This made with a traditional British Fruit cake that is covered with marzipan, and then decorated with Royal icing. A traditional British Christmas cake is also known as a rich fruit cake.
Originally, Christmas Cake began as a Plumb porridge. People ate it on Christmas Eve after a day of fasting, using it to line their stomachs. Dried fruits arrived in Britain in the 13th century and were expensive luxury foods along with sugar and spices. It is from that porridge that Plum cake and Plum pudding, which were the early names for fruit cakes, got their names once dried fruits, Honey and spices were added to the porridge mixture. These early cakes were more like enriched breads and were eaten regularly for breakfast among the wealthy classes. Christmas Fruit cake was originally made for Twelfth night (January 5th), and from at least the 16th century onward the cake played a significant role at this feast. Sometime during the 16th century, Oatmeal was removed and replaced with Wheat flour, along with butter and eggs. As a result, the mixture held together better and the result was a boiled Plum Cake; a development from the traditional Christmas Plum pudding. The spices used represented the Eastern spices brought by the Wise Men, as depicted in the Bible. The boiled Plum Cake became known as Christmas cake (and later, following Easter tradition became coated with Marzipan, and still later, additionally coated with a sugar glaze, known as Royal Icing). All festivals and their traditions were abolished in the mid-17th century by the then Puritan government. With the reinstatement of the monarchy, King Charles II, all these restrictions were removed.
In the late 19th century Queen Victoria banned the Twelfth night celebrations, as it was not a Christian festival. The bakers lost money with the loss of this feast day and so, as a means of recovering lost revenue, reinvented the Twelfth night cake as a decorated iced cake for Christmas celebrations and hence, the modern-day Christmas cake was born.
All Christmas cakes are made in advance. Many home bakers start to make them in October, keeping the cake upside down in an airtight container. A small amount of Brandy, Sherry or Whisky is poured into holes in the cake once a week until Christmas. This process is called "feeding" the cake (this is so that the cake does not dry out due to it being made so far in advance of when it is eaten).
In Yorkshire (a northern county of England), Christmas cake, as with other types of fruit cake, is often eaten with cheese, such as Wensleydale (again, a place in Yorkshire).
Originally, Christmas Cake began as a Plumb porridge. People ate it on Christmas Eve after a day of fasting, using it to line their stomachs. Dried fruits arrived in Britain in the 13th century and were expensive luxury foods along with sugar and spices. It is from that porridge that Plum cake and Plum pudding, which were the early names for fruit cakes, got their names once dried fruits, Honey and spices were added to the porridge mixture. These early cakes were more like enriched breads and were eaten regularly for breakfast among the wealthy classes. Christmas Fruit cake was originally made for Twelfth night (January 5th), and from at least the 16th century onward the cake played a significant role at this feast. Sometime during the 16th century, Oatmeal was removed and replaced with Wheat flour, along with butter and eggs. As a result, the mixture held together better and the result was a boiled Plum Cake; a development from the traditional Christmas Plum pudding. The spices used represented the Eastern spices brought by the Wise Men, as depicted in the Bible. The boiled Plum Cake became known as Christmas cake (and later, following Easter tradition became coated with Marzipan, and still later, additionally coated with a sugar glaze, known as Royal Icing). All festivals and their traditions were abolished in the mid-17th century by the then Puritan government. With the reinstatement of the monarchy, King Charles II, all these restrictions were removed.
In the late 19th century Queen Victoria banned the Twelfth night celebrations, as it was not a Christian festival. The bakers lost money with the loss of this feast day and so, as a means of recovering lost revenue, reinvented the Twelfth night cake as a decorated iced cake for Christmas celebrations and hence, the modern-day Christmas cake was born.
All Christmas cakes are made in advance. Many home bakers start to make them in October, keeping the cake upside down in an airtight container. A small amount of Brandy, Sherry or Whisky is poured into holes in the cake once a week until Christmas. This process is called "feeding" the cake (this is so that the cake does not dry out due to it being made so far in advance of when it is eaten).
In Yorkshire (a northern county of England), Christmas cake, as with other types of fruit cake, is often eaten with cheese, such as Wensleydale (again, a place in Yorkshire).
Traditional British Christmas Fruit Cake – Gluten-free
This is what is known as a rich fruit cake. It is used as the base for all celebration cakes in the UK: birthdays, Christmas, and weddings.
Originally, Christmas cake began as a plumb porridge. People ate it on Christmas Eve after a day of fasting, using it to line their stomachs. Dried fruits arrived in Britain in the 13th century and were expensive luxury foods along with sugar and spices. It is from that porridge that Plum cake and Plum pudding, which were the early names for fruit cakes, got their names once dried fruits, honey and spices were added to the porridge mixture. These early cakes were more like enriched breads and were eaten regularly for breakfast among the wealthy classes. Christmas Fruit cake was originally made for Twelfth night (January 5th), and from at least the 16th century onward the cake played a significant role at this feast. Sometime during the 16th century, oatmeal was removed and replaced with wheat flour, along with butter and eggs. As a result, the mixture held together better and the result was a boiled plum cake; a development from the traditional Christmas Plum pudding. The spices used represented the Eastern spices brought by the Wise Men, as depicted in the Bible. The boiled plum cake became known as Christmas cake (and later, following Easter tradition became coated with marzipan, and still later, additionally coated with a sugar glaze, known as Royal Icing). All festivals and their traditions were abolished in the mid-17th century by the then Puritan government. With the reinstatement of the monarchy, King Charles II, all these restrictions were removed.
In the late 19th century Queen Victoria banned the Twelfth night celebrations, as it was not a Christian festival. The bakers lost money with the loss of this feast day and so, as a means of recovering lost revenue, reinvented the Twelfth night cake as a decorated iced cake for Christmas celebrations and hence, the modern-day Christmas cake was born.
All Christmas cakes are made in advance. Many home bakers start to make them in October, keeping the cake upside down in an airtight container. A small amount of brandy, sherry or whisky is poured into holes in the cake once a week until Christmas. This process is called "feeding" the cake.
In Yorkshire (a northern county of England), Christmas cake, as with other types of fruit cake, is often eaten with cheese, such as Wensleydale (again, a place in Yorkshire).
This Gluten-free recipe is based upon the gluten recipe given in Jane Gregson’s book, English Foodstuffs, (London, Penguin Books, 1993) for a Christmas cake.
Ingredients: (enough for a 23cm (9in) 7.5cm (3in) deep cake pan)
Sultanas 700g
Raisins 250g
Currants 125g
Glacé cherries 125g (cut into quarters)
Mixed chopped peel 125g (diced into 1cm (1/4in lengths)
Cinnamon 1tsp
Nutmeg 1tsp
Gluten-free flour mix* 300g (sifted)
Butter 250g (cold, sliced and cubed)
Sea salt pinch
Rapadura sugar 250g
Eggs 200g (4 Large)
Lemon zest 1 Lemon
Orange zest 1/2 Orange
Almond essence 1tsp
Black treacle 1Tbsp
Brandy 150g (plus extra Tbsp as required)
Bicarbonate of soda 1/2tsp
Hemp milk 1Tbsp
*Gluten-free Flour mix: 440g Brown Rice flour, 125g Sweet Rice flour, 45g Potato starch, 95g Tapioca starch, and 55g Arrowroot. Total weight: 760g
Method:
Preheat the oven for a minimum of 45 minutes to 140°C.
Grease, with room temperature butter, the inside of the cake pan, and then line them with two layers of brown parcel paper, followed by an inside layer of parchment paper, so that they protrude up 5cm (2in) above the top edge (this is so that the outside of the cake does not burn during the long baking time). The parchment paper liner should then be greased. Prepare top ‘hat’ with aluminium foil that will be a loose fit over the top edges of the upstanding brown paper.
In a large bowl (1), mix the dried fruits, cut glacé cherries, and diced mixed chopped peel. Add spices and 50g flour mix and toss to coat the dried fruit. Set aside.
In the cold bowl (2) of a stand mixer fitted with a flat paddle mixer, add the cold, sliced and cubed butter. Beat the butter, at medium-high speed, until the butter is smooth, pale in colour, and creamy. This will take about 3 minutes.
Add the pinch of salt, and slowly add the Rapadura sugar and combine, then continuously beat, or cream, the butter-sugar mixture for 5-6 minutes, stopping the mixer and scraping down the sides and across the bottom of the bowl, at least once. Periodically feel the side of the mixer bowl, and if it is feels warm, stop the mixer and place the filled bowl in the freezer for 5 minutes. Before resuming creaming the butter and sugar. The creaming is done when the butter-sugar mix is smooth, light and lighter in colour than when the process was started. The lighter it is the more trapped air is inside, for a lighter cake. It will appear that most of the Rapadura sugar has disappeared.
At the lowest speed add the first egg and incorporate completely. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the rest of the eggs, one at a time, completely incorporating each one, and scraping down the sides of the bowl before adding the next egg. After the last egg has been incorporated, add the zests, almond essence, and treacle, scraping down the bowl as needed. Then, beat the mixture for a further 1-2 minutes to complete the lightening of the mixture. It may look as if it has not been incorporated, and split, yet will still come together when the flour and fruit is added.
Remove the stand mixer bowl and scoop the contents of the into a large mixing bowl (3). Add a quarter of the Brandy, sift in 1/4 of the Gluten-free flour mix, avoiding getting any on the sides of the bowl, and fold in with a silicon spatula, the edge going down, scraping across the bottom and lifting up to the top and folding over, it may take between 5 – 6 scraping and rotations to fully incorporate the flour into the batter. Add 1/4 of the dried fruit mix (bowl 1), and gently fold in, as before with the flour mix. Add a further 1/4 of the Brandy, the flour mix and the dried fruit mix and fold in as before. Repeat this process with the rest of the Brandy, flour mix and dried fruit mix.
In a small bowl (4) add the Hemp milk and Bicarbonate of soda and mix to incorporate. Add the Hemp milk mix to the cake mix and stir in to incorporate.
If required, add a Tablespoon of the Brandy and keep adding a teaspoon at a time until a dropping consistency is achieved. The dropping consistency of the batter should be such that it easily drops off a spoon, yet, does not run off.
Scoop the cake mix into the prepared cake pan, packing the mixture into the corners and against the sides, level, leaving a slight depression in the middle.
Immediately place the filled cake pan in the middle of the preheated oven. Bake for a total of 4 – 4.5 hours. Check after 2 hours to see if the top of the cake is a normal colour (rather than darker than normal). If this is the case, place the aluminium foil ‘hat’ over the top of the upstanding brown paper. Resume baking and check again after a further 2 hours. The cake is done when a skewer inserted into the top of the cake and pushed halfway down comes out clean, and the cake surface is firm to the touch.
Remove the cake from the oven and allow to cool completely in the cake pan. This will take between 3 ½ - 4 hours. When cool, remove the upstanding papers; then remove the cake pan itself. Invert the cake to remove the bottom layers of paper. Place two sheets of parchment paper, at right angles to each other, on the work surface and place the cake on top, right side up. With the tip of a skewer, piece the top of the cake in several places (these will be the ‘feeding’ holes) going three-quarters of the way down into the fruit cake.
Wrap the cake tightly with the parchment paper. Place the cake on a sheet of aluminium foil and wrap tightly. Repeat with another sheet of foil. Store the cake in a dry, cool place.
Once a week, unwrap the cake and ‘feed’ the fruit cake (this will keep it moist). With a teaspoon, ‘feed’, or drip, Brandy into the holes. Then rewrap the cake tightly.
The wrapped cake may be stored for up to three months in a cool place.
Picture of Traditional British Christmas Fruit cake unwrapped for ‘feeding’.
Marzipan is a confection. It is made primarily with ground Almonds and sugar, to which almond extract may be added for extra flavour. Compared with almond paste, it is smooth and sweet. Also, Almond paste tends to have added binders such as eggs and syrup.
Marzipan is used to cover birthday cakes, Christmas cakes, and wedding cakes in the UK, where also, the Easter Simnel cake contains a layer of Marzipan as well as twelve Marzipan balls which are placed on top of a further Marzipan layer. Marzipan is used as a baking ingredient in the German Stollen and the Dutch Banket. Also, it is coated with chocolate to make sweets (such as Mozartkugel, which are made in Austria), and it is shaped into figures of animals, and imitation fruits and vegetables at times of festive celebration.
The origins of Marzipan are unclear. It appears that it may have come from Arabia or China, or from somewhere in between. It is quite possible that the origin was in China, from where the recipe moved to Arabia and then into Europe via the Iberian Peninsula. As far back as 850, a Persian doctor used the curative powers of an almond and sugar paste to treat patients. Later, in the 12th Century, returning Crusaders may have brought the recipe back with them to be eaten by Royalty and Noblemen. Interestingly, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Persia, Spain and Turkey all claim to have invented a paste of sugar and almonds. It wasn’t until the 19th Century, with the invention of the extraction of sugar from Sugar beets, that Marzipan became cheaper and more widely accessible. Lübeck and Tallinn, in Germany, have a strong tradition of Marzipan manufacturing. Lübeck’s Niederegger Marzipan has been manufactured since 1806. Another, distinctive German Marzipan, is Königsberg (East Prussia), which has a golden-brown surface.
Whilst the German name, Marzipan, is that most commonly used, the origins of the first known names for it are quite bizarre: ‘bread of March’; a Burmese city; and a military commander. First, Marzapane was the Italian name, and this was documented as its name earlier than in any other language. It means bread of March. The original English name was Marchpane, which was quoted in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, and means March bread. The Spanish name, mazapán, translates to Bread of March. The French name is Massepain, which, roughly translated, means ‘mass of bread’. Secondly, the Oxford English Dictionary, amongst other definitions, proposes a theory that it may be a corruption of ‘Martaban’, a Burmese city famous for its jars. Thirdly, if Marzipan’s origins were in Persia, it is likely that the name came from ‘Marzban’, meaning border guardian, which was a class of military commander in charge of one of the many border provinces of the Sassanid Empire of Persia, between the 3rd Century and 7th Century.
It is noted that the higher the proportion, by weight of Almonds, the higher the quality. High quality German Marzipan is made without adding either eggs or syrup as stabilizers. French Massepan uses sugar syrup combined with ground Almonds. In making Marzipan it is recommended to use ground blanched Almonds as they retain more moisture than if using almond flour. Rosewater is an option, but should be used sparingly, particularly as it tastes quite strong for a person who is unused to it. Also, it is recommended to avoid using too much liquid as the Almond-sugar mixture will become too sticky. And, depending upon the humidity in the kitchen, especially during warm weather, less or more liquid may be required in the two recipes below to get the desired consistency.
What follows is: two recipes for making Marzipan; and two descriptions of the process of covering a cake with Marzipan.
It should be noted that the Marzipan, or Almond paste produced by the following recipes is much darker that commercial almond paste, or marzipan. However, they are much easier to work with.
However, before getting to the details of those two recipes, if neither blanched Almonds nor ground Almonds are available it will be necessary to remove the skins from the raw Almonds.
Method:
Place the raw Almonds in a medium sized bowl (1). Pour boiling water over them, and let them stand for between 3 and 5 minutes; they are ready when a raw Almond, squeezed between the thumb and forefinger, slides its skin off easily. Drain the Almonds. Remove the brown skins, place them on a baking tray, and dry them in a warm (120°C (248°F)) oven for 10 minutes. When dry and completely cool, they can be processed as blanched Almonds.
Recipe 1
This recipe does not contain any stabilizers. It is an uncooked Marzipan.
Ingredients:
Ground Almonds 365g (or Almond flour)
Powdered (or Confectioner’s) Cane sugar 420g (380g Cane sugar ground together with
40g Corn starch)
Almond extract 1tsp
Rose water (optional) 2Tbsp
Cold water 3 1/2Tbsp (up to 5Tbsp if Rose water is not used)
Method:
If using blanched Almonds, place them in a food processor and process until they are finely ground.
Sift the ground Almond, or Almond flour and the Powdered, or Confectioners’, Cane sugar together into a large bowl (1) and mix them with a fork until they are well combined.
Add the Almond extract, and incorporate with the fork.
Add 2Tbsp of the optional Rose water if using, or add 3 1/2Tbsp of cold water instead; fork the dry mix into the water with the fork, and make cutting movements with the side of the fork to incorporate. Slowly add more water, a 1/2tsp at a time, and repeat the above process, until the mixture comes together in a crumbly fashion. Then, repeat the process, this time using one hand, instead of the fork, slicing through the mixture to form the mixture into a dough-like consistency. It is preferable to use a maximum of 5Tbsp of liquid in total (note that more is required if using Almond flour instead of ground Almond), just enough that when combined with hand-heat it is sufficient to roll into a log, or preferably, shape with the hands into a rectangular block of smooth Marzipan. Add, either a drop more water, or ground Almond, as required to achieve the right consistency, one that is neither too dry nor too wet, it is just smooth, just like a pastry dough.
Wrap in plastic wrap and store in a dark and cool place (not a refrigerator) until needed. Leave for at least one hour, preferably overnight, before using, or just eating.
Recipe 2
This recipe, which uses both egg yolks and lemon juice as binders, is based upon the version given in Margaret Costa’s Four Seasons Cookery Book (London, Grub Street, 2013). It was used to make an Easter Simnel Cake. It is a Marzipan that is cooked (however it may be eaten as is (the reason for stating ‘cooked’ is because of the raw egg yolks (which may be a problem in some countries))) and is easier to handle than the uncooked version, and softer too. However, note that it will be much darker in colour than the previous recipe, due to one of the types of sugar used. The Rapadura sugar may be replaced with Cane sugar, however, the final taste is inferior.
Ingredients:
Superfine Rapadura sugar 135g (ground in a coffee grinder)
Superfine Cane sugar 215g (ground in a coffee grinder)
Ground Almonds 350g (poss. more, if Almond flour used)
Egg yolks 90g (5 large, lightly beaten)
Lemon juice 1 1/2tsp
Almond essence 3 ¼ tsp
Water possibly up to 4Tbsp
Method:
In a large bowl (1), mix the superfine Rapadura and Cane sugar with the ground Almonds. Add the lightly beaten egg yolks, Lemon juice and Almond essence. Initially mix with a wooden spoon, then use your hands, and knead until the paste is smooth and crack free; just like a soft pastry dough. If necessary, add sufficient water, or ground almonds (1Tbsp at a time) so that it has a pliable, yet not sticky, consistency. Form into a rough rectangle, cover, or wrap in clingfilm, and let it rest in the fridge for a while (2 hours minimum), preferably overnight.
To enrobe a cake with marzipan, there are two generally accepted methods to use: all-in-one, or in parts. The latter is preferably if the cake is iced after it is covered with marzipan.
All-in-one method
In this case, it is likely that the Marzipan will be the final coating and the cake top will need to be flat, rather than curved (as is often the case after baking).
This is based on the methods given by: Mary Berry (bbc.co.uk); the supplier Dr Oetker, https://www.oetker.co.uk/recipes/r/covering-a-round-cake-in-marzipan; How to cover a Christmas cake with marzipan and icing; and BBC Good Food, How to marzipan a cake | BBC Good Food
Process:
Level the top of the cake using a long, serrated knife.
Cover the top of a cake board with either three or four rectangular strips of parchment paper that overlap the edges.
Use a small, round of Almond paste and squash it right down in the centre of the cake board; to act as an anchor for the cake as it is decorated. Then, centred on the cake board, turn the cake over so that the flat bottom of the cake is now the upper surface; the flat surface provides a flat surface to decorate.
Use a piece of string (or a long rule) to measure the top (diameter) and the two sides of the cake, the add an extra 5cm (2in). This will provide the diameter to roll out the Marzipan; the extra width will make it easier to drape and mould the Marzipan to the cake surface.
Lightly knead Marzipan, both to soften it and to make it smooth.
Liberally dust a worksurface and rolling pin with Icing sugar, to stop the Marzipan sticking. Place the softened and smooth piece of Marzipan in the centre of the dusted work area. Confidently roll out the Marzipan, periodically rotating, checking that it is not sticking to the work surface, and re-dusting both the work surface and roller, as necessary. Roll out the Marzipan to a circular shape, the width of the length of string, and approximately 5mm (3/16in) thick.
In a small saucepan (1), spoon 3 – 4Tbsp of Apricot jam, add a little water to thin it. A final consistency of Heavy or Double cream is required. Over medium heat, gently bring the thinned Apricot jam to a boil.
Using a sieve, strain the hot, thinned Apricot jam into a small bowl (2), pressing the pieces of Apricot into the sieve so as to extract as much liquid (a lump-free and smooth Apricot jam or jelly) as possible. Leave the smooth Apricot jam to cool to warm before using.
Brush the top and sides of the upturned cake with the warm sieved Apricot jam. Leave it for a few minutes to set.
Place the rolling pin flat in the centre of the Marzipan round. Gently lift the top over the rolling pin. Lift up the rolling pin and let the Marzipan droop over it. Then, move it over to the cake. Carefully unroll the Marzipan over the middle of the cake, using one hand to ease it down centrally, then carefully unroll the rolling pin on the other side and ease the Marzipan directly onto the brushed Apricot jam surface. Using the hands, gently smooth the Marzipan flat onto the top of the cake. Use the rolling pin to press it level.
Then, ease the Marzipan down the sides of the cake, smoothing it at the same time. As any pleats form, lift the pleats with one hand and then press down with the other. Finally, trim any excess Marzipan from the base with a paring knife, neatly and smoothly.
Cover the cake loosely with baking parchment and leave to dry out in a cool, dry place. If covering the Marzipan with Royal icing, leave it to dry in a cool, dry place for 4 – 5 days before covering with the icing. If covering with Fondant icing, 2 days is enough. Note that home-made Marzipan takes a little longer to dry out than commercial Marzipan.
In parts method
This is the preferred method if the cake is iced after it is covered with Marzipan. Note that the Marzipan forms a double purpose: it helps trap the moisture in the cake, and thus prevent it from drying out, and to form a smooth surface for the final icing.
The process used is based upon that given in
How to... Marzipan a Christmas Cake | Everyday Cooks and in How to marzipan a fruit cake
Process:
If the cake is slightly domed there is no need to level the top of the cake.
Lightly knead Marzipan, both to soften it and to make it smooth.
Place a sheet of parchment paper, at least the width of the cake and the two sides (preferably, going over the top as well), on the top of a work surface.
Liberally dust the sheet of parchment paper and a rolling pin with Icing sugar, to stop the Marzipan from sticking.
Take just over half (0.6) of the softened and smooth Marzipan and place it in the centre of the dusted parchment paper. This will be used to roll out the Marzipan for the top of the cake. Flatten it with the heel of the hand. Confidently roll out the Marzipan, periodically rotating, checking that it is not sticking to the work surface, and re-dusting both the work surface and roller, as necessary. Roll out the Marzipan to a circular shape, just slightly wider than the diameter of the cake, and approximately 5mm (3/16in) thick.
In a small saucepan (1), spoon 3 – 4Tbsp of Apricot jam, add a little water to thin it. A final consistency of Heavy or Double cream is required. Over medium heat, gently bring the thinned Apricot jam to a boil.
Using a sieve, strain the hot, thinned Apricot jam into a small bowl (2), pressing the pieces of Apricot into the sieve so as to extract as much liquid (a lump-free and smooth Apricot jam or jelly) as possible. Leave the smooth Apricot jam to cool to warm before using.
Brush the top of the cake with the warm sieved Apricot jam. Leave it for a few minutes to set.
Place the cake, top side down, centrally on the rolled Marzipan, press gently to help it sick firmly to the cake. With the handle of a fork, gently ease down the excess Marzipan so that it sticks smoothly to the cake top.
Then, gently fold up the parchment paper on either side of the cake, and over the bottom, gripping this with the fingers, flip the cake over.
Cover the top of a cake board with either three or four rectangular strips of parchment paper that overlap the edges. In the centre of the cake board brush a little of the warmed Apricot jam; to act as an anchor for the cake as it is decorated.
Cut three or four wide strips of parchment paper and place them around the perimeter of the cake board, so that they extend past the outer edge of the cake board.
In the centre of the upturned cake, brush with a little of the warmed sieved Apricot jam, this will serve as an anchor when the cake is decorated. Place the cake and top Marzipan layer centrally on the cake board, adjusting as necessary.
Using a paring knife, cut around the cake to trim the Marzipan to the side of the cake. Set aside the scraps for possible later use.
Gather up the Marzipan trimmings; cut off any with crumbs on them, and discard. Add the Marzipan trimmings to the remaining Marzipan.
Brush the sides of the cake with the warm sieved Apricot jam.
Measure the height plus thickness (combined) of the Marzipan topping, and the circumference of the cake.
Place a fresh sheet of parchment paper, at least the circumference and depth (preferably a lot more) of the cake. Liberally dust the sheet of parchment paper and a rolling pin with Icing sugar, to stop the Marzipan from sticking.
Lightly knead the rest of the Marzipan, both to soften it and to make it smooth. Cut off just over a third of it.
Place the Marzipan in the centre of the dusted parchment paper. This will be used to roll out the Marzipan for the sides of the cake. Flatten it with the heel of the hand. Confidently roll out the Marzipan, periodically rotating, checking that it is not sticking to the work surface, and re-dusting both the work surface and roller, as necessary. Roll out to a width that is slightly wider than the height (combined, however check the highest part of the cake and use that) of the cake and the Marzipan topping, and at a length that is least a third of the diameter of the cake (for this cake, at least 25cm (10in)), and approximately 5mm (3/16in) thick.
Use a long rule, or straight edge to trim the Marzipan to size, with the ends square. Set aside any scraps for further use.
Gently pick up the cut Marzipan and, apply the cut sheet of Marzipan to the side of the cake, gently (avoid pressing too hard or finger dents may form).
Pick up the trimmings and follow the above proceedings (from kneading and smoothing) twice more. After applying each of the successive Marzipan strips to the cake, join the straight cut edges neatly, if necessary, push and smooth across with the fingers to create a single smooth surface.
When all of the strips are attached, trim the top edge of the Marzipan strips with a paring knife to the top level of the topped cake. Set aside the trimmings. Check that the joint between the side and top Marzipan is filled all around the cake. If necessary, fill in any gaps with some of the trimmings, pressing together to form a whole.
Use a paring knife, first with the flat of the blade to form the edge into a rounded whole, all around the cake. Then, if necessary, pare off any excess with the blade edge.
Continue to smooth the edge with the fingers until it is round and smooth.
Cover the cake loosely with baking parchment and leave to dry out in a cool, dry place. If covering the Marzipan with Royal icing, leave it to dry in a cool, dry place for 4 – 5 days before covering with the icing. If covering with Fondant icing, 2 days is enough. Note that home-made Marzipan takes a little longer to dry out than commercial Marzipan.
Royal icing is a hard white icing, made with gently beaten egg whites, Icing sugar, and sometimes with either Lemon or Lime juice. It is used to decorate celebration cakes, as well as other cakes, gingerbread houses (where it is used as an edible adhesive), cookies and biscuits. Glycerine is often added to prevent the icing from setting too hard. When placing icing on cakes, Marzipan is usually used under the Royal icing in order to prevent any discoloration of the icing. Royal icing is also used to make decorations such as figures, flowers and trees for putting on the cake; piped as shapes and allowed to harden on a non-stick surface. In this case, the Glycerine is omitted.
Decorating celebration cakes took a different form in medieval England. It started with the forerunner of the wedding cake. Then, the wedding cake was influenced from Europe with the cake in the form of small spiced buns stacked in a towering pile (like a croquembouche). From this, the traditional ‘Bride’s pie’ became a large round pie with a decorated pastry crust. The use of icing sugar was impossible before the 18th century, as the technology needed to refine sugar did not exist. At first, the Bride, or wedding, cakes used Meringue-like toppings which were then dried out in the open mouth of the open oven that had just baked the cake (the icing was applied to the hot cake) to avoid scorching or colouring the pure white icing. The white icing symbolized purity. After the advent of refined sugar, the icing used was similar to royal icing, however, after spreading it over the top of the cake, the cake was returned to the oven to set hard as before. The resulting flat, shiny surface was thought to resemble that of a frozen (ice) lake; this led to the name icing. The prefix Royal came about because the British Royal Family used it on their wedding cakes; as such, it was copied by the ‘commoners’. Elizabeth Raffald wrote about icing in the book, The Experienced English Housekeeper, in 1769. It was again mentioned in 1790, in Borella’s book, Court and Country Confectionary. It was not until the 1840’s that, under the influence of German bakers, that icing was piped. Elizabeth Raffald is generally credited as the pioneer of adding a layer of Marzipan between the cake and the icing, to prevent the cake from discolouring the purity of the white icing.
For some people are, the egg whites may cause a problem due to food intolerances. Whilst the egg whites are raw, there is little chance, practically nil, of transmitting salmonella poisoning (in Europe all packed eggs are pasteurized). However, Meringue powder or ready-to-use, pasteurized, refrigerated egg whites (wet eggs - although these will not overcome any food intolerances), can be used with similar results.
What follows is a recipe for making Royal icing, and a description of the process of covering a Marzipan covered fruit cake with Royal icing.
This recipe is based upon those given by two well-known English baking authors: one given by Mary Berry in her post on ‘Classic Christmas cake’ (Mary Berry's classic Christmas cake recipe). and the other in a post on Royal icing by Delia Smith. Royal Icing
Recipe:
Egg whites 90g (3 large)
Icing sugar 675g
Lemon juice 3tsp
Glycerine 1 1/2tsp (or substitute with corn syrup/glucose)
Method:
To whip egg whites requires more care than whipping whole eggs or yolks. It is important that the whites are free of any yolk particles and that grease and oil are absent from the bowl and whisk. Wipe any bowl that will contain the egg whites, along with the whisk, with a clean paper towel dipped in lemon juice; then wipe dry with another clean paper towel.
Whisk egg whites with a wire whisk, in a non-porous, round bottomed bowl. Stainless steel bowls are good, as are glass. Ensure that the eggs are at least three days old, as fresh eggs are too viscous, and ensure that the egg whites are at room temperature when whipped.
To separate the eggs into yolks and whites before use, then it is best to use the eggs straight from the refrigerator to separate the eggs into yolks and whites. This is because the yolks and the whites have greater surface tension and viscosity when cold; this aides in the separation. Then, bring the egg whites up to room temperature, approximately 45 minutes.
Crack the side of the egg with a sharp tap on the worksurface. Doing it this way reduces the chances of puncturing the yolk with a jagged piece of broken egg shell. Having cracked the shell, hold the egg vertically over a bowl (1) and with the tips of the thumbs prise the shell apart. Let the white drop into the bowl, as much as is possible, and then repeatedly tip the yolk between the two halves of the shell so that all the white may drop into the bowl. Drop the yolk into another bowl (2). Then pour the white into a third bowl (3). This is so that should the yolk be punctured on cracking, and too much of it drops into the bowl with the white, only one egg is lost, rather than all the white separated before. However, if only a speck of yolk drops into the white it can be rescued using the edge of the egg shell and scooped out.
Sift the Icing sugar into a bowl (4), and set aside.
Place the egg whites in a large clean bowl (5) and using an electric hand mixer (preferable) fitted with a whisk attachment, whisk the eggs, evenly, until they become frothy. Start whipping slowly, so as to reduce the chances of getting large air bubbles introduced into the whites, and hence increase the chances of a finer final texture. Start whipping slowly, to break up the white, so as to reduce the chances of getting large air bubbles introduced into the whites, and hence increase the chances of a finer final texture.
If whipping by hand with a wire whisk, tilt the bowl forward and move the whisk around the bottom of the tilted bowl. In the process, lift the whisk in and out of the white with each rotation. Initially, just the mass of white will rise, with the whisk due to its viscosity. This is the most effective way to reduce the viscosity and break up the cohesiveness of the albumen. In this way as much air as possible is pulled into the egg whites.
Keeping the speed low, mix in the sifted Icing sugar, a tablespoon at a time. Avoid adding the sifted Icing sugar too quickly (as this will produce a dull, heavy icing). Add enough of the sifted Icing sugar until the mixture is like a thick paste: the icing falls thickly from a spoon (all of the Icing sugar may not be needed, yet add at least 500g).
At this point, stop adding any more Icing sugar. Just whisk with a hand-held electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment for 10 minutes, or until the mixture stands up in smooth and shiny, stiff peaks.
Add the Glycerine and Lemon juice to the mixture and stir until they are well blended.
Use Royal icing immediately (since the longer it awaits use, the weaker it gets, and begins to separate), and it dries hard when it comes into contact with air.
If it is not used immediately, cover it airtight and keep it in a cool, dry place until needed. To prevent the Royal icing drying hard before use, cover the surface airtight with a sheet of thoroughly wet clingfilm. The icing may be stored in a refrigerator for up to 3 days. Bring it back to room temperature before use.
Allow the Royal icing to settle before use. Then, stir the icing to disperse any air bubbles. If necessary, adjust the consistency: either by adding more sifted Icing sugar if the Royal icing is too loose, or adding a little lemon juice (1/2tsp) if it is too stiff to work with.
Process:
If not already done so, cover the top of a cake board with either three or four rectangular strips of parchment paper that overlap the edges. Place a spoonful of icing right down in the centre of the cake board; this to act as an anchor for the cake as it is decorated. Then, centred on the cake board, place the marzipan covered cake centrally on the cake board. If a rotating cake platform, or Lazy Susan, is available then place the cake on top of it. This will ease the process of applying the Royal icing.
Work quickly with icing as it will dry within 15 – 60 minutes of application. Spoon out the mixed Royal icing onto the top of the cake. Use a thin metal offset spatula to spread it gently and evenly over the top surface. Let the icing find its own way down the sides, guiding it with the metal spatula until the Marzipan cake covered surface is completely covered. Use a spatula or a fork to create any desired decorative icing texture. For instance, swirl the offset metal spatula over the top and sides to a rough snow scene.
Leave the Royal iced cake loosely covered overnight, or until the icing has set, before adding any other decoration. If decorations are added any earlier, then the soft icing may be damaged. Then, wrap and store the finished cake airtight in a cool place until needed.
Iced cake, with decorated texture, and the final decorated Christmas cake.
