my xmas cakes are looking a bit sort of cracked (best word to describe it) on top

[lucysmam]

are they meant to look like this? Or are they going to fall to bits as soon as I remove them from the tin?

I'll be very gutted if my efforts are going to fall apart so please tell me it's not going to happen!!!!!

no, they won't fall to bits. the side that's been on top when it was in the oven should look like that and brown as well.

turn it out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

the real 'top' should be smooth from being at the bottom of the baking tin.

oh, so you turn them the other way up then to marzipan & ice?

I am soooooo glad they're not going to fall to pieces when they come out of the tins. Thanks again expat

yes, you ice them from what is the bottom because you turn the cake over to get it out the tin and cool before wrapping it up.

but don't marzipan and ice them until about a week before Xmas!

before that, just wrap the cake, store it, feed it once a month.

about a week before Xmas, give it a final feed if desired, then do your marzipan and icing. the icing comes rolled so you'll just be laying that over the marzipan and smoothing it out.

Thanks expat, I am confident now that they'll at least taste ok! Hopefully they'll look ok as well . . . going to try making some snowmen & santas for them

they'll look fine with teh rolled icing over them.

and over time, with sitting in the tin and being fed, the cracked top will start to smooth out a bit under the weight of the rest of the cake.

Thanks for the xmas cake masterclass expat, I am now a bit more confident about them. They actually don't look too bad in daylight, maybe it was just my dodgy kitchen light made them look shocking!

Much appreciate the info & help