Immensely urgent question about marzipaning my christmas cake!

[SpankyouHardOnChristmasNight]

How long do I leave it between the last 'feed' of brandy and -plonking- putting the marzipan on?

Once the damn stuff is on, do I leave it to dry out in it's wrapping and tin or do I leave it out on the work surface free to the air?

How long should it dry for before icing??

roffle at the name

ooooohhhh Such a Topic Of Debate, I nearly got flamed on here last year for saying i did the whole lot within about three days so will not pass comment

oooh i always ice straight after I've done the marzipan. didn't know you shouldn;t

and everyone does lvoe my christmas cake, so i think it's tbe best way really

dunno if its the right thing to do but I leave it a week after the final brandy, marzipan it, then leave it uncovered for a day or too then ice it Christmas eve.

You've given it a lot of thought!

When I decide it has enough booze and I'm in the mood for icing I just put on the marzipan and then the icing straight after. It always seems to work.

OK calm down

I would leave the cake to soak up the booze for a day. Then air dry it as I roll the marzipan. Plonk the stuff on and smooth, leave for an hour or 2 to check for cracks. Then put it back in the tin wrapped up, until you are ready with the icing. Ice when ready, I always do it a few days apart. Then just a tin rather than wrapping.

The thing will last forever if there is enough booze. DH and I made a cake our first Christmas together, we kept the left over 3/4 through 2 house moves then when de-cluttering had a taste and it was lovely about 5 years in total. I have thrown that one now though

I usually marzipan it a couple of days after the last feed, but don't think it makes a lot of difference.

It needs to dry off not in a tin - cover the tin without lid with a tea towel or similar

The gap between marzipan and icing only really matters if it is going to hang around for a long time - if you don't dry the marzipan the oils will seep through the icing and discolour it over time

royal icing should be done after marzipan has dried (ime a few days will do or can discolour), fondant can be done immediately. Well so says St Jane of Asher anyhow. I can't stand fondant so always leave to dry- a week in paper, if in a hurry (don't ask) overnight out.

Depending how you are planning to ice it a day or so's drying time between marzipan and icing will help stop the marzipan staining through the icing but is definitely not essential.

Mine are marzipanned and sitting in a cool place completely unwrapped to dry - may get iced tomorrow, possibly, if I have time.

Well, I've never heard of that before! I think my icing has always remained white, perhaps I buy dry marzipan.

ahhh well ours gets eaten in a matter of days. so my slipshod methods are fine! lol

Hmmmm I am worried and wouldn't want you to rush into anything.
Just take your time, after all there is no need to panic just yet.
Get lots of advice first. Don't take the first piece you are offered [sorry thisisyesterday]

I have no idea

I give a few to fayres etc as raffle prizes (just 5 to ice tomorrow LOL) so tend to err on the cautious side

This year I am using the middle tier of my wedding cake, and come to think of it it, when I peeled off the old icing it had gone very brown underneath.

Normally leave it a few days to week after it’s last soak then do the marzipan and icing the same time.

I'm guessing they've resolved their 9 year old issue.

I marzipan and ice mine at the same time, everyone loves it (crap baker but make fabulous fruit cake!) so it can't be that bad.