Preheat your oven to 350°F and grease a 9-inch round cake pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper so your Easter simnel cake recipe comes out cleanly. This is the one step I used to skip and I'd regret it every single time—just do it.

Cream together the softened butter and sugar until it's light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes with an electric mixer. Scrape down the sides constantly because you want everything evenly combined. This step matters because it adds air into the batter, making the cake tender.

Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Pour in the vanilla essence and mix until the whole mixture looks pale and thick. Don't rush this—it takes about 3 minutes total but it's worth every second.

In a separate bowl, whisk together your flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Toss the dried fruit and candied orange peel into this dry mixture so they coat evenly. This prevents them from sinking to the bottom, trust me on this one.

Alternate adding the flour mixture and milk to your butter mixture, starting and ending with flour. Mix on low speed until just combined—don't overmix or your cake gets dense and tough. Fold in the fruit mixture gently by hand so nothing breaks apart.

Pour half the batter into your prepared pan and smooth the top. Press the marzipan into a thin disc and lay it flat on top of the first layer. Cover with remaining batter and smooth it out carefully so the marzipan stays centered.

Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the thickest part comes out clean. The top should be golden brown and your kitchen smells like heaven. Let it cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn it out onto a wire rack to cool completely.