How to Decorate a British Christmas Cake
Learn how to decorate a round Christmas cake in the traditional British way. The apricot jam, marzipan, and royal icing will transform your fruitcake into a showstopping Christmas centerpiece!
Servings: 56 slices
Calories: 96kcal
Ingredients
Marzipan & Icing
- ⅓ cup apricot jam
- 1 ½ pounds marzipan
- Icing sugar for dusting
- 1 batch royal icing for cakes
Other Decorations
- Festive ribbon optional
- Small clean sewing pin, optional
- Figurines or marzipan fruit optional
Instructions
Marzipan
- Unwrap the aged Christmas cake from its paper and foil and place it flat side up on a large serving plate.
- Warm the apricot jam in a small saucepan with a splash of water, stirring frequently until the jam has melted. Push the jam through a sieve with a spoon to remove any chunks of fruit.
- Use a pastry brush to brush the jam all over the top and sides of the cake. The jam seals in moisture, and will act as a glue to hold the marzipan on the cake.
- On a surface lightly dusted with icing sugar, roll the marzipan into a circle a few inches larger than the cake. Keep it at least ⅛ inch (3mm) thick.
- Roll the marzipan onto the rolling pin, then lay it on the cake and smooth the top and sides. Trim off any excess marzipan and patch any places where the marzipan didn't reach. Reserve leftover marzipan for another purpose, or use it to make fruit for decorating the top of the cake later.
- Loosely cover the cake with paper towel and set it in a cool, dry place for 4-5 days, or until the marzipan has hardened.
Royal Icing
- Whip up a batch of royal icing, being sure to add 1 ½ teaspoons of glycerine to keep the icing from hardening excessively.
- Spoon all of the icing onto the top of the cake and spread it evenly over the top and sides. Give it swirls and peaks with an angled spatula, or try for a smooth finish instead.
- Set the cake aside uncovered in a cool, dry place for 2 days for the icing to set.
Finishing Touches
- Wrap a festive ribbon around the cake, using a clean sewing pin to secure the ribbon in place. Place figurines, marzipan fruit, or other decorations on top of the cake if desired.
- Serve the cake sliced in very thin wedges or in fingers.
Notes
- Warm the jam before brushing it on the cake; it will be much easier to spread.
- Make sure the work surface is dusted with icing sugar to prevent the marzipan from sticking.
- Don't want raw egg white in the icing? Use meringue powder instead.
- Keep leftovers tightly covered with plastic wrap in a cool, dry place. Avoid storing it in an airtight plastic container, as it will make the icing weep.
- Freeze the cake by wrapping it in plastic wrap, then aluminum foil. Place in a freezer bag and freeze for up to 1 year.
Nutrition
Calories: 96kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 20mg | Potassium: 37mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 4IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 8mg | Iron: 1mg
