Christmas Cake with 'Frosticle' Icing

Don't forget to factor in hardening time for the snowflakes before assembling. Once iced, the whole cake will keep for at least a month.

By The Good Housekeeping Cookery TeamPublished: 25 November 2021

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christmas cake decoration ideas christmas cake with frosticle icing

It's here! Our Christmas cake decoration for this year makes your cake look like its been hit by a chilly blizzard with marbled marzipan icing and sparkling frozen snowflakes. Try using our Cherry and Almond Christmas Cake as the base or a whole host of our other Christmas Cake recipes.

Cooking Notes: plus overnight dryings and setting

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Yields:

20 serving(s)

Prep Time:

1 hr

Total Time:

1 hr

Ingredients

2
-3tbsp apricot glaze
20
.5cm fruit cake, see GH recipe in November issue
225 g
icing sugar, plus extra to dust
500 g
natural or golden marzipan
About 275g white flower/modelling paste, see GH TIP
400 g
light blue sugarpaste/fondant icing
Brandy, gin, vodka, or cooled boiled water, to brush
1
medium egg white

To decorate, optional

Silver glitter spray, we used Cake Décor
Snowflake sprinkles, see GH Tips

You will also need

Snowflake cutters, in various sizes

Directions

1. Step 1A couple of days before you want to assemble the cake decoration, in a small pan gently warm the jam to loosen. Pass through a sieve into a small bowl. Put cake on a board and brush top and sides with sieved jam. Set aside.
2. Step 2Lightly dust a work surface with icing sugar and roll out marzipan until large enough to cover the cake. Lift on to the cake and gently smooth into position. Trim excess. Leave overnight at room temperature for the marzipan to harden slightly.
3. Step 3On the same day, line a baking sheet with baking parchment. Lightly dust a work surface with icing sugar and roll out 175g of the white flower/modelling paste until its 3mm thick. Stamp out snowflakes, in different sizes, rerolling trimmings as needed. Place on the lined sheet and leave to completely harden, at least a day.
4. Step 4When your marzipan has hardened, squeeze the light blue sugarpaste into a fat sausage. Roll the remaining 100g white flower/modelling paste into 3 thin sausages the same length as the blue icing and stick along the sides, spacing apart. Tightly twist the combined icing, break in 1/2 and shape back into a disc (this will give the rolled-out icing a marbled appearance). Lightly brush the marzipan on the cake with brandy/gin/vodka/water to moisten.
5. Step 5Lightly dust a work surface with icing sugar and roll out the marbled disc until it’s large enough to cover the cake. Lift on to the cake and gently smooth into position. Trim excess and transfer to a cake stand or plate.
6. Step 6If using, spray silver glitter on to the dried snowflakes for added twinkle and set aside.
7. Step 7In a medium bowl whisk the egg white to medium peaks, then mix in the icing sugar to make a very thick, but pipeable icing. Spoon into a piping bag fitted with a 2mm nozzle (or just snip the end to make a small opening).
8. Step 8Pipe a circle of dots around base of cake to hide the edge of the cake and secure to the stand. Use the icing to stick the hardened snowflakes on to the top and sides of the cake. Next pipe clusters of icicles of varying lengths hanging from the top edge of the cake. Stick snowflake sprinkles, if using, on to the cake using icing. Allow to set before serving.