Haven’t heard of Cake Sunday before? That’s because we (sort of) made it up. The Fourth Sunday in Lent goes by many names, among them Mothering Sunday and Refreshment Sunday. That Sunday has traditionally been a little break from the rigors of Lent before we double down on our Lenten practices as we head toward and into Holy Week.
Our English siblings have several traditions for Refreshment Sunday, among them the making of simnel cakes, a sort of light fruitcake covered in marzipan. Simnel cakes are also an Easter tradition, so a simnel cake on Refreshment Sunday offers a little taste of the Easter joy ahead.
This year, we are broadening the simnel cake tradition to include cakes of all kinds. So, feel free to bring a cake with you on March 30, and we’ll enjoy some special refreshment during coffee hour. Maybe even bring some containers with you to take some leftover cake!
For the ambitious among us who would like to try their hand a simnel cake, below are a few recipes. Of course, you can find a seemingly infinite number of recipes online.
* https://www.nigella.com/recipes/simnel-cake
* https://www.janespatisserie.com/2024/03/03/simnel-cake/
* https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/easter-simnel-cake