Cakedecorating marzipan

 

If you have made a fruit cake and wish to decorate it with fondant,  sugar paste or royal icing/frosting, we firstly need to cover the cake with marzipan/almond paste.

To do this we have to level the cake, so position your cake centrally on the cake board, knead and roll a small amount of marzipan/almond paste into a sausage shape and push it in between the  cake and the board filling any gaps, if there are any large holes where fruit may have fallen from your cake, then fill these with a small piece of marzipan/almond paste don’t worry about smaller air holes.

 

There are 2 methods for covering your cake with marzipan/ almond paste

Cakedecorating marzipan method 1

Knead the marzipan/ almond paste thoroughly on a clean dry surface until you achieve a crack free smooth paste.

Next with either a palette knife or pastry brush, cover your cake with a jam/jelly glaze (recipe to follow) so the marzipan/ almond paste has something to adhere to,

Lightly dust the work surface with icing (confectioners) sugar,

Roll out the marzipan/ almond paste , try to keep it the same shape as your cake,

Roll it out large enough to cover the top and sides of your cake, (you can gauge this by cutting a length of butchers string or thin ribbon that measures across the widest point of your cake and down  the sides, then use this as a guide whilst your rolling out the marzipan/ almond paste)

Don’t roll it too thin (8mm min) as marzipan/ almond paste that is too thin will result in imperfections when you apply your sugar paste.

Ensure that the marzipan/ almond paste has no bumps or ridges by going over it with a cake decorators smoothing tool.

Lift the marzipan/ almond paste, by folding half the marzipan/ almond paste over the rolling pin, lift and position against one side of the cake.

Roll the pin to allow the marzipan/ almond paste to gently fall over the cake.

Using the palms of your hands, gently smooth the marzipan/ almond paste from the middle of the cake to the outer edges, expelling any trapped air.

Then gently work the marzipan/ almond paste down the sides of the cake.

When you are satisfied with the coverage, go over the whole cake with your cake smoother, trim off any excess marzipan/ almond paste from the base of the cake with a sharp knife (taking care not to cut the (cake-board) and smooth out the cut edges, creating a seal between cake and board as you go.

 

Cakedecorating marzipan method 2

Treat the marzipan/ almond paste the same as previously described, but instead of placing it on the cake all in one.

Cut a measured strip long and wide enough to go round the sides of the cake, gently roll this up so it is easier to handle, and place it along the side of the cake unrolling and easing the marzipan/ almond paste around the cake, making sure you seal the join where the ends meet.

Then knead and roll out as described before, enough marzipan/ almond paste to cover the top of your cake, using the cake tin/pan you baked it in, as a guide.

Place it on top of your rolled out marzipan/ almond paste and carefully cut around it with a sharp knife, then using the rolling pin gently lift it onto the cake.

Smooth it over from centre to edge of the cake making sure you seal it well where it overlaps the marzipan/ almond paste on the side of the cake.

Then go over the whole cake with the smoother.

Filed under: cake decorating techniques

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