Where to buy the best Simnel cake for Easter 2023

Revealed - the best Simnel cake to buy for Easter 2023 all of which have been tried and tested by Goodto's food experts...

A selection of the best simnel cakes to buy for Easter 2023
A selection of the best simnel cakes to buy for Easter 2023
(Image credit: Future / various retailers)

Tried and tested by Goodto's Food Team, here are the best Simnel cakes to buy from supermarkets such as M&S, Tesco and more for Easter 2023.

A Simnel cake is one of the most iconic, classic Easter foods (opens in new tab) served each year. Typically made from a lighter style of fruit cake than a Christmas cake, with the addition of a layer of marzipan baked into the center. Another layer of marzipan covers the top dotted with 11 marzipan balls, intended to denote Jesus's dispels. Easter just wouldn't be complete without this sweet Easter cake (opens in new tab).

This year, our panel of food experts - Goodto.com, Woman & Home, and Woman's Weekly's in-house Food Team, consisting of Food Director Jen Bedloe (opens in new tab), Food Editor Jess Meyer, Deputy Food Editor Rose Fooks, and Junior Food Writer Georgia Sparks (opens in new tab), put an array of Simnel cakes to the test including supermarket names such as Waitrose, M&S, and Sainsbury's.

"Before cutting each Simnel cake we considered the look of the cake. We tasted the Simnel cakes side by side so we could easily compare the flavour. We took a slice from the center of each cake to look at the texture and make sure that the cake was evenly baked," says Deputy Food Editor, Rose.

Collectively, the team has years of experience trying and testing thousands of new food and drink products each year as well as developing new and exciting recipes. This means you can trust their judgment and feel confident that they would only score a product highly if they truly thought it was worthy.  With that in mind, here are this year's favourites...

Where to buy Simnel Easter cakes online

Best Simnel cakes for Easter 2023

Why you can trust GoodTo Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.

1. Waitrose & Partners Simnel Cake - View at Waitrose & Partners (opens in new tab)

1. Waitrose & Partners Simnel Cake - View at Waitrose & Partners (opens in new tab)

Winner: The best Simnel cake 2023

RRP: £12

Despite having a smaller 12cm diameter this cake was taller than the others in the tasting giving it a contemporary look. The size is ideal for a smaller crowd or great for gifting as it would serve 6-8. The marzipan on top is imprinted with a circular design that gives the cake a modern feel. And is topped with 11 marzipan balls. To make this Simnel cake look extra special for Easter day you could wrap a ribbon around its middle, perhaps even balance a few small chocolate eggs on top.

Deputy Food Editor Rose Fooks says: "This Simnel cake was a clear winner. It was the best-tasting Simnel cake, which was so good it could pass as homemade. It’s a light fruit cake with rich caramel flavours. We felt it had the perfect amount of spice. The subtle ginger and cinnamon as well as the sweet caramel flavour reminded us of German Christmas Lebkuchen. The cake has a lovely texture, it’s generously fruit-filled but not crumbly. 

The cake was moist and held together well. Another generous layer of marzipan ran through the center which infused the cake with a rich nutty flavour. This is the cake I would choose for Easter, or any time of year really. It was delicious."


2.  M&S Simnel cake - View at Ocado (opens in new tab)

2.  M&S Simnel cake - View at Ocado (opens in new tab)

Best looking Simnel cake

RRP: £13

This is the Simnel cake for the marzipan fans. As you would expect from M&S the marzipan is of great quality with a rich almond flavour. On top, a thick layer of marzipan is cut into an attractive frilly design which is adorned with 11 large balls. Another layer of marzipan runs through the center of the cake. Both infuse the cake with a lovely almond flavour, that tastes delicious while simultaneously adding to the winning texture.  

It has a 16cm diameter and weighs a hefty 930g, great for a larger gathering, it could serve 10-12.

Deputy Editor Rose Fooks says: "The judges were divided when it came to the look of this Simnel cake. I think the marzipan embellishment is pretty and something a little different. The scalloped edge of the marzipan certainly made this cake stand out as different from the others. 

However, those judges who favoured a more classic and minimal decoration felt the frilly edge was a little fussy. The cake is fruit-heavy and darker than others we tasted, it has a richer flavour more like Christmas cake, and contains currants and cherries." 


3. Tesco Finest Simnel Cake - View at Tesco (opens in new tab)

3. Tesco Finest Simnel Cake - View at Tesco (opens in new tab)

Best value Simnel cake

RRP: £12

This fruit-packed Simnel cake is another fantastic option for Easter. The cake contains whole glacé cherries and a generous amount of vine fruit, making it feel expensive and luxurious. The fruit contributes to the rich flavour, but similar to the Waitrose cake it’s a lighter style fruit cake with a lighter sponge in a more classic Simnel cake style.

The floral toasted marzipan decoration has an unusual contemporary look, but marzipan fans will be happy to hear still retains the obligatory 11 marzipan balls to denote Jesus’ disciples. The marzipan has a strong almond flavour. There is a thick layer on top as well as a layer baked into the centre of the cake. This keeps the cake moist giving it a winning texture. The Tesco cake is the same 16cm diameter as the M&S one, but slightly lighter in weight. Despite having a luxurious feel it is actually one of the cheaper cakes we tasted. 

Food Editor Jess Meyer says: “At just £12 I think this is great value, it tastes rich and buttery, I would have thought it would have cost more.” And we would be very content indeed sitting down on Easter afternoon to enjoy a slice with a cup of tea. In general, we were less keen on the embossed design of this cake compared with the other winners. 


4. Taste the Difference All Butter Simnel Cake - View at Sainsbury's (opens in new tab)

4. Taste the Difference All Butter Simnel Cake - View at Sainsbury's (opens in new tab)

Best cheap supermarket Simnel cake 

RRP: £10

A good-looking option that comes with a toasted marzipan lattice top, and 11 marzipan balls and is wrapped up in a pretty yellow ribbon. The judges really liked the look of this cake, as it had a sweet vintage feel. 

This entry from Sainsbury's is a heavily fruited light fruit cake with a subtle spice. Dotted with a hefty serving of cherries and vine fruits. The sponge was a little dryer than the others we tasted. However, there is a layer of marzipan running through the center which added moistness. 

Junior Food Writer Georgia Sparks says: "The marzipan in the middle is the savour of this cake, it adds moistness and a lovely nutty essence. The 14cm cake would serve 8-12. This cake is all butter which contributes to the richer flavour. This can is the cheapest of the winning cakes, so if you are in the market for a budget cake then this is the cake for you." 


5. Cartwright & Butler Simnel loaf cake - View at Cartwright & Butler (opens in new tab)

5. Cartwright & Butler Simnel loaf cake - View at Cartwright & Butler (opens in new tab)

Best Simnel cake for gifting

RRP: £14

This loaf-style Simnel cake is 13cm long and could be cut into 6-8 slices. So perfect for tea time. The decoration and packaging of Cartwright & Butler Simnel Loaf Cake are beautiful. It comes in a cute tin wrapped up with a bow and the marzipan that covers the top is an embossed Easter design. The tin acts to protect this cake in the post as well as making it look all wrapped up and perfect for gifting. 

Junior Food Writer Georgia Sparks says: "I really liked the marzipan Easter egg motif on top, pointing out that it appeals to all ages. The cake is extremely rich and much more in the style of a Christmas cake than a Simnel cake. It’s densely packed with sultanas and has a strong molasses flavour. The fruit is plump and juicy, but we missed the presence of whole cherries. There is a marzipan layer in the center, and the layer on top is thick, but unfortunately for the marzipan fans, it doesn't come with marzipan balls."


6. The Original Cake Co. 9 Piece Spring Fruit Cake Selection - View at The Original Cake Co. (opens in new tab)

6. The Original Cake Co. 9 Piece Spring Fruit Cake Selection - View at The Original Cake Co. (opens in new tab)

Best alternative Simnel cake

RRP: £21.95

Not really a classic Simnel cake, this one comes already cut into nine individual servings, each hand decorated in four different styles. However, we were disappointed with the flavour and felt this cake was laking on marzipan. There is no marzipan baked into the centre, meaning the cake was on the dry side. 

Not all of the designs have marzipan on top. More in a classic fruit cake style like Christmas cake, the Original cake company 9 Piece Spring Fruit Cake Selection is fruit packed and ever so rich. We love that this cake is made by hand in Lincolnshire.  

Food Director Jen Bedloe says: "These look great, and I was excited to try one. The different decorations are great for variety and look fab. They would be great at a party and save having to grapple with the cake cutting."


Three of the best Simnel cakes that we tested in our taste test 2023

(Image credit: Future)

How did we test the best Simnel cakes?

  • Taste: Obviously, the taste is the key criterion when it comes to most things edible! The best Simnel cake should be less rich than a Christmas fruit cake, but still fruit-filled with vine fruits and cherries. The cake should taste rich and buttery and lightly spiced. The fruit and spice flavours should work together harmoniously. The marzipan should have a lovely nutty flavour.
  • Texture: The best Simnel cakes will be moist and have a pleasant feel in the mouth. There is a delicate balance between being overly dry and crumbly or dense. 
  • Look: The Food Team also consider the look, it's important as whether you're enjoying it on Easter day or giving a Simnel cake as a gift, you want something that looks the part. Our panel of experts tasted cakes in a variety of different styles: some round and some in a loaf cake style. Cakes with a generous marzipan top and pretty designs were the winners for the look factor. 

Cutting into a Simnel cake for taste testing

(Image credit: Future)

Meet the experts: Tried and tested by...

Rose Fooks profile photo
Rose Fooks

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. 

Profile picture of Jen Bedloe
Jen Bedloe

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. 

Profile picture of Jess Meyer
Jess Meyer

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. 

Profile picture of Georgia Sparks
Georgia Sparks

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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Rose Fooks
Deputy Food Editor

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. Before joining the team, Rose obtained a Diplome de Patisserie and Culinary Management at London’s Le Cordon Bleu. Going on to work in professional kitchens at The Delaunay and Zedel.