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Friday, 21 December 2012

UK Christmas Cake Part 2

In November I made a UK Christmas cake.  You can find the initial post here, along with the recipe.
Here is how it came out of the oven

The cake requires requires feeding;)  I poked several holes in the top using a wooden skewer

I added about 2 or 3 tablespoons of Brandy to the cake.  I did this 2X while the cake was in storage.  Allowing approximately 2-3 weeks between each feeding:)

Knowing the cake was just too big for my family to eat,so  I cut the cake in half, frosted it, and sent one half back to the states to my mother and father.  I am hoping it gets to them by Christmas or New Year!


So this is half of the cake placed on a aluminum wrapped cutting board because I don't own a cake platter:( 


Take a small jar of jam and microwave it for 20 seconds to liquified
it 
Using a pastry brush wipe the jam all over the cake this acts as a glue for the marzipan icing

You will need 2 types of cake covering


First is Marzipan--needs to be rolled out on parchment paper use a little confectioner  sugar so it doesn't stick to the paper



Carefully placed the marzipan on to the cake

Carefully cover the cake making sure there are no folds in the marzipan -- carefully cut off any extra around the cake.  Don't cut to close to the cake as the icing will raise a little exposing the cake.

Now bring out the Regal icing

Roll it out on Parchment paper

Carefully place onto the Christmas cake --smooth side up.

Once again carefully cover the cake making sure there are no creases or folds in the icing

Cut any excess icing away at a slight angle


Icing is completed

Now is time to decorate.  I chose to use a pretty green ribbon.  Unfortunately the one I sent my mother  was without a ribbon as I hadn't one available in the house, sorry MOM

I need to work on my bow a bit more--but you get the idea:)

I will carefully wrap up my cake in foil until Christmas and then wait till Christmas which is in 4 days:)


MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU!!!!!


I will be taking some time off from blogging to spend with my family, see you in the New Year!



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7 comments:

  1. Maureensk21 December 2012 at 07:24

    So now you need to tell us how it tastes! It looks gorgeous though! it sounds like you don't cook it again after adding the brandy??? DO you know if it evaporates or anything? I can't consume ANY alcohol right now. Not that I'd make such a cake in time for Christmas, but I'd be interested in trying it next year. i personally don't care much for marzipan, so I'm curious to see how the royal icing, which I have never heard of, compares to marzipan. As I am sure you know, fruit cake does not get frosted here. Plus they put odd fruit in it, like dried fruit that is unnaturally colored (maybe it is candied fruit?). Anyway, yours seems like it is a lot healthier and I've always suspected that fruit cake gets a bad rap. The way people talk about it around here, I have never been able to bring myself to try any (you know the stories, people use it as doorstops or re-gift it around the family each year for years on end...).

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    1. The Adventurer21 December 2012 at 20:54

      I check with my friend and you don't have to feed your cake any extra Brandy if you don't want too:) Marzipan is a nut base product so lots of people can't eat it (I think it has almonds in it) Royal icing tastes like marshmallows to me and a little goes a very long way:)

      Let me know how it turns out if you do make one. I can't wait to have a slice of mine:)

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  2. DeliveringGrace21 December 2012 at 08:09

    Yum-I still need to ice mine. I'm planning to use royal icing which is a bit harder in texture than the regal roll-on. My Mum used to make royal icing from scratch but I have a packet that looks like icing sugar and just need to add water to this.

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  3. jmommymom21 December 2012 at 12:21

    Brandy? Now wasn't that the secret ingredient in the Christmas pudding too? I'm getting a picture in my mind of what it's like to live in the UK.

    Speaking of Christmas pudding...... isn't it about time to eat that too?

    Have a Merry Christmas

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    Replies
    1. The Adventurer21 December 2012 at 20:55

      Yes I will send you the directions for steaming and eating your pudding:)

      Delete
  4. LeAnn21 December 2012 at 17:51

    Thanks for the tutorial; the pictures were awesome. I can actually follow the recipe better if I have pictures like this one.
    Blessings, hugs and have a wonderful Christmas!

    ReplyDelete