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Decorating Christmas Cakes Recipe

In October we shared an easy microwave cake recipe. By now they should be well flavoured with brandy, and at their best. Now it’s time to decorate them for family or to use as gifts.

Difficulty

Prep Time

10 minutes

Cooking Time

15 minutes

Serves

1 cake

Recipe Ingredients

  • 250 ml SPAR white sugar
  • 125 g   fruit flavoured sparkle sweets (1 packet)

Recipe Method

  1. Crush the unwrapped sweets using a pestle and mortar or rolling pin. Sprinkle evenly over a well-oiled granite worktop or medium cake tin.
  2. Measure the sugar into a heavy-based saucepan.  Using a wooden spoon, stir constantly over low heat until the granules first form large clumps, and then slowly begin to liquefy.  Once liquid, discontinue stirring, and simmer briefly to just an attractive golden colour. Do not cook past this stage.
  3. Pour it evenly over the crushed sweets and leave to cool and harden.
  4. Break off shards of what looks like sections of stained glass, and store in an airtight container in a cool place, separated in layers with wax paper.
  5. Position in a random fashion, on top of each marzipan and roll-out icing completed cake.

Hints & Tips

  • Brush fruit cake with boiled smooth apricot jam before positioning and easing over the round of rolled marzipan over.
  • Brush the marzipan layer with water, before positioning and easing the round of roll-out icing over.
  • Fresh holly or their berries are toxic and inedible so never use for decorating cakes. Rather use plastic Christmas tree decorations.
  • The stained glass idea is not suited to humid climates. Rather colour your roll-out icing or purchase read-colours available, and roll out strips with which to form a gift bow for a Christmas gift parcel cake. Add a central cluster of unshelled mixed nuts, shone up with a touch of cooking oil.