Only indirectly related to sacred music: every year for Laetare Sunday, a schola member brings a Simnel cake and we drink port along with it. This year she agreed to make her recipe available:

¾ cup butter
1 cup sugar
4 eggs
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
1 cup currants
½ cup raisins
½ cup golden raisins
½ cup grated orange and lemon peel
almond filling (2 cans) or marzipan (about 2 cups)

Cream the butter and sugar in a large bowl, then beat in eggs one at a time. Sift the flour with the baking powder and salt and blend gradually into the butter and sugar. Add the fruit and peel and mix thoroughly.

Grease a cake pan and line with waxed paper or parchment. Put half of the batter into the pan and cover with half the almond paste or marzipan (If you use marzipan, roll it out to fit the pan). Add the rest of the batter and bake at 325º for one hour or until done. Let the cake cool, then put the rest of the almond filling or marzipan on top and put under the broiler for just long enough to allow the topping to melt into the cake a little. You can use almond filling and add powdered sugar to it to make it thicker, or:

Marzipan:

1 cup almond paste
1 cup superfine sugar
1 egg separated and beaten lightly
brandy or rum for flavoring if desired

Mix the almond paste and sugar with a fork, then mix in the egg yolk.
Add just enough of the white and flavorings to form a thick paste.
Knead until smooth.

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