I've always said there's no point knowing something if you are not willing to pass that knowledge on. There are no huge secrets to cake decorating but sometimes its just difficult to know where to look for answers. This is the first in a series of #CakeKnowHow posts that I will be publishing - All about getting the basics right of baking and cake decorating.
The purpose of this post is to show how to cover a cake in marzipan - The base layer to getting a perfectly smooth iced cake. My fruit cakes come out of the oven, lumpy and bumpy - Just like everyone else's. It's what you do afterwards that makes the difference.
I will be honest, this probably isn't even the smoothest marzipan covering I've ever done but you will be able to see that with a layer of icing on top, we will get a lovely cake. In the next few posts, I will cover subjects like 'How to Ice a Sponge Cake' and other decorating basics. Feel free to ask if there are any subjects that you would like me to cover.
Ingredients & Equipment
8" Round Fruit Cake
Approx 500g Marzipan (I use White Marzipan as Golden can show through to the icing)
2 tbsp Apricot Jam (Cheap is good as it is likely to contain less fruit bits)
Pastry Brush
12" Round Board
Icing Sugar Shaker with icing sugar
Smaller Pallet Knife (or non-serrated small kitchen knife)
Smoother (This is a piece of cake decorating equipment that you really can't substitute for anything else)
Long rolling pin - Preferable a straight, white plastic one - Without handles at the end.
Let's get started:
1. Mix the Apricot Jam with 4-5 tbsp boiled water and microwave for 10 seconds. You want it hot to get rid of any bacteria. You also want it runny, so feel free to add another tbsp of water.
2. Turn the cake upside down on the board - I say there are no secrets to cake decorating but actually this is the one that causes most people to go 'Ooh!'
3. Brush all over with the jam.
4. Fill in any small holes on the top or sides with tiny balls of marzipan - Flatten down with your finger.
5. Wrap a sausage of marzipan around the gap at the base of the cake.
6. Flatten with the kitchen knife or pallet knife so you get a smooth surface and brush over again with the jam.
7. On a worktop or surface, lightly covered with icing sugar, roll out the remaining marzipan until it is a thickness of about 5mm. Keep moving every time you roll one way so it does not stick to the surface. You might need to add more icing sugar underneath the marzipan and even a tiny sprinkling on the top to stop your rolling pin sticking.
8. Pick up the marzipan by rolling the pin underneath the marzipan sheet and slowly lift over the cake, adding from one side to the next. Make sure the marzipan is big enough to cover each side of the cake.
9. Smooth down the top of the marzipan on the cake with the smoother. This will stop it moving as you flatten down the sides. Use the palms of your hands to smooth the sides down gradually until all the sides are covered with marzipan.
10. Trim the edges until they are about 1cm away from the edge of the cake and press this 1cm edge inwards with the smoother.
11. Trim as close to the cake as you can and spend at least 1-2 minutes thoroughly smoothing down. (You might want to add a tiny bit of icing sugar to the surface of the smoother to stop it sticking to the cake as you are smoothing)
You might see the odd air bubble appear (tends to be more for icing but still occasionally happens with marzipan). If you do, sterilise a pin or needle in boiling water and pop the bubble twice - you can then lightly squeeze any trapped air out and continue to smooth down the top and sides of the cake.
Traditionally cakes have always been left for a minimum of 24 hours before covering with icing after the marzipan - I'll be honest, sometimes I've been so pushed for time that I've covered it less than an hour later and it has worked out perfectly fine. If you are looking to decorate a more traditional royal iced cake, you might like this post on How to make Royal Icing
Feel free to Pin this guide for later! Hope it helps. Any questions - I would love to help you answer them.
Well, now how wonderful was THAT! This is why I follow you, your ethos of "there’s no point knowing something if you are not willing to pass that knowledge on" speaks to me in my former occupation of technical trainer.
I'm now sitting in the classroom with respect to baking, not at the front, and I'm really touched that so many bakers, like you, want to pass knowledge on.
OK, yes, then, I'll try to cover a cake with marzipan soon!
Thank you. 🙂
Thank you SHazz - I'm so glad you got my message about passing on info. Love sharing 🙂
Love this! Thank you 🙂
I would NEVER have thought of filling the dips, dents and gaps with marzipan! Awesome tip 🙂
Hope you have a go - It will be game changer once you fill your gaps!
I am going to bookmark this for Christmas when I am going to need to know how to do this.
Thank you Dannii - Christmas Cakes are the best but shouldn't just be enjoyed at Christmas!
Easy to follow instructions, interesting that you fill in the bottom first 🙂
Thanks Claire - Wanted to make the instructions as clear as possible.
OK I would have thought it would have been so much harder, or perhaps I would just make it harder on myself if I tried to do it haha! x
Its surprisingly easy once you know how - The little tricks make it even easier. hard to go wrong.
I am so sharing this recipe with my mum, she used to make similar ones back in the day but not so much now
Aah lovely memories! Hope your mum approves of my method!
I am terrible at icing cakes, it always looks so easy but I just make a complete mess of it, I really am going to give this another try and use your guide to help me and hopefully I will end up with a cake similar to you x
Oh please do have another try - marzipan is so forgiving and any lumps and bumps can easily be smoothed out.
This looks and sounds really delicious. I haven't had a cake like this in years
We eat far too much fruit cake in this house! Any excuse and we bring one out!
You did a great job there. I've never covered a cake with marzipan I normally just use sugar paste icing or butter cream.
Ooh I love marzipan the best - goes so well with sugar paste too and is a great base layer .
Marzipan icing is so much fun but very tricky so glad we have you to show us how it is done.
Ah you are welcome Ana - Gets so much easier after the first couple of tries.
Oh cool! It would be awesome to try this out for myself. Your finished cake looks perfect!
Thank you - Its still got a fair few lumps and bumps but will do!
That looks so much neater than I could ever get a cake to look! x
Ah behave! Have a go, you will surprise yourself!
Wow you make it look so easy! Im going to be following the rest of the #CakeKnowHow series closely
Oh good - Plenty more #CakeKnowHow tips to follow soon.
Now you made this look so incredibly easy, admittedly it isn't anything I have tried x
It really is quite simple - having a good smoother makes such a difference.
You did a fantastic job. Definitely going to try this.
Thank you very much - Hope you are pleased with your results.
thinking about it, ive never had marzipan before! i know a few people who would just buy the pack and eat it straight from it
Oh yes I will admit to nibbling quite a bit in my time! Very addictive.
I am in awe at how neat your cake looks Helen! Brilliant tutorial - I would never have thought of patching up any dips with marzipan first!
I'm not sure how I know to do that - I may have just made it up years ago when I was having a play at cake decorating.
Wow, very expertly done! I haven't made a cake like this before but I've always fancied making a Christmas cake so will keep your tips in mind! xxx
Well.... didn't you make that look easy?!?! I have never marzipanned a cake before, and wouldn't have thought about levelling it up or filling in the little holes! Thank you for the tips x
It will make all the difference to your finished cake. You are welcome!
Your marzipan looks so neat and tidy! I love marzipan on a cake.
I love marzipan on practically anything! Thanks Jemma.
WOWWW
Thank you for explaining in details and showing us with photso - I appreciate it! I've never used marzipan on a cake and your tutorial is super helpful
You're very professional and the result looks soooo BEAUTIFUL !
Ah thank you Winnie - Glad you think the tutorial is a good one x
Love the idea of filling in the bottom part. Maybe I just make this for the father's day.
Ooh now I am desperate to know if you actually did!
What a helpful post Helen. When other half & I got married we decorated our own wedding cake. It wasn't perfectly smooth but we were really happy with it and it had saved us a lot of money too (rather than getting a pro to do it for us). At that point I hadn't heard of a cake smoother, but by the time my friend asked me to do her wedding cake I had heard of the cake smoother and it made a massive difference to the end result.
I'm already looking forward to your next decorating tutorials. Will you be including how to make characters and flowers etc in the series also?
Angela x
What a lovely story Angela - I love hearing about people that have made their own cake and decorations for their weddings. Yes, I plan on sharing info on making all sorts of decorations - Feel free to ask if there is anything specific you would like me to cover x
Ah you make it look so easy! I'm definitely going to give this a go at Christmas!
Shhh! Don't tell but it is actually quite easy! 😉