I might be an artist but when it comes to decorating cakes I am pretty well a complete beginner, in fact this is the first cake I've iced and decorated using fondant icing. If you have been following my blog recently you will know my Christmas colours for 2011 are Mauve and Silver, however, any colours available in the edible glitter range can obviously be used.
Ingredients:
1. 1 packet of supermarket bought white fondant icing
2. Some jam/jelly any flavour, however I used Blackberry
3. Edible glitter (I used purple)
4. Edible tiny stars (I used silver)
5. Small Christmas tree cutters or Holly leaf cutters
6. Christmas cake pre-made (bought or home made, mine is home-made by my friends mum)
(The cutters and glitters are available through good cookware shops, I went to Milly's Kitchen in Ponsonby Road, Auckland)
Method:
1. Christmas cake pre-made or bought (I will be posting a traditional Christmas cake recipe in a couple of days time)
2. Jam/Jelly any flavour (I used raspberry)
3. To about a tablespoon of jam/jelly add a little boiling water and stir to make a liquid to brush onto cake (this is to enable the fondant to stick to your cake)
4.Knead your fondant icing until pliable then roll out a small amount of fondant icing (about 2.5 millimetres) - cut out your Christmas trees or whatever shape you want to use and set them aside to allow them to dry
5. When they are dry brush the trees on top very lightly with water then with a "dry" brush apply the "edible glitter" or using a toothpick as the glitter clings easily. I used a clean new paintbrush and flicked it onto the trees.
Do not apply the glitter to the trees while on the cake,, lay your trees on your bench top and apply glitter. Then leave to dry completely on your bench top.
Roll out icing to cover cake, make sure your cake has a perfectly smooth top before covering with the icing. Unfortunately I didn't have time to do this and the cherries left little bumps. You should fill in all the dips and holes with pieces of icing to get a perfectly smooth top. I have been told since it is best to cover first with marzipan/almond paste then brush again with some jam and then cover with the fondant icing, this should give a perfectly smooth finish.
Brush a little bit of the liquid jam or water onto the back of your trees, then place your glitter trees on the cake carefully, make sure not to get any glitter on the cake, if you do use a small piece of rolled up fondant to gently lift off the glitter. You can lift the trees carefully off your bench by sliding a knife underneath. I lay the trees on randomly and applied a row around the outside edge of the top of the cake.
Gently brush a little bit of water on your cake but very, very lightly or it will become sticky. I'm sure there is a correct way of applying the stars but this seemed to work. Then sprinkle on your edible stars avoiding the trees, sprinkling in between.
I then tied a double bow around with some purple and silver ribbon I had left over from my Christmas table setting. I used some pretty crystals to decorate. However, these are not edible so not suitable for children and you would have to remind adults not to munch on them ☺.....
and...Voila!
a really pretty but simply decorated cake that a complete beginner can (and did) achieve.
I have sourced some cake decorating suppliers just in case you don't have a nearby store, (links below)
New Zealand - Milly's Kitchen, Cake Stuff
Australia - Baking Pleasures, Cakes Around Town
And in case you didn't understand my instructions, here is a quick video showing you the correct way to apply the fondant icing
Christmas is getting nearer, Poppy is counting down the days!
(10 days for my USA readers ☺)
Please visit again or sign up for email as we have a few more Christmas delights to feature including how to make some pretty traditional Christmas paper crackers for the table.
Lee oxo
&
Poppy
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