• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Effortless Foodie
  • About
  • Contact
  • Recipes
  • Privacy Policy
  • Subscribe
  • Navigation Menu: Social Icons

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
menu icon
go to homepage
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Ebooks
  • Resources
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • About
    • Recipes
    • Ebooks
    • Resources
    • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×
    Home » Recipes » Easter

    Simnel Cake Muffins (Easter Muffins)

    Published: Jan 11, 2022 · Modified: Jan 26, 2025 by Beth Sachs · 4 Comments · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe

    Easy simnel cake muffins filled with mixed dried fruit, a layer of marzipan, and flavoured with orange zest. All topped off with a smooth orange icing and a cluster of Cadbury mini eggs!

    These Easter muffins combine the rich, fruity flavour of a simnel cake with the convenience of a muffin, making them the perfect Easter treat. You might also like my recipe for hot cross bun bread and butter pudding recipe.

    Easter simnel muffins on a cake stand and plate, topped with mini eggs.

    Would you like to save this?

    We'll email you this post for easy access later! You'll also join the Effortless Foodie mailing list and receive my popular 'No Bake Bars and Slices' eBook for free!

    This site is protected by the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

    Light and fluffy (thanks to the buttermilk in the muffin batter), these gorgeous simnel muffins are perfectly portable, making them ideal for Easter parties, bake sales, and springtime picnics!

    They are also much easier to make than a traditional simnel cake! I turn to this fantastic recipe every Easter so that I can experience all of the flavours of a traditional simnel cake (plus a few more!), without all of the hassle of actually making one!

    👩‍🍳 Love Easter baking? Try my gooey creme egg brownies too!

    Jump to:
    • ✔️ Why you'll love this recipe!
    • 🛒 Ingredients
    • 🔪 How to make Easter muffins
    • Top Tips
    • 🍴 Serving suggestions
    • 📖 Variations
    • 🥡 Storage
    • ❓ FAQs
    • 😋 More Easter baking recipes
    • Recipe
    • 💬 Comments

    ✔️ Why you'll love this recipe!

    Here's why this is the best Easter muffin recipe!

    1. Light and fluffy muffins.
    2. Simnel cake flavour.
    3. Topped with chocolate mini eggs.
    4. Freezer friendly.

    🛒 Ingredients

    Ingredients to make Easter simnel cake muffins.

    Flour - plain white flour.

    Bicarbonate of Soda - the raising agent in these muffins.

    Caster Sugar - or swap with half light brown sugar and half caster sugar if you prefer a more caramelly flavour.

    Butter - unsalted and melted. Cool before mixing with the other wet ingredients.

    Buttermilk - helps give the muffins that light and fluffy texture. You can substitute it with natural yogurt if you prefer.

    Eggs - 2 large free-range eggs at room temperature.

    Marzipan - for a hidden centre of almondy goodness!

    Dried Mixed Fruit - I used raisins, sultanas, and chopped apricots.

    Orange - you'll need the zest for the muffin batter and the juice to make the icing.

    Icing Sugar - for the icing glaze.

    Mini Eggs - to decorate. Swap for another type of chocolate egg or even homemade marzipan eggs, if you prefer.

    🔪 How to make Easter muffins

    The recipe card with ingredient quantities and detailed instructions can be found at the bottom of the post

    One: Mix together the flour, bicarbonate of soda, and caster sugar in a mixing bowl.

    Two: In another bowl, whisk together the melted butter, eggs, and buttermilk.

    Three: Gently mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until combined.

    💡 Be careful not to overmix your muffins, otherwise they will become tough and rubbery once baked!

    Four: Fold in the dried mixed fruit and orange zest.

    Simnel muffin batter.

    Five: Split the marzipan into 12 equal pieces and roll them into balls. Flatten down with the palm of your hand so you get a round disc that will fit inside the muffin case.

    Six: Half fill the muffin cases with the muffin batter.

    Seven: Top each with a marzipan disc then spoon over the rest of the batter so it is equally distributed.

    Eight: Bake for 16-18 minutes until risen and golden. Ice with the orange icing once cooled, and top with mini eggs.

    Baking the Simnel muffins in a 12 hole muffin tin.

    Top Tips

    • If you can't find buttermilk in your local supermarket, you can make it really easily at home with just two ingredients (milk and lemon juice)! Follow my easy recipe for buttermilk to find out exactly how.
    • If you prefer, you can substitute the buttermilk for 100ml of natural yogurt instead. Yogurt is thicker than buttermilk so you will need approximately one-third more to achieve the correct consistency and rise.
    • To make the orange icing really smooth, sieve the icing sugar and use a small whisk to beat in the orange juice.

    🍴 Serving suggestions

    Take the simnel muffins on Spring picnics, pack them into the kids lunchboxes, or why not make them for a school or church bake sale?

    I often make these muffins for large Easter gatherings with family, along with my gooey creme egg brownies and mini egg tiffin!

    Simnel muffins in yellow muffin cases.

    📖 Variations

    Here are some ideas to make the simnel muffins your own!

    • Flavour the Simnel muffins with lemon zest rather than orange zest, and make a lemon icing instead of an orange one.
    • Use golden marzipan instead of white marzipan.
    • Use different dried fruit such as glace cherries, pineapple, and candied peel, as well as the usual raisins and sultanas.
    • Add a teaspoon of mixed spice to the muffin batter for a hint of spice!
    • For a more traditional simnel muffin, top the muffins with homemade marzipan eggs rather than mini eggs. My kids prefer the mini eggs!

    🥡 Storage

    Store - The muffins will keep in an airtight container or cake tin for up to 3 days.

    Freeze - The Easter muffins are freezer-friendly minus the icing. Make and bake the muffins and allow them to cool before placing them in a freezer-safe container or freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost at room temperature, and then ice them as per the recipe.

    Overhead image of the Simnel muffins on a cake stand.

    ❓ FAQs

    What is a Simnel cake?

    Simnel cake is light fruitcake widely eaten in the UK and is associated with the Christian festival of Easter. It is distinguished by layers of marzipan or almond paste, typically one in the middle and one on top, and a set of eleven balls (symbolising the 12 apostles minus Judas Iscariot), made of the same paste. It was originally made for the fourth Sunday in Lent, but is now more commonly associated with Easter Sunday.

    What is buttermilk?

    Traditional buttermilk is a thin, cloudy, slightly tart but buttery-tasting liquid that’s the by-product of churning cream to make butter. These days it is more commonly sold as a thick liquid (usually next to the cream in the supermarket), produced commercially by adding an acidifying bacteria to milk.

    😋 More Easter baking recipes

    • Mini Egg Cookie Bars
    • Easter Rocky Road
    • Creme Egg Blondies
    • Mini Egg Cookies
    • Easter Egg Nests
    • Mini Egg Brownies

    Don't forget to subscribe to the newsletter to stay up to date with what's cooking in the Effortless Foodie kitchen! You can also follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram too!

    Recipe

    Simnel muffin on a plate.
    Email
    Print Pin
    5 from 5 votes

    Simnel Cake Muffins

    Easter simnel cake muffins filled with mixed dried fruit, a layer of marzipan, and flavoured with orange zest. All topped off with a smooth orange icing and a cluster of Cadbury mini eggs!
    Course Baking
    Cuisine British
    Prep Time 8 minutes minutes
    Cook Time 18 minutes minutes
    Total Time 26 minutes minutes
    Servings 12
    Calories 397kcal
    Author Beth Sachs
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Would you like to save this?

    We'll email you this post for easy access later! You'll also join the Effortless Foodie mailing list and receive my popular 'No Bake Bars and Slices' eBook for free!

    This site is protected by the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

    Equipment

    • 12 Hole Muffin Tin
    • Muffin Cases

    Ingredients

    Metric - US Customary
    • 140 g Caster Sugar
    • 200 g Plain Flour
    • 1 teaspoon Bicarbonate of Soda
    • 70 ml Buttermilk or 100ml natural yogurt
    • 140 g Butter melted and cooled
    • 2 Eggs large
    • 1 Orange zest only
    • 200 g Mixed Dried Fruit
    • 150 g Marzipan

    For the icing

    • 200 g Icing Sugar
    • 1 Orange 2-3 tablespoon of juice
    • 80 g Mini Eggs

    Instructions

    • Preheat the oven to 190°c (170 fan/ Gas 5) and line a 12 hole muffin tin with paper cases.
    • Mix together the flour, bicarbonate of soda, and caster sugar in a large mixing bowl.
      140 g Caster Sugar, 1 teaspoon Bicarbonate of Soda, 200 g Plain Flour
    • In another bowl, whisk together the melted butter (cooled), eggs, and buttermilk.
      70 ml Buttermilk, 140 g Butter, 2 Eggs
    • Gently mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until combined.
    • Fold in the dried mixed fruit and orange zest.
      200 g Mixed Dried Fruit, 1 Orange
    • Split the marzipan into 12 equal pieces and roll into balls. Flatten down with the palm of your hand so you get a round disc that will fit inside the muffin case.
      150 g Marzipan
    • Half fill the muffin cases with the muffin batter.
    • Top each with a marzipan disc then spoon over the rest of the batter so it is equally distributed.
    • Bake for 16-18 minutes until risen and golden.
    • For the icing, sieve the icing sugar into a bowl and mix with 2 -3 tablespoon of orange juice. You want the icing to be quite thick so it sticks to the muffins, rather than runny.
      200 g Icing Sugar, 1 Orange
    • Top with the mini eggs.
      80 g Mini Eggs

    Notes

    Top Tips:
    • If you can't find buttermilk in your local supermarket, you can make it really easily at home with just two ingredients (milk and lemon juice)! Follow my easy recipe for buttermilk to find out exactly how.
    • If you prefer, you can substitute the buttermilk for 100ml of natural yogurt instead. Yogurt is thicker than buttermilk so you will need approximately one-third more to achieve the correct consistency and rise.
    • To make the orange icing really smooth, sieve the icing sugar and use a small whisk to beat in the orange juice.
     
    Variations:
    • Flavour the Simnel muffins with lemon zest rather than orange zest, and make a lemon icing instead of an orange one.
    • Use golden marzipan instead of white marzipan.
    • Use different dried fruit such as glace cherries, pineapple, and candied peel, as well as the usual raisins and sultanas.
    • Add a teaspoon of mixed spice to the muffin batter for a hint of spice!
    • For a more traditional simnel muffin, top the muffins with homemade marzipan eggs rather than mini eggs. My kids prefer the mini eggs!
     
    Storage:
    • Store. The muffins will keep in an airtight container or cake tin for up to 3 days.
    • Freeze. The Easter muffins are freezer-friendly minus the icing. Make and bake the muffins and allow to cool before placing them in a freezer-safe container or freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost at room temperature, and then ice them as per the recipe.
     
    Nutrition:
    The nutritional information provided is approximate and is calculated using online tools. Information can vary depending on various factors, but we have endeavoured to be as accurate as possible.
     
    Nutrition Facts
    Simnel Cake Muffins
    Amount per Serving
    Calories
    397
    % Daily Value*
    Fat
     
    12
    g
    18
    %
    Saturated Fat
     
    3
    g
    19
    %
    Trans Fat
     
    1
    g
    Polyunsaturated Fat
     
    1
    g
    Monounsaturated Fat
     
    3
    g
    Cholesterol
     
    28
    mg
    9
    %
    Sodium
     
    116
    mg
    5
    %
    Potassium
     
    251
    mg
    7
    %
    Carbohydrates
     
    68
    g
    23
    %
    Fiber
     
    3
    g
    13
    %
    Sugar
     
    47
    g
    52
    %
    Protein
     
    8
    g
    16
    %
    Vitamin A
     
    108
    IU
    2
    %
    Vitamin C
     
    12
    mg
    15
    %
    Calcium
     
    73
    mg
    7
    %
    Iron
     
    2
    mg
    11
    %
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    Tried this recipe?Snap a pic and tag @effortlessf00d on Instagram or Twitter

    Don't forget to subscribe to the newsletter to stay up to date with what's cooking in the Effortless Foodie kitchen! You can also follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram too!

    More Easy Easter Recipes

    • Air fryer mini egg dessert pots with a scoop of ice cream on top.
      Air Fryer Mini Egg Dessert Pots
    • Easter Rocky Road.
      Easy Easter Rocky Road Recipe
    • Air fryer creme egg croissant on a plate with raspberries and blueberries and a glass of milk in the background.
      Air Fryer Creme Egg Croissant Recipe
    • Mini egg mars bar slices.
      Mini Egg Mars Bar Slice

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Dannii

      January 12, 2022 at 10:24 am

      5 stars
      I am so excited for all the mini egg recipes. These muffins look delicious.

      Reply
    2. Mahy

      January 12, 2022 at 10:32 am

      5 stars
      Ah, these are too cute not to make them this year. I love this recipe!

      Reply
    3. Claudia Lamascolo

      January 12, 2022 at 1:34 pm

      5 stars
      Super cute and the kids will have a blast helping me make these they look amazing!

      Reply
    4. Gina

      January 12, 2022 at 1:38 pm

      5 stars
      I am loving the flavor of these muffins and that orange icing, YUM! They are so adorable and will not last long in my house!

      Reply
    5 from 5 votes (1 rating without comment)

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    Hi, I'm Beth!

    Mum of three (and two crazy dogs), living in Cornwall, UK. I love creating easy, delicious and fuss-free recipes, perfect for busy families, just like my own.

    Read more!

    My Web Stories

    Footer

    Footer

    ^ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Accessibility Policy

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact

    As an Amazon Associate I earn commissions from qualifying purchases

    Copyright © 2025 Effortless Foodie

    Rate This Recipe

    Your vote:




    A rating is required
    A name is required
    An email is required

    Recipe Ratings without Comment

    Something went wrong. Please try again.