Top Tips for last minute cake decorations
Marzipan: Simply roll out your required size and gently smooth over the top of the cake (try using a size a little larger than your cake tin), if you've not the knack for smoothing then try popping the cake upside down on to it. It does need to be dried out (around 2 days), so if you've no time, simply add nuts and glace fruits until the entire top is covered (if you'd like it to stick firmly then a try a little glaze both under the marzipan and on top before adding the fruits and nuts. Use a couple of tablespoons of jam and whisky (or orange juice). Then wrap with a ribbon and admire!
One easy idea is to grab a few food dyes and mix into a few pieces of marzipan. Shape them into little cubes and leave to dry for a while, then tie a little ribbon around each and voila! Mini parcels on your cake.
If you're not keen on marzipan. Try some roll out icing (also known as sugar paste). Pop on some gold and silver decorations, or splash out and get some ready made reindeers and a little Santa. If you'd prefer a simpler option, pop on the roll out icing, decorate some more fondant icing with food colours and cut them out into shapes (try green trees, red candles or gold stars). Glaze with a little water to make the cake gleam. Or try a touch of gold leaf!
For the classic Royal Icing: it's a mixture of icing sugar, egg white and glycerine which produces a thick, glossy, spreadable icing/frosting which dries to a hard, sweet finish. Basically it's tricky, unless you're wanting to do the 'snow' effect of waves. To get it utterly smooth, do it as fast as possible as it stiffens quickly. Use a couple of drops of water to loosen it.
If you dislike both icing sugar and marzipan or simply fancy a change, try heating up some apricot jam and sieve it, brush to top of the cake with it and press in the fruits, nuts or decorations.
Top tips
Always use the bottom of the cake to decorate – it's flat!
Use a broad ribbon to cover up the sides.