditional Easter cake. Mothering Sunday in England is always British. The Simnel Cake according to many, is an Easter Cake, baked during the Easter period. [countable, uncountable] jump to other results. A young Oxford priest, Richard Symonds by name, … I added some almond essence to the batter as well as a little cinnamon allspice ginger and nutmeg. Simnel dates back to Easter celebrations during Tudor times in England as a dish to commemorate the end of Lent. • SIMNEL (noun) The noun SIMNEL has 2 senses:. Information and translations of simnel cake in the most comprehensive dictionary definitions resource on the web. Felicity Cloake’s simnel cake. Simnels were made up very stiff, tied up in a cloth and boiled for several hours, after which they were brushed over with egg and then baked. How to make simnel cake - recipe. To Dianeme. Simnel cake is a light fruitcake formerly eaten during the pre-Easter period in the United Kingdom, Ireland and some other countries but has become a traditional cake for Easter Sunday. (ˈsɪmnəl ) noun. noun. When ready for the table, the crust was as hard as if made of wood. Simnel was originally (in Middle English) a kind of bread or bun made of fine flour; the word comes via Old French from Latin simila or Greek semidalis ‘fine flour’. "This strange cake was what is called in Bury, England, where name, cake and custom originated, a "Simnel cake," and an interesting history pertains to it. Simnel cake is a light fruit cake with two layers of almond paste or marzipan, one in the middle and one on top [1], that is toasted, and eaten during the Easter period in the United Kingdom, Ireland and some other countries. There's a legend that a … Simnel cake is a traditional Easter cake baked in Ireland and throughout the British Isles. What does simnel cake mean? : simnel from Old French simenel, based on Latin simila or Greek semidalis ‘fine flour’. mid 17th cent. Entries related to simnel a type of cake made with dried fruit, traditionally eaten in the UK at Easter. b. a rich fruitcake traditionally eaten in mid-Lent or at Easter … The Simnel cake comes from medieval times and is similar to the cake we enjoy at Christmas time, but this one is reserved for Easter and sometimes Mother's … During that time, life was so very different than it is today. 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