This traditional Christmas Cake is packed with soaked fruits, spices, and nuts, then covered with marzipan and rustic royal icing. A beautiful and delicious holiday centerpiece. Leave the marzipan-coated cake for at least 24 hours, and perferably 2-3 days, to let the marzipan dry out and prevent any oils from staining the icing.
You can then coat the cake with royal icing. If you are using ready to roll fondant icing (rolled fondant) then follow Nigella's instructions for Smooth hatbox Icing. The marzipan layer on a wedding or Christmas cake makes the final icing neater.
Christmas cake is a traditional British fruit cake covered with marzipan and decorated in royal icing. This recipe can be made in advance. To decorate, use a star-shaped stencil or similar placed in the centre of the top of the cake, and dust with Golden Icing Sugar.
Alternatively, cover with icing and marzipan for a traditional finish. Whether you're using marzipan to cover a fruit cake or another one of your at-home creations, it's a simple process that only requires three main ingredients. They are: 500g marzipan 3 tbsp honey or apricot jam (slightly warmed) 1 tbsp icing sugar, for dusting.
When it becomes more doughy in consistency and cool enough not to burn you, knead with hands, dusting with icing sugar to keep from sticking. Using a rolling pin, roll out the marzipan into sheets roughly the size and shape of the surface of the cake to be iced. Remove cake from pan and trim uneven edges so that it sits flat.
A quick and flavorful Christmas cake made withdried fruits, marzipan, and festive spices, perfect for a last. On work surface, combine granulated sugar, icing sugar and ground almonds; make well in centre. Add lemon juice, almond extract and egg yolk to make stiff but manageable dough.
Turn onto lightly sugared surface; knead until smooth (over-kneading will turn dough oily). Roll out to cover cake. This Quicker British Christmas Fruit Cake, is my last minute Christmas cake, that can be made & decorated in Christmas week.
Detailed tutorial for this fruit cake, including decorating with marzipan, royal icing & handmade trees. Also includes some alternative easy & quick decorating ideas, for that last minute, rushed bake!