Psst. Any cake making, WI types out there?

[tempertemper]

Help.

I have made a fruit cake for the first time, with the rather over-optimistic plan of icing it ready for a family occasion at the weekend. Allegedly it doesn't need maturing. I have poked it a few times and added brandy though just in case.

But now the tricky bit. I have never done proper icing before. I have purchased ready made marzipan and ready roll icing.

How do I get these on the cake without it looking like my 4 year old made it? Need tips please. Or if I have to bin the cake and get my arse to Marks and Sparks please tell me now.

You need a glaze between the cake and marzipan - you can buy special glaze or use apricot preserve - warm it slightly and take out any chunky bits of apricot - spread it on the cake and then let it cool before covering it with the marzipan.

Hope my WI skills have been of use - I will now go back to the 'what makes you feel old thread?' !! .

It's a little hard to explain it on here but if you search YouTube there are some excellent videos that take you through the process.

Youtube. I hadn't even thought of this as a source. How thoroughly modern!

Is there a timeframe for all this? Do I need to dry layers out or anything (somewhat conflicting advice from Delia and Mary Berry etc. They all seem to assume I would have planned this well in advance rather than cobbling something together within a week )

is it round? much easier if round than square. dito the jam glaze bit - helps the marzipan stick.

so

1. paint cake with jam

1. kneed marzipan on flat worktop - use icing sugar so it doesn't stick to surface or rolling pin.

1. roll it out nice and flat. 1/2 cm ish.

1. flop it over the cake and smooth it down all over.

1. trim off around the bottom and sort of lift off and smooth out where here are any overlapping bits. chop off any extra bits if needed and smooth out creases.

1. let marzipan dry for a couple of days

1. repeat with icing. thicker icing is more forgiving to any bumpy bits. and dampen the marzipan a bit so the icing sticks.

I tend to do it all at once and have had no problems. This is a good video: []
It only shows the fondant layer but the marzipan layer works in the same way. When you lay them over the cake, just watch the top edge as the weight of the icing can pull down and create holes on the edge iyswim.
Also, make sure your hands are dry.

It is round. 21cm diameter.

Does the icing layer have to dry before I decorate it?

Do you ice the cake board or is it better not to?

(I have bought apricot jam but have gobbled half the jar tasted it already).

best to leave it dry a bit or any colours you use could seep a bit.

icing the board looks nice if you are going posh but not overly necessary. but if you do glue a ribbon around the edge too.

That youtube video is great - thank you.
Do you think I need to buy the special fondant smoother and cutter or can I improvise with eg the back of my hand and a knife?

(Can you see a theme developing here?)

I dont have a special cutter I just use a pizza cutter and a sharp knife.As to the smoother yes I do use one but seem to have the same results from gently rubbing stroking and my hands over the icing.

You don't need the smoother. The palm/heel of your hand will work just as well (just remember to take any rings off first as they will leave dents).

My top tips:

It's easier if you leave a day or so in between the marzipan and icing then icing and decorating so each layer has formed a 'skin' and won't dent as easily if you accidentally clonk it.

If you want to ice the board then do it as far in advance as possible so you don't dent it when you're fiddling about with the icing.

Knead the icing really, really well as it will be much easier to roll out if it's warm and pliable. It needs to feel warm in your hands, not cool.

Someone else said about rolling the icing to about 5mm thick which is spot on, it will be much, much easier if it's that thickness.

The trickiest bit is cutting the excess off from round the bottom. You need to make sure you've tucked it in really closely to the base of the cake and keep your (sharp) knife upright and close to the side of the cake.

Once it has a layer of marzipan on it you need to just keep it in a cardboard box, NOT a sealed plastic box. If you put it in an airtight box then the marzipan and icing sweats and doesn't harden.

Roll a long, very thin sausage of icing and use it to cover the join between the iced cake and the board if you want a really professional finish without trying to pipe royal icing!

You seem to have got lots and lots of good advice and found some help on YouTube. As for smoothing the fondant icing - no need to buy a special smoother and just use a really sharp knife to cut off any wee bits sticking out at the bottom.

Now to the getting it smooth bit - Sit the cake on the board, wash your hands, dry them really really well, and then pour some icing sugar on a board beside you. Cover your hands with that, and then spend a very satisfying half hour or more smoothing and smoothing. Very relaxing. You'll get a beautifully glossy smooth and professional looking surface on your cake doing this.

Best of luck - I'm sure your cake will be a great success!

If you want a really flat top, turn the cake upside down before starting.

I used to cut a circle for the top and then a strip for the sides rather than all in one. You then slice the excess off the top with the edge sloping inwards - so that it's a bit like the slope of a roof. Difficult to describe.

Haven't done one for a while - no-one likes Christmas Cake.

Another useful tip I find for smoothing the icing is to wrap a ball of it with clingfilm and rub it over the fondant.

hello hello.

Some brilliant tips - thank you!
So. The marzipan is on! TB i wish I had read your tip before I put it on the cake the right way round,I do have a slightly bumpy top now where the sultanas and raisins upset the line a bit. But I have learnt valuable lessons for the Christmas cake!

Icing going on tonight. I shall report back.

All iced and ribbon stuck on. Looks fab

Am bricking it about trying to write anything on my beautiful cake, but I do need to.

I have some Dr Oetker writing icing. Is this any good? Or would you ladies suggest proper piping bag and nozzle. If so, do I stick in a water based icing/how stiff a mixture do I need to pipe? I am quite arty so think I would be ok with practice but any advice gratefully received.

Well done .

Writing will look far, far nicer if you use royal icing rather than the tube stuff.

You can either make it using 1 egg white to approximately 250g icing sugar or use powdered egg white made up according to the back of the packet and icing sugar.

Whichever egg white you use, put it into a bowl, add about a quarter of the icing and mix well using a fork. Add another quarter of the icing sugar and beat again. Add the third quarter and beat again.

From this point you have to judge how much more icing sugar to add. You want the icing to stand in stiff peaks with just a little 'flop' at the top of the peak. If it's too stiff it'll be a nightmare to get out of the piping tube, if it's too soft it'll splodge everywhere.

Basically it will take a bit of trial and error on your part to get the perfect consistency.

Alternatively, you could use something like these which take the stress out of it completely .

WARNING, if you open that webpage be aware you may develop a serious addiction to cake decorating and all the paraphernalia that goes with it .

ooooh....lovely site
I need to stick the letters on tomorrow though, so too late for the easy route.

Will stick the Dr Oetker in the back of the drawer for my children to use.

Hmm.

Can you use the ready-royal stuff? It's not so much that I want an easy option, its more the pressure to get it right on my first ever attempt of icing!

Sorry, didn't get on here yesterday, but the ready royal should be okay. I've never used it on mine but I guess it's made for piping so it should be the right consistency.

If you've already done it, hope it's gone well. Put a pic on your profile for us all to admire, please!

Nightmare! I went and bought a proper nozzle and piping set but the lady in the shop put the wrong nozzle in my bag! So I had to fall back on the Dr Oetker with no time to spare.

Its ok, but not great

I will try and get a pic tomorrow. Lessons have been learnt.I have definitely caught the bug for cake decorating!