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Wedding Cake Decoration With Marzipan

Wedding cake decoration with marzipan has been used for centuries. Wedding cake decoration with marzipan is done in two different ways. Wedding cakes are often covered with a thin layer of marzipan before royal icing and other decorations are applied to provide a smooth, stable surface which holds the frosting well.

Marzipan is a confection made from ground almonds and sugar. Mixed and molded together, it takes on the consistency of Play-doh, making it easy to shape and work with for wedding cake decoration.

Besides wedding cake decoration with marzipan, it's also used to cover fruitcake or other moist cakes before decorating with sugar paste icing to prevent the moisture from the cake from breaking down the sugar paste.

The marzipan can also be molded, sculpted, rolled and shaped to create extremely detailed, edible figures and objects. Wedding cake decoration with marzipan may seem complicated, but it's a fairly simple process.

Preparing For Wedding Cake Decoration With Marzipan

If you'd like to try your hand at wedding cake decoration with marzipan, you can use the recipe and instructions below.

Basic Uncooked Marzipan

• 1/4 pound ground blanched almonds
• 1/4 pound powdered sugar
• 1 egg white
• 1/4 tsp salt

(Caution: raw egg white can be a source of salmonella. For the
sake of safety, you can substitute powdered egg white)

Knead all ingredients together until smooth. Store in airtight container overnight.

Basic Cooked Marzipan

• 3 cups sugar
• 1 cup water
• 4 cups ground almonds

Add sugar to water and stir over low heat till sugar is dissolved. Add almonds and continue to cook, stirring constantly until mixture forms paste that doesn't stick to pan.

Turn almond paste out onto marble slab and knead till smooth. While almond mixture is too warm to handle, use wooden spatula, switching to hand kneading when it has cooled sufficiently.

Store in an airtight container or plastic bag.

You may also choose to buy your marzipan pre-made from a cake decorating supply house. Prices range from about $7 per pound. Be sure that the marzipan contains at least 1/4 almonds - anything less isn't marzipan, it's almond paste!

Applying Wedding Cake Decoration With Marzipan

Start wedding cake decoration with marzipan by rolling out the marzipan into a circle according to the following chart:

Cake Size Roll Out (inches)
6" = 12"
8" = 14"
10" = 16"
12" = 18"
14" = 20"
1/8 sheet = 14"
1/4 sheet = 14"

Turn marzipan out onto a piece of plastic wrap. Cover with second piece of plastic wrap. Roll out 1/8-1/4" thick, or as thin as can still be handled. If marzipan is too stiff, you can soften with a little corn syrup. If it's too soft, knead in confectioner's sugar. Place in refrigerator while preparing cake.

Brush any crumbs away. Brush on a thin layer of strained apricot jam or piping gel to hold the marzipan.

The next step in wedding cake decoration with marzipan is to remove top layer of plastic wrap from marzipan. Invert onto top of cake, centering it. Carefully smooth outward, smoothing marzipan against sides of cake and trimming where necessary.

Final Note On Wedding Cake Decoration With Marzipan

When planning wedding cake decoration with marzipan, the cake can be covered with marzipan up to several days before decorating. Cover with a clean cloth at room temperature. If the wedding cake must be refrigerated because of perishable fillings, cover the cake with plastic wrap and a clean cloth. The cake is ready to be covered with fondant, rolled fondant, royal icing or other frosting and decorations.

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Tags: wedding cake, pre-made-wedding-cake-icing-decorations, wedding cakes, wedding cake decoration, cake decorating