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    Home » Cakes and Desserts

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    How to... Marzipan a Christmas Cake

    In theory, we all know how to marzipan a Christmas Cake but, in practice, it can be a bit hit and miss, not to mention uneven. This method takes the guesswork out and gives a smooth, even base for icing your creation.

    Jump to Recipe
    How to marzipan a Christmas Cake - the finished cake ready to be iced.
    Cake with Marzipan covering

    I was taught this method of applying marzipan by a master baker who gave classes locally. It's actually very easy and uses clingfilm to avoid a sticky mess and keep washing up to a minimum.

    Homemade or bought marzipan?

    Although I prefer to make the marzipan (find my recipe here), you can use ready-made - about 800g. It doesn't take long to make your own though, and the point (for me) is that you know what's in it. (Sugar, ground almonds, eggs, plus a few flavours - take your pick from vanilla, lemon juice, sherry, brandy.)

    If you have some left over when your cake is done, use the extra for Marzipan Stars.

    What equipment do you need to marzipan a cake?

    Apart from clingfilm and a rolling pin, you will need a couple of pieces of specialist kit that are inexpensive and will last forever:

    A pair of marzipan spacers -  You roll the marzipan out between the spacers, with the rolling pin resting on them. Your marzipan will be an even depth all over so that your cake is evenly covered.

    My spacers are actually cubic rulers, bought from a stationer over 20 years ago - now it's so easy to get a purpose-made tool!

    An icing smoother - You use this to polish the surface of the marzipan once it's on the cake to give a smooth flat finish.

    How do you apply marzipan to a cake?

    You put the marzipan between two sheets of clingfilm with the spacers either side and keep the rolling pin on the spacers so the marzipan is the same depth throughout. The clingfilm peels off the marzipan (or vice versa) so you get a smooth surface.

    Marzipan rolled between 2 spacers

    You roll the top and 2-3 pieces for the sides separately, cut them to size and stick them to the cake with warmed shredless marmalade, leaving small gaps between the pieces.

    Marzipan covering a cake, waiting to be smoothed and finished

    Use the icing smoother to pull it all together and round off the edges, giving a seamless, even finish.

    Marzipan on a cake

    If you're using fondant icing on the cake you will have the surface you need for a great finish. Of course if, like me these days, you use rough royal icing it doesn't matter so much. But you will know.

    If you like this...

    ...Why don't you try:

    A ball of marzipan on a wooden board

    Marzipan

    Homemade Marzipan is all natural and tastes great - ready to use in 10 minutes.
    Christmas Cake on a glass plate waiting to be decorated

    Quick Christmas Cake

    A light, moist Christmas Cake that you can make on Christmas Eve and will keep for 6 weeks.
    Christmas Cake with royal icing, decorated with sugarpaste holly and Christmas puddings

    Royal Icing

    A quick and easy royal icing for a 20cm Christmas Cake. It's best made in a stand mixer if you have it.

    Stockists

    Pack of Marzipan Spacers and spacers with a rolling pin on a pastry mat

    Marzipan Spacers

    Buy Now →
    White Icing Smoother

    Icing Smoother

    Buy Now →
    Stainless steel Palette Knife

    Palette knife

    Buy Now →
    How to marzipan a Christmas Cake - the finished cake ready to be iced.
    Print Recipe
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    How to Marzipan a Christmas Cake

    A foolproof way to marzipan a cake to get an even, smooth surface ready for the icing.
    Prep Time40 minutes mins
    Total Time40 minutes mins
    Course: Cake
    Cuisine: British
    Servings: 20 cm cake
    Author: Susie@Everyday Cooks

    Ingredients

    • 800 g marzipan bought or homemade
    • 2 tablespoons marmalade ideally shredless
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Equipment

    Clingfilm
    Rolling pin
    2 marzipan spacers
    Icing smoother
    Pastry brush
    Palette knife

    Instructions

    Preparation:

    • If your cake has a domed top, level it up with a sharp knife
    • Cut two pieces of clingfilm about 50cm long. Put one sheet of clingfilm on your work surface ready for the marzipan
    • Heat half the marmalade in the microwave for about 20s on HIGH
    • Brush the top only of the cake with the marmalade. Remove any bits of marmalade from the top of the cake
      (Ideally - or for a very special cake - you would sieve the marmalade first to remove the bits)

    Marzipan the top of the cake:

    • Take half the marzipan and shape into a ball. Put it on the clingfilm and flatten with your hand
    • Place the spacers about 25cm apart, either side of the marzipan
      A flattened ball of marzipan on clingfilm with spacers either side
    • Put a second sheet of clingfilm over the marzipan and roll into a round-ish shape using the rolling pin on the spacers. Take away the top layer of clingfilm carefully, keeping it for the next phase
      Marzipan rolled out in to a rough circle
    • Put the cake top down on the marzipan and cut around it with a round-bladed knife - a palette knife is ideal
    • Carefully pick up the cake, trim if necessary, and put to one side

    Marzipan the sides of the cake:

    • Gather up the marzipan and add to the rest. Eat or discard any that has crumbs in
    • Heat the rest of the marmalade and brush on the sides of the cake
    • If the clingfilm is intact you can use it again, otherwise, spread a new piece
    • Measure the height of your cake including the marzipan on top. This is the height to roll the marzipan for the sides
    • Place the spacers the height distance, plus about 2cm, apart. Take half the remaining marzipan and roll into a sausage shape. Place between the spacers and roll out.
      You are going to need about 60cm in total so try to make this piece at least 30cm in length
    • Remove the clingfilm and trim the marzipan to the height you need and make sure the ends are square, i.e. at right angles
    • Put the marzipan on the side of the cake. It should go round about a third to a half of the cake and up to the total height of the cake. Repeat the process once or twice until you have marzipan all around the cake, leaving a small gap between the pieces
      Large cake covered in marzipan before smoothing

    Smooth the surface of the cake:

    • Take your smoother and polish the top of the cake, getting a feel for how the marzipan moves
      Don't press too hard or you'll leave dents
    • Smooth the sides, pushing the marzipan pieces together to create a single smooth piece. Where the sides meet the top. smooth round creating a rounded edge to the cake
    • Run the joint gap between your thumb and first finger round the edge to check that it's even
    • Keep polishing until you are satisfied with the surface. The cake is now ready for fondant or royal icing.
      Large cake covered in marzipan ready to be iced.

    Video

    Notes

    Everyday Cooks notes:

    • You can use ready-made marzipan - 800g is enough, but it usually comes in 500g packs
    • Use any excess to make Marzipan Stars

    More Everyday Cake, Bakes and Dessert Recipes

    • Sherry Trifle decorated with cream and raspberries in a crystal bowl on a dark worktop
      Sherry Trifle
    • Small Christmas Loaf Cake decorated with marzipan, icing and marzipan stars. Two mugs of tea and a Christmas decorations in the background.
      Easy Christmas Loaf Cake
    • Half a Coconut Loaf Cake with a slice cut on a grey plate
      Coconut Loaf Cake
    • Stack of 6 Anzac Biscuits on a square white plate
      Anzac Biscuits

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Susie Collings says

      October 03, 2023 at 2:44 pm

      Hi Frankie, If the cake is well covered, it will stay moist. Let the marzipan dry out for 1-3 days (or longer if necessary) before you wrap it to send. It's the moisture that will make it mouldy. It's ready when it feels dry to the touch. The marzipan will be fine inside.

      Reply
    2. Frankie says

      October 01, 2023 at 6:24 pm

      I made a Christmas cake and put marzipan on top, well covered. I now want to send it overseas. Will the marzipan go moldy?

      Reply
    3. Esther says

      April 07, 2023 at 11:03 pm

      Hello,
      I hope you can help - the marzipan on my Simmnel cake is burnt (I followed a well known old recipe suggesting I give the entire surface an egg-wash before putting it under the grill. I now have what looks to me like a cake with a burnt omelette on the surface!). How do I remedy this? An SOS - save our Simmnel!

      Reply
      • Susie Collings says

        April 08, 2023 at 3:17 pm

        Hi Esther, Ouch! I use a (culinary) blow torch for this very reason - you can see what's happening.
        If the marzipan is thick enough you can slice or scrape of the top layer. Use a very sharp knife or a cheese slicer. If it's just the balls on top, slice off the burnt bit and turn them over. Hope that helps.

        Reply
    4. Ileana Mei says

      August 28, 2020 at 6:40 am

      I’m amazed, I have to admit. Seldom do I encounter a blog that’s both educative and amusing, and without a doubt, you have hit the nail on the head. The issue is something which too few folks are speaking intelligently about. I'm very happy that I came across this in my search for something concerning this.

      Reply

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    Hi, I'm Susie. Mostly I love cooking and baking, but combining work and home life often leaves me feeling that providing healthy, tasty food for my family is a chore. On those days I am decidedly an Everyday Cook...

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