Christmas Cake Decorating

Having baked the Christmas cake quite a few weeks ago, it was finally time to start decorating it today. I used a different recipe for the cake this year and had been feeding it with brandy for about 6 weeks. It seemed a little more moist than cakes of previous years but was looking good. I also chose a recipe with slightly less ingredients in as no one else in the house like Christmas Cake other than me. I usually end up with two huge cakes and have to eat them both myself. This year the recipe was just the right size for a single large cake.

Half Moon Cake

This year we decided to decorate it as a half moon shape as well. This meant cutting the cake in half – so we still ended up with two cake – before we started covering it it marzipan and icing it. I did that a week or so ago and left it for the oils to evaporate somewhat from the marzipan. The scene was set for some festive cake decorating.

I was expecting Anna or Morgan to help me out but ended up doing it all on my own today. Anna did help a little with the first stage though which was covering the cake with a background of blue icing. It was a little too warm in our kitchen really so the icing was a little too soft which didn’t make matters as easy as they could be, ut we soon had a half-moon cake covered in a lovely blue icing.

Background Icing
Background Icing

A Christmas Scene

Next I created some white snowflakes thanks to some cool snowflake cutters and some snow-covered hills with the help of a wine glass. These were positioned on the cake to provide the beginnings of a nice wintry scene.

I wasn’t going for anything too ambitious of course. I wasn’t trying to win any prizes here, just have a nice looking cake for the Christmas table and have some fun in the process.

Next I started to build a snowman. This is where the fun begins, modeling various bits of icing to create a body, a head and a hat. It’s just like playing with modelling clay really, only the offcuts taste a little better. Next I added a scarf, a bright red nose and some eyes along with some silver balls to make a mouth. The cake was beginning to take shape.

Snowman Christmas Cake
Snowman Christmas Cake

The snowman needed a few more details though. Buttons, a mittened hand and a ribbon around his hat and of course something that any self-respecting snowman needs, snowballs!

Scarf, Mittens and Snowballs
Scarf, Mittens and Snowballs

The green icing came out next to make some Christmas trees. These were topped with some little yellow stars.

Christmas Trees on the Christmas Cake
Christmas Trees on the Christmas Cake

Finally, the trees were decorated with tiny baubles and this years Christmas cake was complete.

The finished Christmas Cake
The finished Christmas Cake

The best thing about decorating the cake as a half-moon meant that the second half of the cake was ‘left over’. I did think about decorating this half as well but there wasn’t enough icing left to cover it completely. My next idea was to make a chocolate icing for it and cover it with that, but in the end my third option won the day. That was to cut off a large slice, make a cup of tea and start eating it!

A Slice of Christmas Cake
A Slice of Christmas Cake

At least I’ll be able to eat this half while the other half remains looking nice for Christmas. Have a very Merry Christmas everyone!

2 Responses

  1. Avatar forComment Author Emily says:

    Looks fantastic to me. Must get some of those snowflake cutters.

  2. Avatar forComment Author Mum x says:

    Looks lovely ,I can almost taste it from here ,unfortunately I can’t eat Christmas cake any more ,so Ive bought Christmas cake slices for your Dad ..not the same as home made though x
    I’m sure you’ll manage to eat it all .
    Xx

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Alan Cole

Alan is a Freelance Website Designer, Sports & Exercise Science Lab Technician and full time Dad & husband with far too many hobbies: Triathlete, Swimming, Cycling, Running, MTBing, Surfing, Windsurfing, SUPing, Gardening, Photography.... The list goes on.

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