Gluten-Free Simnel Cake (Easter Bundt Cake)
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Thisย Gluten-Free Simnel Cakeย with no xanthan gum is a traditional Easter fruit cake decorated with marzipan balls to represent the apostles. This deliciously modern version has been lightened up and forgoes the traditional marzipan layer, instead we bake diced marzipan into the cake which makes it feel a bit less cloying. To ring the changes we then bake our Easter Cake in a beautiful bundt tin to feel even more festive.
Thisย Gluten-Free Easter Bundt Cakeย has become a firm family favourite. It's a modernised version of a Simnel Cake baked in a bundt tin packed with fruits and spices and with the marzipan balls the crowning glory.
If you love traditional Easter recipes then you'll be bowled over by this Gluten-Free Simnel Cake which has all the hallmarks of the cake you know and love but with a celebration of carefully chosen gluten-free flours and no xanthan gum.
This Bundt Cake is very easy to make. A classic Simnel Cake usually has a thick layer of marzipan covering the top of the fruit cake but it can feel a little heavy so I prefer to dice the marzipan into thin shards and spread throughout the cake. But we do keep the marzipan balls which sit happily atop like an Easter garland.
It must be said that my version of a Simnel Cake has been modernised a little. The intention, taste and celebratory feel is still present but this version is lighter. It also feels more celebratory baked in the beautiful bundt tin.

What is Simnel Cake?
Simnel Cake is a light fruit cake, synonymous with Easter. Crammed with marzipan, dried fruit and spices. Simnel Cakes have been baked since medieval times to celebrate the end of Lent fasting. Although Wikipedia says that they were originally baked during Lent to break up the fasting.
Mother's Day
Itโs also interesting that they were adopted for a time by Mothering Sunday as they were a constant presence in our house during Easter due to my Mumโs love of them. My Auntie Lil would dutifully make her one every year. It would reside comfortably in our larder, pecked at over a couple of weeks. Traditional Simnel Cakes can keep for a while but this lighter fruit cake bundt has a shorter shelf life.
What does a Simnel Cake represent?
Simnel Cakes are instantly recognisable due to the eleven balls of marzipan, representing the eleven aspostles, perched symbolically around the edge of the cake like a confectionary crown.
Why is Simnel Cake called Simnel?
Well, now this is ironic. The Simnel Cake is called as such because the latin name for white flour is โsimilaโ and that is what was traditionally used to bake the cake. Not this cake my friend. We have used alternative gluten-free flours, only a couple of which are white.

Ingredients Needed
Sweet Rice Flour (glutinous rice flour). This starchy flour is chosen for its light neutral taste, we donโt want it to interfere with everything thatโs going on. Plus it gives the cake bounce and binding power.
Oat Flour for its tender crumb and lightness. Swap with sorghum flour if you canโt digest oats.
Potato Starch helps absorb excess moisture and gives lightness.
Almond flour. You are looking for blanched ground almonds. There is a bit of labelling confusion over almond flour which is sold as โground almondsโ in most major UK supermarkets and found in the baking aisle. If you want to know what exactly you are looking for then check out this post >>>Is Almond Flour The Same As Ground Almonds.This cake can be made with finely ground almond meal too. The almonds add stability and moistness to the recipe
Sugar. This recipe uses a mix of dark muscovado sugar and soft light brown sugar. Muscovado is a type of unrefined cane sugar with a high molasses content, giving it a rich, moist texture and a deep, robust flavour. You can use the whole amount of light brown sugar if you prefer - it won't have as rich a flavour but it will work fine.
Unsalted butter. We need unsalted so we can control the salt content of the recipe. Make sure it is at room temperature.
Eggs. This recipe uses medium size, about 60g each with shell (50g each without shell). These are often classified as large eggs in the US. I recommend weighing your eggs to ensure the correct amount.
Buttermilk. We are adding buttermilk to our cake batter here which makes for an amazingly moist, light and tangy fruitcake. A lovely contrast with the jewelled fruits.
Vanilla extract. You donโt need to use the best quality vanilla extract here as itโs included to amplify the richness of the chocolate. A supermarket brand is just fine.
Orange and lemon zest. Use the zest of fresh citrus and make sure they are unwaxed and organic otherwise you need to scrub off the wax.
Spices.ย This is a deliciously spiced cake and uses cinnamon, mixed spice (see myย Homemade Mixed Spiceย recipe) and nutmeg to set the cake up beautifully.
Marzipan. You often find Simnel Cakes to have a thick layer of marzipan in the centre of the cake as well as draped over the top. Instead we are following Deliaโs example and dicing up our marzipan to be dispersed throughout the cake which isnโt so heavy hitting. But we still retain our recognisable marzipan balls perched high atop the cake.
Dried fruit.ย We're sticking to tradition here with a combination of sultanas, currants, and Mixed Peel.ย
Glacรฉ cherries. The best ones to use are the lovely whole red glacรฉ cherries. If you have any Homemade Glacรฉ Cherries in your larder then youโll be given the award of Star Baker!
Baking powder. A leaving agent which causes the cake to rise and lightens it. Do check your baking powder is gluten-free before use.
Bicarbonate of soda. Also known as baking soda, this is a white crystalline powder that is commonly used as a leavening agent in baking.
Salt. I like to useย kosher saltย in my baking as it has a round gentle flavour. Using salt in your baked goods lifts and sharpens all the other flavours.
Icing sugar. (powdered sugar). Instead of the blanket of marzipan on the surface of the cake we are using a simple lemon icing, spiked with a little almond extract as a nod to the original.
Almond extract. This is optional and used for the icing topping.

How To Make Gluten-Free Simnel Cake
For full recipe instructions go to the recipe card at the end of this post.
Cream the butter with the sugars and citrus zest until light and fluffy.

Eggs. Add them in one at a time.
Flours. Whisk the dry ingredients with the flour.

Buttermilk. Add the flour alternately with the buttermilk.
Add-ins. Finally stir in all the add-ins.

Bake for 75 minutes in a moderate oven.

Ice with a simple icing sugar + lemon icing.
Decorate with the marzipan balls.

Expert Tips
Room Temperature Ingredients. Ensure that all the ingredients including the eggs and butter are at room temperature. This helps in achieving a smoother batter, even mixing and helps them to emulsify together so the cake isnโt greasy.
Measure Ingredients Accurately. Use precise measurements for all ingredients, this is especially the case when working with gluten-free flours. And I urge you to use digital scales, any slight variation in measurements can alter the desired texture and consistency.
Add-ins. Ideally the add-ins should be evenly dispersed throughout the cake. Stir them in a little oat flour or potato starch to coat before adding them into the batter and it should stop them from sinking.
FAQs
This Gluten-Free Simnel Cake wonโt be as long lasting as a traditional Simnel Cake but it can certainly be kept for up to a week. Store in an airtight tin in a cool dark place. However, if you are using Homemade Marzipan balls then they should be eaten within three days due to the raw egg in the dough.
I used this Fleur de Lis Bundt tin from Nordic Ware for this recipe but any 10 cup bundt tin (holds about 2 litres).
Absolutely. I recommend you freeze the fruit cake before icing. First wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and double wrap in aluminium foil. Donโt forget to label including the date. You can freeze the cake successfully for up to 2 months. To enjoy, thaw at room temperature overnight then ice and serve.

More Easter Baking Recipes You'll Love
- Easy Homemade Marzipan
- Gluten-Free Hot Cross Buns
- Gluten-Free Spice Cake
- Gluten-Free Fruit Cake
- Gluten-Free Vinegar Cake
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Gluten-Free Simnel Cake (Easter Bundt Cake)
Ingredients
- 225 g dark brown muscovado sugar
- 175 g light soft brown sugar
- Zest of 1 orange
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 175 g unsalted butter - room temperature
- 4 eggs - medium-sized
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 175 g sweet rice flour - (glutinous rice flour)
- 175 g oat flour - + 2 tablespoons for coating add-ins
- 50 g potato starch
- 125 g almond flour - ground almonds in UK
- 1ยฝ teaspoons baking powder
- 1ยฝ teaspoons bicarbonate of soda
- 1 tablespoon ground mixed spice - see notes
- ยฝ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ยผ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ยฝ teaspoon kosher salt
- 350 g buttermilk
Add-ins
- 150 g natural marzipan - diced
- 100 g glacรฉ cherries - diced
- 125 g sultanas
- 125 g currants
- 50 g mixed peel
Icing
- 200 g icing sugar
- Juice of 1 lemon
- ยผ teaspoon almond extract
- 275 g natural marzipan
Cake Tin
- 2.4 litres bundt tin - 10 cups
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 180ยฐC / 160ยฐC fan assisted /gas mark 4 / 350ยฐF and grease your bundt tin with spray oil.
- Beat the sugars together with the orange and lemon zest until fragrant.
- Add the butter, a cube at a time so it creams with the sugar. Continue to beat until light and fluffy, scraping down the sides every so often.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, followed by the vanilla extract.
- Sift the flours in a separate mixing bowl with the almond flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, mixed spice, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.
- Add the flour mixture into the rest of the batter, alternately with the buttermilk, one third at a time until just combined.
- Mix the marzipan, glace cherries, sultanas, currants and mixed peel together in a separate bowl then mix in the extra oat flour to coat. Stir the add-ins into the cake batter until evenly dispersed.
- Pour the cake batter into the bundt tin and bake for about 75 minutes or until an inserted cocktail stick is removed clean. Check the cake at 30 minutes and cover loosely with foil if the cake is browning too much.
- Remove from the oven, and leave for 5-10 minutes to rest in the tin before carefully turning out to finish cooling on a wire rack.
Icing
- Mix the icing sugar with the lemon juice a little at a time until smooth and thick but just pourable.
- Stir in the almond extract.
- Spoon the icing over the top of the cake.
Marzipan Balls
- Weigh out eleven 25g pieces of marzipan.
- Roll each marzipan piece between the palms of your hands into the shape of small eggs.
- Place the eleven marzipan eggs around the top of the cake.
How much Vanilla Extract? I donโt see it listed in the ingredients.
Apologies for the omission - it's 2 teaspoons - the recipe has been edited to reflect that.
What a delicious cake, sadly, as I didn't have a bundt pan I used my 10inch x 3inch springform pan and it was not big enough. Suffice to say the oven was a mess and the neighbours threatened to call the fire department! But it stopped overflowing at some point and I continued to cook it. It was delicious and no one was the wiser at the Easter feast. I did substitute coconut sugar for the muscovado sugar and it seemed fine. Thanks again for your great recipes. ( I am not the same Penny who posted earlier, first time for me and I will be searching out a 2.4 L bundt pan!)
Sorry to hear about the spillage but I'm happy you liked the recipe.
Thank you for the recipe Georgina. I split the amount of oat flour with sorghum, used arrowroot instead of potato flour, added some sulphur-free dried apricots and skipped the buttermilk for a few tablespoons of ordinary milk. I reduced the sugar by 175g and didn't have a bundt tin so I just used a 20cm square brownie tin. Lovely succulent result and not heavy. Much appreciated by those who tucked in โ we raised a glass to you and all your gf efforts. Happy Easter: I found out yesterday that the festival actually lasts for eight days, so there's plenty more time to feast.
That's great - I'm so happy you all enjoyed it!!
Do you use potato flour or potato starch in this recipe?
I actually used potato starch in this recipe. In the UK potato starch is labelled as potato flour most of the time which makes things very confusing.