Renshaw’s Christmas Cake Decoration

• 8 servings
• to prepare

Instructions

Equipment:

8” cake board
Palette knife
Icing sugar shaker
Knife
Cooled boiled water
Pastry brush
Small brush
Small scissors
Small star plunger cutter

Cake Part 1:

1. Fix the fruit cake to the centre of the board with a small amount of jam. Coat the fruit cake in a thin coat of jam with the palette knife.
2. Take the ready rolled marzipan, remove the packaging and unroll the disc.
3. Peel off the plastic backing and lift the marzipan disc carefully over the cake, using the inner plastic tube for support.
4. Gently smooth over the top and sides of cake, trimming any excess marzipan with a knife.
5. Lightly brush the surface of the marzipan covered cake and the rim of the board with water.
6. Take the ready rolled icing, remove the outer packaging and unroll the disc.
7. Peel off the plastic backing and lift the disc carefully over the cake, using the inner tube for support.
8. Gently smooth over the top and sides of the cake and the rim of the board with the palm of your hands.
9. Trim the icing around the edge of the board with a knife. Reserve the excess for the Father Christmas model.

Christmas Tree:

1. Knead 1/3 of the Lincoln green Icing on a clean, dry surface, until pliable. Shape into a cone and place onto a small plate. Starting from the top of the tree, use the small scissors to snip individual branches. Complete 1 row at a time. The next row of branches are positioned underneath and in-between the branches above. Continue to complete the rows until you reach the base. Set to one side.
2. Cut a thin piece of yellow icing, use the small plunger cutter to cut out the top star.
3. Attach to the tree with a small amount of water.

Father Christmas

1. Knead 1/5 of the poppy red icing on a clean, dry surface, until pliable. Make 2, 2cm size balls and set to one side. Shape the large piece of icing into a long cone shape and curl over the top at the thin end create the hat. Press your thumb in the middle of the cone to create the indentation for the face to sit.
2. Create Father Christmas’ face by kneading a 1.5cm size ball of baby pink icing, attach with a small amount of water to the indention created for his face.
3. Using some of the white icing previously reserved from covering the cake, shape a piece into a long rope. Attach around the base of the cone and up the centre of the jacket to the face area. Reserve a piece to finish the hat.
4. Create the beard with a 2cm size ball of white icing, reshape it into a cone and flatten. Pinch out the corners at the larger end of the cone. Attach the beard around the edge of the face. Make 2 pea sized balls of white icing and shape into cones, attach these to the top of the beard. To create his mouth press in-between the moustache and the beard with the end of your paint brush.
5. For his nose, take a tiny piece of baby pink icing and shape into an oval. Attach above his moustache with a tiny drop of water
6. For his eyes, press in 2 small holes above his nose with a cocktail stick. Attach 2 black sprinkles. Use the end of the paint brush to help fix them in place.
7. Add the trim of the hat with the reserved white rope made previously, attach with water covering the join were the face meets the hat. Make a 1cm sized ball and attach to the end of the hat with water.
8. For the arms, take the 2 reserved 2cm size balls of poppy red icing and shape into cones. Make 2, 1cm sized balls of white icing, flatten and attach to the end of the arms. Press the end of the paintbrush through the white icing into the red icing for the hand to sit in. Make 2, 0.5cm sized balls of baby pink icing and shape into cones. Attach to the end of the arms with a little water.
9. Attach the arms by making a hole either side of his body. Brush with a little water and place in the arms.

Cake Part 2

1. Open the pot of royal icing and give it a mix with a palette knife.
2. Spread a generous layer over the top surface of the cake. Clean off the palette knife and dab through the royal icing to create peaks.
3. Attach the prepared Christmas tree and Father Christmas and add a few white sprinkles to the royal icing peaks.
4. For the finishing touches, lightly sprinkle with icing sugar to give the just snowed effect and tie a red ribbon around the cake.