TRADITIONAL CHRISTMAS CAKE ICING

INGREDIENTS

750g / 1lb 11oz Royal Icing Sugar

PREPARATION TIME: 90 minutes
 
COOKING TIME: None
 
DIFFICULTY: Mediun
 
FREEZE: No
 
SERVINGS: 25cm / 10in cake
 
EQUIPMENT: Palette knife or similar, large bowl
 

ADVICE FOR TRADITIONAL ICING

There are advantages and disadvantages to icing a cake in the traditional manner compared to using ready roll icing.

1.   Using ready roll icing is quicker and requires less skill.
    
2.  A flat surface is the only option with ready roll icing. The surface of traditional icing can be textured.
    
3.  If there are any lumps / bumps in the surface of the marzipan, these will be visible on the surface of ready roll icing. With traditional icing, lumps / bumps will be hidden.
    
   
4.  Ready roll icing is slighly more expensive compared to traditional icing.

PREPARATION

Previously you need to have made and baked the Christmas cake and covered it in marzipan.

It's ideal if you ice your cake when the marzipan has had about two weeks to fully harden. Having advised that, we have marzipaned and iced a cake on the same day. I know because I'm looking at two cakes right now!

This page takes you through icing a Christmas Cake using the traditional method. Click on a line below to go to any of the other pages in this series about Christmas Cakes.

How To Make and Bake a Christmas Cake

How To Marzipan a Christmas Cake

How To Ice Your Christmas Cake with Ready-To-Roll Icing

How To Ice Your Christmas Cake The Traditional Method

A Recipe That Your Children Can Cook

RECIPE INSTRUCTIONS

STEP 1

Read the instructions on the Royal Icing packet carefully and measure out accurately the required amount of water. Add the Royal icing and the water to a bowl and blend together with a spoon.

We did try it with our food blender but it started to heat up quite dramatically under the effort! We would recommend hand blending even if it is a bit tiresome.

Mixing cake icing

STEP 2

Spoon out the mixed icing onto the top of the cake and gently spread spread it over the surface.

Smoothing traditional icing on top of a Christmas cake

A palette knife is the best tool for this job.

Smoothing traditional icing on sides of a Christmas cake

STEP 3

Using the palette knife, spread the icing evenly over the top and sides of the cake. It will help a lot when smoothing out the sides if you place the cake on some sort of stand (an upturned bowl will do). You will be able to get to the bottom of the sides much more easily.

The 'wave' effect on the surface comes from drawing the palette knife over the surface in short upward-ending strokes.

Traditional icing on a cake

STEP 3

Decorate the cake with the help of your kids - they love it!

Decorated Christmas cake