How to marzipan a cake (2024)

FAQs

How do I marzipan my cake? ›

Dust the surface with a little icing sugar, and roll out the marzipan slightly wider than the length of the string – this makes it easier to mould onto the cake. Use the rolling pin to help you lift the marzipan. Lift it over the cake and carefully unroll.

-Brush the top of the cake with the sieved jam and then leave a few minutes for it to set. (This helps the marzipan stick to the cake.) Turn the cake upside down onto the marzipan and wiggle it gently so the top is stuck firmly.

Brush your cake with warmed and strained jam (light-coloured jams, such as apricot, work best). Dust a work surface with icing sugar and roll out a generous amount of marzipan to the thickness of a pound coin (there should be plenty of overhang).

The glory of marzipan is because it holds a shape easily, you can cut out or mold your own figures to decorate holiday pastries. It's also used as a kind of heavy-duty frosting for Christmas cakes because it helps long-keeping cakes (like fruitcakes) retain their moisture instead of going stale.

The videos below give great tips on how to trim it neatly and create the perfect base for icing your Christmas cake. Leave the Christmas cake covered in marzipan in a cool, dry place. Allow it to dry for at least 24 hours before covering with fondant icing, and at least two days before covering with royal icing.

Once the cake has been covered with marzipan, the marzipan needs to dry out. Otherwise the oils from the marzipan can seep into the icing, causing discolouration. As you need the marzipan to dry out, we do not recommend wrapping the cake at this point or storing in an airtight container.

Once smooth, let it crust over. Apply a little vodka to moisten the crusted buttercream if it's not tacky enough to stick the marzipan to. Some sponge cakes are not sturdy enough to bear too much weight so a thin layer of marzipan will be better than a heavy layer.

As long as it is kept cool or refrigerated, marzipan has a long life, months at least. At warm or room temperature the almond content will slowly oxidise and develop off flavours.

Dust your work surface with a little icing sugar and knead the marzipan until pliable. Roll it out to a thickness of no less than 5mm (1/4 in) then lift and place over the cake. Starting with the top and ideally using a cake smoother, smooth the marzipan over the top of the cake and down the sides.

What is the difference between almond paste and marzipan? ›

Almond paste has twice the amount of almonds in it compared to marzipan, making it coarser in texture and less sweet than its counterpart. Their consistency also differs as marzipan is smooth and pliable, almost clay-like, while almond paste is somewhat gritty and spreadable, almost like a cookie dough.

White marzipan is the preferred marzipan for dying with food coloring. It is also used to make three-dimensional cake decorations such as fruits or vegetables. Golden marzipan on the other hand is mostly used to cover cakes, such as Battenburg cake and the traditional British Christmas fruitcake.

Stick your models together using a little cooled boiled water. You can also use cooled boiled water to “paint” the marzipanned cake to create a sticky surface if you plan to cover your cake with sugarpaste. You will not have to do this if covering the marzipan with royal icing.

Leave to dry for at least 24 hrs, or up to 3 days, before covering with icing. How long does homemade marzipan keep? Although homemade marzipan contains raw eggs, the amount of sugar, and lack of moisture, prevents bacteria growing when left at room temperature, so your cake should last for 1-2 months iced.

Yes, marzipan will melt if you attempt to brown it in an oven. Try using a torch to 'brulee' it, or add some sugar on top and caramelize.

Dust your work surface with a little icing sugar and knead the marzipan until pliable. Roll it out to a thickness of no less than 5mm (1/4 in) then lift and place over the cake. Starting with the top and ideally using a cake smoother, smooth the marzipan over the top of the cake and down the sides.