How to decorate your Christmas Cake -- Delia Smith for Waitrose

Follow Delia Smith's easy instructions for how to decorate your Christmas cake. Delia's Classic Christmas Cake packs are available to buy in Waitrose.

Filmed at the Waitrose Cookery School:
http://www.waitrose.com/cookeryschool

'Now that you've made the best and easiest cake ever, let's see the easiest way to ice it.

'Make sure you've first fed the cake with brandy, and now comes the creative bit.

'Start by melting about a tablespoon of apricot jam with a tablespoon of brandy. Then give it a good stir to make a glossy, sticky glaze for the top of the cake.

'After that, brush it all over the surface of the cake and this is what will make the marzipan and icing stick.

'First, the marzipan. Soften it with your hands, and then lightly dust the surface with icing sugar. Now roll it out, giving it quarter turns to make a round.

'Then cut a circle with the base of the cake tin and place this over the cake. Now repeat all of this with the icing, rolling it to whatever thickness you like. Then brush the top of the marzipan with more glaze, and place the icing on top.

'Next, take a large snowflake cutter and cut out a shape from one side of the icing. Gently remove the shape from the top of the cake, exposing the marzipan beneath. Now cut another snowflake on the other side of the cake.

'Brush with a little more of the glaze, then gradually, using a teaspoon, fill the cut-out snowflakes with little silver balls just to give it a bit of sparkle. And don't worry if one or two escape.

'Then roll out the leftover icing and using the smallest cutter, cut out five more snowflakes. Dampen them on one side and pop one into the centre of each silver snowflake. Finally, take the last three, place them on the cake topping each one with a silver ball.

'Now you can feel really proud of yourself, and the only problem you're going to have is waiting for Christmas.'

For more recipes from Delia Smith and Heston Blumenthal visit the Waitrose website at http://www.waitrose.com/.

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[taintedluvx]

I have a 20inch Christmas cake.. how much marzipan and icing do I roughly need? As I'm guessing the 500g packets won't be enough?

[Waitrose]

@taintedluvx Hi taintedluvx, we have not made a cake this big and can only

suggest that 3 packs of marzipan would be required

[Waitrose]

Hi SmallCakesBakes - best to wait until nearer to Christmas to ice your cake

[dronespace]

Great cake, very tasty :o)

[Leilah88cupcakes]

is marzipan and fondant the same thing?

[SmallCakesBakes]

@Waitrose Thanks, I can't wait to decorate mine.

[SmallCakesBakes]

@cheryl7davis Thanks, I agree with the brandy thing as you can just use water or even jam or simple syrup.

[cheryl7davis]

Dear SmallCakesBakes, It is always best to marzipan the cake about 4 to 5 days before you ice it. After you have marzipaned, leave overnight in a cool but dry place, making sure the cake is covered with a clean tea towel, this prevents any dust or dirt. Then ice the cake but avoid using any alcohol to stick the icing to the marzipan, as I have found some people dislike the flavour, water is just as effective and cheaper!

[cheryl7davis]

Wow....Christmas cake in a pack, what will they think of next! Has anyone done the math, just to see if this is a cheaper way or more expensive way of making one? My guess is that it is more expensive to buy 'the kit'!

[nataliekateblenford]

The cutters don't come with the pack but they do sell them in Waitrose. They're quite pricey though!

[mjbmon]

Do the cutters come with the pack or do i buy then separately if so where from