Queen Victoria's Easter Cake

[@TastingHistory]

What’s everyone’s favorite Easter dish? I always head straight for the deviled eggs. 👿

[@curtisdecoste9345]

I remember for “shrove Tuesday”, back in Nova Scotia growing up. We’d get pancakes for dinner, but there would be coins hidden in some of the pancakes. In retrospect it’s a pretty terrible idea but we loved it. 😂

[@krystiangronek508]

Not only do I watch you for great history and jokes but also for a great taste in food

[@janee9062]

Devilled eggs and pineapple upside-down cake (from scratch, must use cast iron skillet).

[@AnaGarcia-xv1yh]

In my homestate (Jalisco), we have a special dessert called Capirotada, my grandma sends a bunch each year and since I'm the only one that likes it is all for me!

[@julieneff9408]

The roasted asparagus. We would make a lot of that stuff and roll it up in slices of the obligatory roasted ham and put swiss cheese sauce on it. Deviled eggs stained with dye on the side. Candy until you felt sick for dessert.

[@jamestown8398]

"She will prize it for thy sake." I like how the poem just admits that your mother will compliment your baking even if it tastes awful.

[@spawniscariot9756]

Well spotted!

[@cazia9]

Incorrect - I’m an avid home baker and I’ve asked her to try cookies/cakes/etc and she has/will spit it out in front of me bc she didn’t like it lol

[@oatmealtruck7811]

@@cazia9 😲

[@gandalf8216]

@@cazia9 Nothing quite beats the honesty of family and close relatives. Dreadful is unfortunately not the best constructive feedback out there though.

[@MegaKat]

@@gandalf8216 I'll try and at least feign an "mmmmm iz sho good," before I break down and spit it out and confess that "oh my gawd that is AWFUL" to whichever one of my boys cooked that thing. But we also have a very big honesty policy in this house and they've never taken offense to it, thank God. I'll at least try to figure out where they went wrong and advise them on what to do next; and I'll (tentatively) taste the next attempt, too! And then, sometimes, spit that out, too.

[@Lauren.E.O]

“Mommy, why is simnel cake called simnel cake?” “Well, sweetie, it all started when a boy named Lambert Simnel tried to overthrow the monarchy by pretending to me a murdered boy and then his cousin...”

[@vigilantcosmicpenguin8721]

Well, when you put it like that, the domestic violence story becomes a lot more palatable.

[@krdiaz8026]

"Never mind, mommy."

[@CookNut456]

.....Go on

[@K4inan]

@@vigilantcosmicpenguin8721 "palatable" Was that a pun? You sly fox you.

[@debramandich1462]

Oh that apron is everything

[@fawful94]

I need one. 😍

[@KougajiCalling]

It's so cute!

[@coffeekatk4067]

I LOVE it! So cute!!

[@crickett3536]

Loooooove!

[@lightdanger]

I need to know where to get this yesterday!

[@tylerboyce4081]

Given how iconic Queen Victoria was in her day, you might say that this was the seminal simnel cake.

[@Emerald-DragonFlame]

We need more of “mother” Max. It works way too well, lol

[@decentlysmartforanidiot8284]

it had me rolling

[@rebekahleota6847]

"It's a very violent cake." I'd be pretty violent too if I'd just spent 40 days without my favorite vices. *screams into the mixing bowl while beating* CAAAAAAAAAAAKE!!!!!!

[@TastingHistory]

🤣 good point

[@Lionstar16]

I can't go a few days without a cake of sorts - no way would I last 40 days!

[@bencollier3758]

I've been eating lentils since Ash Wednesday and have planned Easter in excruciating detail (pardon the pun). Having ordered the ingredients for the Simnel cake today, I was *delighted* to see it come up on my favourite cooking show. And yes, if I have to pound the wretched thing to make it work, it's happening. I want to eat cake and not lentils.

[@cymtastique]

Sadly, cake will last me no more than 3 days.😣 Fortunately, I have learned to make cake!😁 Unfortunately, I am too lazy to make cake sometimes.😔

[@renkomon.8312]

Oh sweet giblets!😹 you need Jesus!😹

[@rajeshwarichakraborty3351]

Me when I first found this channel: I'm here for history Me now: I'm here for history and his personality

[@TastingHistory]

Awww thanks

[@BubsyMupsy]

Oh, yes! And all the puns and jokes! Oh, I'm just loving it! But! I'm here also for the weird recipes 😄

[@mwater_moon2865]

Came for the history, stayed for the background pokemon. Keep coming back for the phuns.

[@trenae77]

Best comment and most accurate to date!

[@CrimsonPhantom88]

Are we not even going to talk about those pretty blue eyes of his?

[@merrittanimation7721]

Victorians: "History is what I want it to be."

[@TastingHistory]

Precisely

[@Jacob-yg7lz]

The Romantic Era was basically "lets see how much we can make up just to sound cool" Which was all fine and dandy, until you realize that nationalism was part of the Romantic movement, which lead to a whole lot of little white lies in a lot of people's national identities, which became very not white lies in the 20th century.

[@Jacob-yg7lz]

@@TwizzElishus Bruh historians of the past were a thousand times worse.

[@Jacob-yg7lz]

@@TwizzElishus So... you're saying that they were 0 bad????

[@Dr.ZoidbergPhD]

@@TastingHistory indubitably

[@fepatton]

The Sim-Nel story reminds of my elderly Aunt Frances, who had a favorite recipe called "Anadama Bread". She loved it mostly because she could tell the story of how (she said) it was named - A woman named Anna made it for her husband so often that at one point he yelled at her, "Anna, damn-a bread again!" This cracked my Aunt Frances up.

[@Ikwigsjoyful]

Ah, the story I heard growing up was that Anna got angry with her husband and left him with only cornmeal and a couple other things for bread, so he had to make the bread himself and cursed his wife the whole time. And yes, when my daughter and I make that bread today, we always shout "Anna, damn her," because it's hilarious!

[@HughTauerner]

My grandmother (born in 1880, I think) and my mother (born 1922) used to make Simnel cake every Easter. Their recipe had a layer of marzipan/almond paste cooked in the middle of the cake as well as a decorative layer on top. The family come from Cornwall, so I guess that's were that recipe came from.

[@hildahilpert5018]

He didn't mention that yes, Lambert Simnel did work in the king,s kitchen, he later advanced and became a falconer for the king, You can look him up.

[@ellajando-saul2493]

"Judas doesn't get a ball" sounds like common playground discipline

[@vigilantcosmicpenguin8721]

"Now, Judas, you can only get to play with the other kids at recess if you promise to be nice and not betray any more prophets."

[@user-oq1tr7ys5i]

@@vigilantcosmicpenguin8721 Judas youve done betrayed Jesus and got him crucified!

[@IamsTokiWartooth]

@@user-oq1tr7ys5i judas is the Hero of the story; No crucifixion, no resurrection time to let the guy have a ball

[@sw3dishla8rat]

😆

[@SeekingTheLoveThatGodMeans7648]

@@IamsTokiWartooth give him a black ball

[@joelleburdette642]

"The Victorians loved making things up." YES! I imagine them saying 'This primary source leaves out some details. I'm just going to fill it in how I fancy it.'

[@TastingHistory]

I swear that’s how it went down

[@adedow1333]

I read this with Mrs. Crocombe's voice and it made me happy!

[@shaeflatt8428]

the victorians were the original fix-it fanfic writers

[@vitoly2659]

My kitten Flo came running as soon as she heard Max's voice. I'm raising her well

[@tksharkbait]

My cat likes to watch Tasting History and Ketchup with me, too.

[@TastingHistory]

Awww love this!

[@vitoly2659]

@@TastingHistory we love you too! you're doing so great!!

[@mnels5214]

Awwwwww! A kitten named Flo! How I wish sometimes we could post pictures in the comments, I am sure she's adorable.

[@kpopf4nmom]

@@mnels5214 You could post them on Max's Instagram or, better yet, in the Discord channel!! 💖😸Links are in the description above!

[@LadyLocket]

I love how you took a huge slice and then realised how dense a cake it was :) It's treated more like a fruit cake and usually served in thin slices (because it's so filling) with tea or coffee. Small tips: if you're wanting to make it in the more common way now which has a layer in the middle. The middle layer should be as thick as the top layer as it will melt into the batter a little (yummy!) and you still want it to be seen when cut. Make the middle layer a few centimetres smaller than the batter or line all the sides of the tin with baking paper. That way either the batter will fuse over the edges or the paper will do its job as Almond paste is really sticky and won't come cleanly off a baking tin. Brush the base batter layer with warmed apricot jam, lay the circlet of paste on then brush that with warmed apricot jam, then pour on the rest of the batter this reduces how much melting into the batter will happen so you don't lose that nice almond layer when it's cut. Also, brush the apricot jam on the top of the cake before you place on your topping paste, this helps the topping layer to stick to it. It works on almond to almond decorations as well to help stick down the apostles or other decoration.

[@Ikwigsjoyful]

Very useful instructions, and I will definitely try this with the apricot jam - thank you! However, "help stick down the apostles" did give me a good laugh! :)

[@dawnpollard1993]

Remember when you were deciding on whether or not to continue? COVID started this and your videos helped us all get through! And now I wait patiently for each additional story of our history and your storytelling. As well recipes to try...wonderful 😊

[@Hoofyaf]

My boy getting them big-time bucks from sponsors. I'm happy for y'all. You and Jose deserve it.

[@KetchupwithMaxandJose]

Oh man thank you 😭

[@PheelinGoodOfficial]

Hell yes, my history/foodie boy(s) do.

[@applesong01]

Hi redit dude

[@Hoofyaf]

@@applesong01 lol! Sup

[@archangel1547]

The reference to “The History of the World Part 1” made me so happy.

[@renpixie]

Gotta love some Mel Brooks & Dom DeLuise

[@MsKathleenb]

My favorite bit is Bea Arthur working at the unemployment line. "Oh, you're a bullshit artist!“

[@stephaniecowans3646]

("when you die at the Palace, you really die at the Palace!")

[@michaellyons5208]

Put me in the mood for a treasure bath

[@mothafraker]

"WASH THIS!!!!"

[@Chocobo0Scribe]

“It’s a very violent cake” It’s a good thing i wasn’t drinking my coffee when I heard that because I met out the biggest snortty laugh.

[@TastingHistory]

🤣

[@ga1actic_muffin]

the way he acted out that line was perfect... XD Max needs to be cast in a history comedy...

[@uppityglivestockian]

@@ga1actic_muffin Agree. I forget which video it's in, but when he suddenly yells "Son of a bi--!" enacting a moment of outrage with the offender off camera, I chortled. It caught me off guard and was the perfect comic kick. He's a natural, poyfic fo da moving pitchers! Sign 'im up!

[@joanhoffman3702]

If I had been imbibing liquid right then, there would have been a beautiful spit take from yours truly.

[@Chocobo0Scribe]

@@joanhoffman3702 I have laughed so hard whatever I was drinking came out of my nose before, not fun with hot drinks.

[@adrianguerrero2949]

I love how dramatic max is when he dose his little skits

[@sallycormier1383]

I just watched an episode of Edwardian Farm where historian Ruth Goodman’s daughter made a Simnel Cake. Hers had the marzipan disk in the center as well on top. She also put warmed apricot jam on top of the cake before adding the marzipan.

[@LadyOfRain1]

Love those series! I really think he'd get a lot out of all of them!

[@sasusakufangirl]

"It's a very violent cake" wasn't a sentence I was expecting to hear today but it really made me laugh so thank you :)

[@TastingHistory]

🤣

[@StonedtotheBones13]

Fitting for its "origin story" tho

[@nathanoglesby3762]

Interesting. Self-rising flour is actually quite common in the Southeast of the US as well. Didn't realize it wasn't as common in the rest of the county. I'm guessing because of biscuits?

[@l.g.2888]

It's pretty common in New England as well, at least all the places I've lived here (rural NH, eastern MA). I was surprised to hear him say that because most groxcery stores seem to carry both self rising and all-purpose.

[@danieledugre1837]

Common in Canada as well….must be an LA thing

[@Heldin33]

Common in Australia aswell, Heard here the first time of it. I’m German.

[@quintinseegers7317]

Common in South Africa and New Zealand too. Maybe not so uncommon in the rest of the world as what Max might thing :-)

[@Magpiebard]

Northeast (or is north eastern Ohio more middle? Always gets split, never know which way it is supposed to fall) here too. Only place I've ever struggled to find it is if I was dim enough to go 'proper' grocery shopping at one of the boutique expensive places. I stick to the cheaper places and just go to those for a specialty ingredient or some kind of treat (one has an actual French patisserie in it. Never been so happy a place is too expensive to shop normally in as when I realized that. My waistline would never be the same. Neither would my wallet) and all of them have it.

[@johncrwarner]

As a Briton who was taught to make a simnel cake by my mother It was the same as her fruit cake (yes, there is that much fruit in a British fruit cake) but with a layer of marzipan and marzipan on top So it was a "Bury style" simnel cake but I was brought up in Huddersfield not too far from Bury (about 30 miles away but culturally very distant LOL) and my mother was from Liverpool originally.

[@vigilantcosmicpenguin8721]

But did it weigh seventy pounds?

[@sem1ot1c]

Imagine what Max would make of most British Christmas or birthday cake recipes!!!!!!!e.g. 175g/6oz raisins 350g/12oz natural glacé cherries, halved, rinsed, and thoroughly dried 500g/1lb 2oz currants 350g/12oz sultanas 150ml/¼pt brandy or sherry, plus extra for feeding 2 oranges, zest only 250g/9oz butter, softened 250g/9oz light or dark muscovado sugar 4 large free-range eggs, at room temperature 1 tbsp black treacle 75g/3oz blanched almonds, chopped 275g/10oz plain flour 1½ tsp mixed spice

[@johncrwarner]

@@sem1ot1c and making it like some folk do on two or three months though he may like feeding of alcohol every two or three weeks Where I came from (Yorkshire) we had cheese with our Christmas cake usually Wensleydale but a mature Cheddar will work

[@sem1ot1c]

@@johncrwarner I wonder what Max would make of 'Stir Up Sunday'? 😁

[@MazHem]

My mum is from huddersfield :D

[@maxaprettyboy6512]

I didn't know the rest of the world didn't have self-raising flour as a normal thing, it's something I've barely thought about since it's such a usual thing in the UK. Another great video, happy Easter!

[@InnocentGuillotine]

I know this is late, but for anyone else feeling the same it does exist and can be gotten in a normal grocery store in the US, but most people just use all-purpose (probably because a lot of people aren't only using flour for baking and I don't know if it works for... not. baking).

[@elizabethhowe2110]

I know this is late, but the US does have self- rising flour. It's called Bisquick.

[@Ikwigsjoyful]

@@InnocentGuillotine I don't like to use it because even my baking recipes require different amounts of rising agents, plus I do a lot of bread baking with yeast. When I use a British recipe that calls for it, I just mix some up like he did. :)

[@CharlieStuff407]

I'm related to John de la Pole who was the Yorkist throne claimant who led (and was killed during) the Simnel Rebellion. I guess I'll have to try this recipe!

[@NaughtyIoki]

Could we please have Mother Max become a reoccurring character?

[@dianapovero7319]

Pretty Please.

[@totallycrazystudios1801]

Reminds me of Grandma Ruff from Fetch

[@vigilantcosmicpenguin8721]

He should get a grey wig to really commit to the bit.

[@jonesnori]

Yes, that was great. Not so exaggerated as to be disrespectful, but enough different from his own voice to be funny. (I'm an older woman, though not a mom, and sometimes old lady voices make me feel laughed at. This one didn't.)

[@cornbreadfedkirkpatrick9647]

I wonder where he got the inspiration for that improv from ??

[@mnels5214]

Emperor's New Groove = Most Underappreciated Disney Movie. I love everything else about this video, including the cake, the apron and the stuffy in the background.

[@rachelchanel7941]

It really is! My mom is obsessed with it and I have the soundtrack to the movie, but I think we’re part of a very small following 😂

[@kimquinn7728]

@@rachelchanel7941 I'm 60 and not much into kids animated movies but ENG is absolutely wonderful! Love it. So many great moments. Eezma is a joy and Kronk(had to fix. Hate spellchecker)sneaking down to drop the bag with the body makes me laugh out loud.

[@Lauren.E.O]

And Yzma deserves all the love as a Disney villain. A brilliant scientist, extremely cunning, fun banter with her underling, and her look.....*ICONIC*

[@annbrookens945]

Yzma is my favorite Disney villain! Eartha Kitt does such a wonderful job voicing her!

[@elenaderoet4926]

That is actually my favorite Disney movie excepting the original Fantasia. I just loove Kronk and Yzma

[@thesecondislander]

"Fruity and kind of dense" sounds like a bad review of a shakespeare drama

[@alexfarkas3881]

Sounds like my entire personality

[@sherribrtn]

Brilliant!

[@halglass4751]

This honestly made me so happy. My grandma makes simnel cake every year but I'm studying in a different part of the country at the moment so I won't get to be around for that tradition. After watching this video, I'm missing home a little less. (My grandma's recipe somehow has even more fruit than this one, and she always gives me and my sibling extra marzipan because she knows it's our favourite part)

[@SirAnthonyChirpsALot]

I don't know if you're taking suggestions for recipes, Max, but I think it'd be cool if you did a video on "Moretum", which is like a Roman pesto. The recipe for it comes from a poem by the same name and is actually where the phrase "e pluribus unum" comes from.

[@TastingHistory]

Always! I was actually going to make moretum for Passover, but the video fell through. I’ll give it another shot soon.

[@jeffreym68]

@@TastingHistory Sounds interesting! I'm always looking for historical Italian, Scottish, and English recipes to see how they changed as they got passed down in the family. I'm sorry your first video didn't work out. Best of luck on the next one.

[@sadroses2]

@@TastingHistory Does it have anything to do with Passover?

[@jessicabasar3]

Your Jane Austen mug in your Trade Coffee promi just made you my hero.

[@TastingHistory]

I gave it to my mom for Christmas

[@elijahramirez2017]

@@TastingHistory you never call, you never write and ya give ya mother a mug! You deserve a medal, oh you saint! /s of course lol

[@spawniscariot9756]

@@elijahramirez2017 well played!

[@DerptyDerptyDUM]

There is no one else on earth that I would trust more to convey "well-written shade", historical or otherwise. 😎

[@TastingHistory]

🤣

[@victoriashevlin8587]

It's like it's in his soul...

[@TheSpinDoctor]

Btw for those in the USA, DIY self-raising flour is really useful: I use self-raising flour for EVERY recipe other than making bread. Dredging meat before frying, making Yorkshire puddings, thickening sauces - it gives a much lighter overall effect and makes for very crispy and light breaded/floured/battered fried meat and fish.

[@d.e.s4432]

I spit out my drink when you said a Priest named Richard Simmons . . . that changed the whole tone of the story.

[@turretlizardinthesun957]

Being from Georgia (USA), I had no idea Self Rising Flour was not common everywhere! I actually checked and found out it is a "Southern" thing in the U.S.

[@panq8904]

Yea we have it even in basic corner shops here in Ireland, I had no clue it was difficult to get elsewhere, its so convenient for buns and cakes

[@mariblue72]

It's everywhere in Australia as well, I didn't know it *wasn't* common in the US! This explains why when I'm using a US recipe that calls for flour and I use self-raising, things occasionally go slightly awry.

[@coor0kun]

Really?!?! I’m in California and it’s everywhere! Never had any trouble stocking if in my pantry!

[@dlr978]

Here in Midwest USA, self-raising flour is -sometimes- at the grocery store. One brand, and it's easy to overlook on the shelf. I bet its more common in the southern states because of the prevalence of homemade biscuits. 20yrs later, my husband still reminds me the best biscuit he's ever had was the one made for him by my KY-born grandmother. He's a jerk.

[@kleinweichkleinweich]

what is self rising flour?

[@CaptainZer0dew]

THIS MAN GOT THE POKEMON APRON. Now that is hype to see in a history food channel.

[@annbrookens945]

The apron may have been included in the complimentary box of kitchen gear sent to him by Pokemon, in recognition of the constant shout-outs! I've forgotten what all was included.

[@sharpwavethedecepticon6837]

I noticed that too!

[@ellenmacpherson361]

😻😻😻

[@Camaika1997]

The sulky mother impression was gold :D

[@Scribulon]

The origin stories are really interesting. I'd always assumed Simnel cake was just an alcohol-and-icing-free version of a Christmas cake. It's a very similar recipe, although Simnel cake is maybe a little lighter than Christmas cake and I don't ever use almond flour in my Christmas cakes.

[@ryanmoser3495]

Makes English cake, and then not only pairs it with a cup of coffee instead of tea, but puts a coffee ad in the video. Absolute madlad

[@jackoftrades80office]

The quote from Ezekiel in its’ original Hebrew refers to “Solet” which was during biblical times the equivalent to Semolina and nowadays is mostly used to describe Cream of Wheat.

[@tessat338]

Semolina flour is used to make pasta.

[@deniaridley]

...and in various desserts, and to make couscous, etc.

[@HerLadyship1800]

"Not to be confused with that Richard Simmons." Oh, Lordy! 🤣

[@jennifermizutani6230]

I'm not sure if it's because we have the same sense of humor or that I'm just slightly older than Max, but I thought it before he said it. Of course I also thought of Gene Simmons, which is a horse of a totally different color. :D ~ Lauri

[@melg1621]

Was not expecting to get a passing reference to my favorite childhood story, The Elephant's Child, in a video about Easter cake. Thanks Max for the unexpected smile!

[@TastingHistory]

I used to love those stories

[@benfraher9513]

“There’s a lot of beating, it’s a very violent cake.” 🔪 🎂 *stares worriedly into the distance.

[@TamariMcKay]

Full respect to Max for immediately discarding the glazed fruit 😝

[@mary-janereallynotsarah684]

Max do u feed all the stuff u hate to José?

[@AshtonTheMelon]

I was having one of those days that makes you want to pull your hair out and then this popped into my recommended. Bless you Max and your energy. For it has kept me sane on this trying day.

[@TastingHistory]

Glad I can have a calming effect on the day 😁

[@jackoftrades80office]

I had the same experience. Was feeling kind of blue and it brightened my day.

[@stephaniecowans3646]

When I saw the notification icon on my phone, I realized " oh right, it's Tuesday. Work can wait a bit, I've got to watch Tasting History!!!!"

[@vigilantcosmicpenguin8721]

I was having one of those days that makes you want to collapse in a hole and not come out. This worked like a charm.

[@baileyloudon8110]

Cakes from around Bury are allll about the dried fruit. There's another, similar cake from the other side of Manchester called a Chorley or Eccles cake which has raisins and sultanas practically pouring out like skittles when you bite into it

[@MazHem]

eccles cakes are the best, it feels like eating bugs but awesome

[@brittanymchaffie7604]

That apron is adorable!

[@adedow1333]

Truly!

[@Goggs123NK]

It’s crazy that I started watching this channel when you had 30k subscribers Max. Now you have over 600k. Keep up the great work!

[@TheRealFlenuan]

I love that you're an etymology enthusiast like me

[@MrHanderson91]

To think, in 500 years Max Miller the 12th will be making chicken tendies and talking about gamestonks xp

[@TastingHistory]

🤣

[@elenaderoet4926]

Oh I hope!❤❤❤

[@darrianweathington1923]

why the 12th? lets just turn Max into a cyborg

[@Lauren.E.O]

A small cake for Queen Victoria was 70 pounds... I approve

[@TastingHistory]

Girl liked to eat 🤣

[@ragnkja]

The scale of a royal household is off the scales.

[@KeepCalmContemplateYourChoices]

@@TastingHistory Maybe royalty is more relatable than we thought...

[@naamadossantossilva4736]

She was very fat.

[@vigilantcosmicpenguin8721]

That's royalty. Imagine how big the cakes must have been for Marie Antoinette.

[@connorgolden4]

One of these days me and my brother are gonna make one of the meals you’ve made. We’ve narrowed it down to the Semlor, the Aztec chocolate drink, and the capon in milk and honey.

[@TastingHistory]

Do the Semlor or Capon.

[@MrHodoAstartes]

The rapé is awesome on little sponge cake disks with fresh cream. It's very simple to make and works for a nice dessert or to accompany a coffee in the afternoon.

[@hjalfi]

I've finally managed to acquire the last ingredient necessary for the Parthian Chicken, which I'll be trying later this week. Getting asafoetida was almost as hard as spelling it.

[@connorgolden4]

@@TastingHistory I really wanna do all three but yah know...money. My brother really wants to do the semlor so we’ll probably do that. If we do the Aztec chocolate I think we’ll use half the cyan you used and add sugar.

[@dianapovero7319]

@@MrHodoAstartes Sounds lovely!

[@marionbach6819]

I love this guy. I never fail to smile and learn something too.

[@iReporteriReporting]

That cake sounds so delicious. I love candied fruits and currants in cake or cookies. Definitely going to make this for Easter.

[@neonsamurai1348]

The Simnel Cake my family makes has the marzipan on the inside as a layer, and much reduced sugar. I also candy my own peel, and peel it in thin strips using a peeler without any pith.

[@lillyapidastra8759]

You candy your own peel? How so? I'm getting a freezer full of citrus peels that crave transformation!

[@neonsamurai1348]

@@lillyapidastra8759 oh it's very simple. Peel getting as little pith as possible, then julienne, or cut into small squares, add water so it comes up halfway, and about the same to double in sugar. Boil it till it is very sticky (not too hot, you do not want to burn the peel) and the syrup has thickened up I do it fresh per recipe though, so I am not very concerned about drying it. That way I get the full effect of the orange oil in the peel (and syrup), and far less mess. To dry it you need to cook it down more, and use less sugar, let cool down a bit, then ideally place on a marble board (or a steel/aluminum tray that is NOT non stick) and separate, then just scrape off when cold. Clean with vinegar and water (i usually just boil it in the pot to get the sugar off)).

[@elfieblue3175]

Taking the pith out, I see.

[@TheRokkis]

There's no way anything ships from US to Finland in 24 hours. Also this is now one of the rare channels I really really really wait for new videos, thank you Max!

[@TastingHistory]

Thank you 😊

[@pennyforyourthots]

An intercontinental missle might.

[@kelsipalmer1457]

I love that you admit you make little mistakes and that you keep rolling and don't remake the whole thing so that it seems like it goes perfect every time. Your realness is wonderful!

[@yeehaw-city3086]

Have to say that I love your videos, not just for all the big reasons (how entertaining, informative and well researched they are) but also because of the pokemon plushies you always have in the background that match the theme of the episode. I love it so much

[@Nimesay1]

The impression of the mother was golden, Max. Golden. 🤣 P.s. That cake looks so goood

[@shironerisilk]

These folcloric stories about the cake remind me of how disappointed I was when I found out about the true etimology of the word ''panettone'', a extremely traditional/popular fermented sweet bread in Brazilian Christmas of italian/Milan origin. I grew up believing the story that a young baker called Toni was trying to impress his employer so he would allow him to marry his sweetheart (the employer's daughter) so he created the most fragrant, lightest sweet bread filled with fruit and they lived happy ever after (so it became known as ''panettone'' or ''pão do Toni'' in portuguese). Then recently I found out it just means ''little bread'' in Italian, no Toni to be found :'( (also an episode on panettone would be AMAZING even though Christmas is still so far away).

[@TastingHistory]

I definitely want to do a panettone episode

[@vigilantcosmicpenguin8721]

It's really nice to just enjoy some stories, no matter the veracity. It's the lies we choose to live by.

[@patriciusvunkempen102]

i tis literaly italian for tall bread what did you expect?

[@wandasetzer1469]

@@TastingHistory I meant to make one last Christmas but I didn't (living alone and depressed) but maybe I deserve it this year.

[@vlamb4769]

"Things did not go well for Lil Lambert" Ouch, story of my life.

[@omnivorouscorvid]

Max: It's a wonderfully cold and rainy day outside today, here in Los Angeles, which is a rarity to say the least! Me: It's a strangely warm and sunny day outside today, here in London, which is completely friggin' abnormal, what a coincidence!

[@petergray2712]

Max is exaggerating a bit. The time between January and April is the rainy season in Southern California. Not that we get much rain (10 to 15 cm a year on average) in our Mediterranean climate.

[@jordsbooktalk5406]

I love your apron it's so cute. Also we have self raising flour here in Australia too, it's not often we actually use baking powder.

[@buchanangrunt9981]

For those still looking for self rising flour in America, remember you can look up, down left and right. Its there, i can assure it is. Look next the the all purpose flour.

[@nopenotme1138]

The cake does look good, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't immediately start dreaming about that almond paste

[@Paul2377]

I'm from the UK. While the existence of the cake is well known here, I've never actually had it at Easter. Maybe because in our family we've always had Christmas cake which is similar (if a little heavier) and maybe my family felt it was too soon to bake/eat a similar cake. I live quite close to Shrewsbury, too! (Also, Mothering Sunday is Mother's Day here - it was just over a week ago.)

[@Paul2377]

@@rob876 Nope, I'm near Ludlow.

[@rob876]

@Paul2377 I like Ludlow

[@NeoLithiumCat]

It is quite a bit of effort to make both. We happened to be given a fruit cake, so added marzipan to make it a simnel cake. We usually only make the Christmas one, though

[@zenkakuji3776]

A cake filled with myths and legends. I grew up enjoying marzipan so I think the almonds and almond paste will be great with this cake. From it's history, however, I think I can bake any cake I enjoy, add some almond paste and call it my own Simnel cake. Who will know the difference? ☺️🤟

[@ragnkja]

Only if you make it with fine flour (and it’s a cake, so why wouldn’t you?)

[@AK-sb5ij]

if you do the marzipan in the centre it adds lots of moisture and it goes all gooey and nice, you should try it next time!

[@adriennedunne1748]

My Aunt Lucy used to make simnel cakes at Easter here in Ireland. She put 12 almont paste balls on ot for the 12 apostles. I never heard about minusing 1 for Judas. I suppose it makes sense. I love your videos and your great sense of humour.thank you so much

[@kristinrburkett]

i know this isn't historical, but to curb sweetness, I make a fruit cake similar to this where I hydrate dried fruits, including currants, cranberries, apricots, tart cherries, blueberries, and golden raisins - + fresh orange and lemon zest and hydrate them over night in bourbon. (There is nothing a KY person won't "hydrate" in bourbon - particularly one's own person.) It changes and brightens the fruit. Additionally you can age it by wrapping in cheese cloth and misting it with more bourbon (or rum, if you prefer) - and it's ridiculously good if you can leave it alone for a month. I should not I am NOT a dessert person and despise anything too terribly sweet.

[@tessat338]

This is entirely historical. Fruit macerated in alcohol was the basis of most cakes at the time. The booze, preserved fruit and sugar helped the cake to keep over time. As I stated above, if you were going to all the trouble and expense in time, ingredients and fuel to make a cake, there was no sense in having it all gobbled up greedily in the day or so after it was baked. Cakes were for keeping in a tin and were doled out in small slices over time. Considering that many working-class English houses didn't have ovens, the cake could be boiled at home in the copper and then decorated so that it could be easily identified as belonging to that household then taken to be baked at the bakers. You would take it home to your mother to let her know that you were doing ok, that you had the means and time to make the cake, and also to answer that age-old question, "What should we take to your/my mother's?"

[@alexfarkas3881]

I need to tell you that your comment made me cackle out loud. For the record, I am a Hungarian living in Hungary who, thanks to the wonders of the Internet, has not one but _two_ KY-born friends (entirely unrelated to and not acquainted with each other) and it made me very happy to be able to run and share this lovely bit with both of them. 😂

[@sherribrtn]

My grandmother and mom used to start making fruitcakes in August and then they wrapped them in cheesecloth moistened in rum or brandy and then put them in round metal tins that eventually were mailed to various family members for Christmas. My dad and grandfather used to say "throw away the cake and let me just suck on the cheesecloth!" I love fruitcake for breakfast with a nice cuppa coffee!

[@johannawebb3964]

I live in the UK and just made 30 of these for our deli to sell ,I love marzipan and so love this fruit cake i put the marzipan in the middle and use a little mixed spice too, I didn't know that self raising flour is just used over here .

[@LBBEE-xl8qj]

Max Miller, Cook, Historian, Monty Python actor. Love you Max!

[@sunningdale3478]

I lived in England as a kid, and marzipan or almond paste is so common there. When I moved back to the US, I was so depressed because I couldn't find any!

[@GringatTheRepugnant]

Having lived in rural England all my life, first in Nottinghamshire and now in Yorkshire, the simnel cake has been part of the Mothering Sunday tradition every year until this year in the church for me, along with the handing out of posies, which usually consist of cut daffodils and other greenery. Because lockdown we had to nix the cake and swapped out the posies for potted primroses which didn't have to be physically handed out. The cake would not only be decorated with 11 balls but also had sugar daisies all around.

[@thederelictqueen]

This sounds very similar to Pastaria in Naples Italy that is eaten at Easter and a different variation eaten at Christmas. I live in England and never heard of this dessert as usually are stores are filled with hotcross buns but excited to try making it as some details sound similar to my nonna's pastaria 🥰🥰🥰

[@glitter-fiasco]

Sad I'm not going to be able to go visit my grandparents for Easter this year thanks to Covid - My Nana makes the best Simnel Cake!!

[@lisasinclair161]

My first year living in the UK I made one of these and then we continued to eat it for months. Tasty, but the cake that goes on forever!

[@TastingHistory]

Yeah, a little goes a long way

[@slwrabbits]

Not around me it wouldn't ...

[@delaneyac314]

The apron, the very well written shade, and max is everything ❤️

[@hankwiest8369]

Love the channel and your enthusiasm for history, Max! Out of curiosity, are there are Scottish recipes coming down the pipeline? I'd love to see haggis (though I get if that's not doable stateside), but maybe something related to a Burns Supper?

[@deanospimoniful]

Happy Easter Mr. Max and viewers.

[@TastingHistory]

And to you!

[@o0KugelkaktuS0o]

I REALLY appreaciate you giving the amounts in gramms as well! I will definitely make this cake for easter!

[@KetchupwithMaxandJose]

Good morning, love your apron Max 😅

[@TastingHistory]

Thank you for getting it for me 🤣

[@l.6606]

Max, I think this is the best ep to say I love your casual/standard/habitual/ceremonial pokemon appearances: Exeggutor in the background and Eevie + Pikachu on your apron has a huge thumbs up from me! ^-^

[@loganbutler1016]

No problem finding self rising flour in the south. It's what's mainly used - biscuits, cobblers, pancakes, potato cakes, even cornbread has it in it. Funny how different regions of the same country can be so different.

[@mrpanicattack6688]

7:28 It's like in Spain's History, everyone's Alfonso 🤣

[@Nikki-tx6kh]

Alfonso, Isabel y Fernando

[@Greentrees60]

I was so excited when I introduced my (cook) boyfriend to Tasting history because I knew he would love it. But now I can't help regret it because I see the new episode and have to wait for him to be off shift to watch it.

[@harvestmoon_autumnsky]

History....food....and yet all I can focus on is the amazing Pokemon apron. I can just hear Jose saying, "Just put it on Maxwell! It's a great tie in for my show!"

[@KetchupwithMaxandJose]

You are not wrong my fair lady. I had to wait months for spring 🥺

[@TastingHistory]

That’s exactly how it went down

[@lmp8932]

My Grandmother, we lived in Gloucestershire, made Simnel cake at Easter. She shaped the marzipan into little eggs and sprinkled icing sugar over it; no returning to the oven that I rememeber (it was 50 years ago!). I do rememeber though that I liked it.

[@loiskopf6162]

My great-grandmother grew up in England and made simnel cake annually. She claimed it was popular for those 'in service' to take this home because it travelled well. My grandmother continued that tradition. Unfortunately, she had sons and had to wait for me to come along to pass on the tradition. Ours was much like the one you made sans marzipan.

[@aliencat11]

Love your apron! And the stories...Punch and Judy in a bakery...

[@marylee7467]

I love the Sim & Nell story. Wasn't just the eggs they were beating. I do make hot cross buns for easter so I've got fruit and raisins in my pantry. I may try this one too, if just for the almond paste. LOVE marzipan. How freakin' cute were you in your "coffee commercial"? It sounded really good actually.

[@Jesse__H]

Your film clips are getting better and better 😁

[@TastingHistory]

Thank you 😊

[@margaretkaraba8161]

Bury market is still running (originated in 1440 as an outdoor market and in 1839 moved, to new land and in 1969 a dedicated indoor market hall was built - there's a lot of outdoor stalls as well). It's quite easy to walk to the market from Bury Tram station (last station on the line). It's a wonderful place to go shopping and there's still a lot of regional and traditional foods sold there.

[@censusgary]

Self-rising flour is usually available at my local supermarket, but as Max says, regular (“all-purpose”) flour works just as well if you add baking powder.

[@oliviawarren9608]

I would just like to express my appreciation for the closed caption, today, particularly for the very salty face included with the “treason” 😂☺️☺️ I always appreciate when channels actually caption their videos, rather than just using the auto-generated ones

[@TastingHistory]

The auto generated ones are all but useless 🤣 My fiancé spends hours doing them for my videos

[@piltdownman2151]

But the auto generated captions are worth a video on their own. I’ve seen a number that are hilarious.

[@ragnkja]

@@piltdownman2151 Hilarious, perhaps, but also useless for those of us who really benefit from proper captions.

[@dianapovero7319]

@@TastingHistory Please hug Jose for me, I need them as well!

[@erinmcgrathejm4985]

Somehow, my captions were in Spanish...

[@DrLesleyStevens]

Bless up for being able to manage a sponsor named Trade with a straight face. I stand in awe.

[@TastingHistory]

🤣

[@chezmoi42]

I'm sure it's very, um, smooth.

[@DrLesleyStevens]

@@chezmoi42 hahaha. Yes as well as being overly fruity.

[@ericthompson3982]

"That was a bit of well-written shade, right there." Perfect.

[@MudlarksAlmanac]

Our local Morris Men (men dressed in white with coloured sashes, and bells on their legs- don't diss them - they're tougher than they look!) do their first dancing out of the year at Easter - usually at several locations around our town (in Somerset, SW England) ending up in our local park. They carry a simnel cake with them, on a sword, and when they finish dancing, the cake is sliced up and distributed to dancers and audience. And is probably washed down with ale or cider - any excuse for a picnic! (Probably won't happen again this year though, due to the social distancing rules) No idea when this particular tradition started, but the Morris Men celebrate various traditional festivals throughout the year - Easter/May Day/ Mid Summer etc.

[@Bella-fz9fy]

I’m sure I saw once when wassailing or something (in Somerset?)some Morris Men bury some fruit cake at the foot of a tree as an offering to feed the spirit of the tree for a good harvest(whilst also giving it some cider and people of the village tying it’s branches with coloured ribbons!)

[@miles_thomas]

Many UK supermarkets have some version of simnel as a seasonal specialty item..sometime after Valentines up to Easter. Even Asda (until recently owned by Wal*Mart, stores generally a little smaller*), and Iceland (mostly frozen foods but carries a little fresh and baked goods), but not Aldi/Lidl, at least not this year. [Didn't check farm foods, booker/londis/budgen, or costcutter, though] [* the Asda store at Bristol Cribs Causeway, originally built for French hypermarket chain Carrefour is more US sized, and there are a handful of others in the chain, but bigger stores generally don't work in the UK]