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How to decorate the ultimate Christmas cake

Tuesday 24th November 2015

The feasting season is upon us, and nothing says festive cheer more than a beautiful and imaginative Christmas cake centrepiece. Why not keep the party going when you make some of our inventive and tasty baked morsels for all your family and friends to enjoy?

How to decorate a creative Christmas cake

Christmas cakes have come a long way from being a simple iced fruitcake furnished with a red ribbon. Today there are as many opportunities to express your creative flare as there are bakers. Here are just a few of our favourite ideas.

Themed Decorations

 

Though not without their distinctive charm, the days when you might pop a plastic Father Christmas on an iced cake seem quaintly old fashioned now that there are so many exciting cake decorating ideas to explore. There are a variety of textures and techniques you can play with to give your cake character and quirk. For this colourful and homely bear by the fire cake, all you need is a few packets of coloured ready-to-roll icing and a little time. Our simple-to-follow instructions will walk you through the crafting process.

Decorating top tip: Keep your colour palette simple. This will not only make your cake feel coherent, but festive too.

Christmas Pudding Piñata

 

Not everyone’s a fan of fruitcake, but this is a Christmas pudding with a difference. Not only is it made with sponge, but also the interior is stuffed with chocolate gold coins, which adds another layer of excitement to the Christmas banquet. The trick here is in getting the cake shape right, so bake your cake in a glass bowl, which will give it its classic pudding definition. Kids will love the thrill as they discover the hidden treasure…

Decorating top tip: Make sure the cake has cooled enough for you to scoop out the sponge to create the right sized cavern for your coins. Follow the instructions carefully being sure to put your chocolate coins into your cake only once it’s baked!

Snowflake and Circles Cake

 

 

This is a simple and contemporary alternative to the snowy peaks of a traditional Christmas cake. This triple layer showstopper wins centre place on the banquet table because of its smooth finish, elegant contours and clean colour scheme.

Decorating top tip: Once the baking and covering is complete and the cakes carefully stacked, all that remains is the decoration. Because this cake’s beauty lies in its simplicity, it’s important to ensure the spacing between snowflake and circles rows are consistent and meet around the back of the cake without leaving an awkward space, or being too close together.

Feast your eyes on these 5 alternative Christmas bakes

Mince pies don’t have to be the only bite-size staples at Christmas parties. These dainty and delicious seasonal treats will certainly keep your guests happy.

1. Santa Hat Cake Pops Perfect for Santa’s little helpers, these cake pop hats are as fun as they are tasty. The trick is to get the texture and the temperature just right so you can create the perfect elf hat shape.

2. Fairy Lights Biscuits These cheerful biscuits will brighten up any dull December day as a decoration, as well as being a delicious treat. Use a bulb cookie cutter, or fashion your own lantern shape to make a festive row of edible delights.

3. Bobble Hat Cupcakes As the chilly months extend well into the New Year, these cupcakes can also be served at the New Year’s Eve party. The marshmallow and buttercream centre make them the ultimate in homely fare.

4. Chocolate Marzipan Log The yuletide log is a seasonal staple. The delicious chocolate frosting allows for convincing wood contouring and a glossy sheen and is sure to entice everyone to try it.

5. Cranberry Stollen Stollen is a delightful alternative to Christmas cake. Beloved in Europe, this stollen contains little ruby cranberry jewels as well as the soft white marzipan filling.

Have fun with your seasonal baking and explore more of our Christmas centrepiece ideas.