Here are the best Simnel cakes to buy from supermarkets such as M&S, Asda, and independent shops for Easter 2024. All tried, tested, and recommended.
It starts with just a few Malteser bunnies and foiled chocolate eggs lingering by the tills, but as soon as you know it, Easter is well and truly on the way when the supermarket starts stocking Simnel cake.
Simnel cake is a fruit cake, but lighter and less rich than Christmas cake and with an added gooey internal marzipan layer. If you're lucky it also has a thick lid of marzipan topped with 11 marzipan balls (that are socially acceptable to pick off and eat while no one is looking). It’s an Easter food specialty as each ball represents an apostle of Jesus.
This year's panel of judges for our annual Easter taste test comprised of the GoodtoKnow Food Team: Food Director Jen Bedloe, Food Editor Jess Meyer, Deputy Food Editor Rose Fooks, and Junior Food Writer Georgia Sparks. The team has an abundance of expertise in all things food particularly when it comes to the best seasonal choices. Every one of these Simnel cakes has been highly rated by all of the judges making them a reliably lovely addition to your Easter feasting.
Where to buy Simnel Easter cakes online
- Ocado: Home of our winning Simnel Cake from M&S as well as an array of Easter treats
- DukesHill: If you fancy pushing the boat out this year then this is a great destination for all the best Easter food from meat to chocolate
- Asda: For a great value Simnel cake Asda came out on top - plus lots more Easter goodies
Best Simnel cakes for Easter 2024
How did we test the best Simnel cakes?
We had early access to a range of Simnel cakes from both supermarkets and independent producers which we tasted blind to establish the best.
- Taste: When judging Simnel cakes we first and foremost consider the flavour, ideally, the cake will have a mild spice and orange zest, maybe a hint of alcohol, it should be rich and flavourful, but lighter than a Christmas fruit cake. This is usually achieved by omitting treacle, which would typically be used in Christmas cake, in favour of soft brown sugar. We enjoy cakes with a mild spice, a hint of booze is a treat.
- Texture: In terms of texture, we favour a cake that is moist enough to hold together when cut, but still has a delicate crumb and is laden with juicy vine fruits and candied peel (we are divided when it comes to the inclusion of cherries, although I consider it to be a must other members of the team are indifferent). Nuts are not usually in the cake, they are reserved for the marzipan. Marzipan with a strong almond flavour and smooth texture is our preference and it’s often the marzipan that sets a good cake aside from the best. Cakes that skimp on marzipan quantity are downgraded.
- Look: Aesthetics are important, especially as this is likely to be brought out for a celebration, although we have also considered cakes that might be better for gifting or enjoying in a more low-key situation with a cup of tea. As long as they taste great we have included them in our roundup. Each Simnel cake is independently judged before the scores and feedback are discussed, however, there is typically a consensus on the most popular.
Meet the experts: Tried and tested by...
Rose Fooks is Deputy Food Editor at Future Publishing, creating recipes, reviewing products and writing food features for a range of lifestyle and home titles including GoodTo and Woman&Home. She has a Diplome de Patisserie and Culinary Management at London’s Le Cordon Bleu. Career highlights have included interviewing the wonderful Mary Berry and working on Truth, Love and Clean Cutlery; a guidebook of sustainable restaurants in the UK.
An experienced recipe writer, editor, and food stylist, Jen is Group Food Director at Future plc where she oversees the food content across the women’s lifestyle group, including Woman and Home, Women’s Weekly, Woman, Woman’s Own, Chat, Goodto.com, and womanandhome.com. Jen studied Communications at Goldsmiths, then landed her first job in media working for Delia Smith’s publishing company on Sainsbury’s magazine. Jen honed her practical skills by combining courses at Leith’s cookery school with time spent in the test kitchen testing recipes and assisting food stylists on photoshoots.
Jess is the Group Food Editor at Future PLC, working across brands in the woman’s lifestyle group, including Woman and Home, Woman’s Weekly, Woman, Woman’s Own, Chat, womanandhome.com and Goodto.com. An experienced recipe writer, food stylist and home economist, Jess honed her skills in print and digital food media, working with well known brands such as Great British Bake Off, Tastemade US and UK, and Slimming World to name a few.
Georgia Sparks is Junior Food Writer, working across Woman & Home, Woman’s Weekly, Chat and goodto.com. She's passionate about food and is most content knife and fork in hand around the table with family and friends. Georgia works within the Food Team at Future Plc where she can usually be found in the kitchen developing and testing recipes as well as assisting on shoots and writing food features.
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