I have only ever iced xmas cake with brandy buttercream, or using almond and white fondant. I see you can use buttercream, and then white fondant which i would like to give a go, as i dont like almond paste at all. Any tips i should know before i start?
rosathemad,
Nov 12, 10:25pm
Let the buttercream firm up before you put the fondant on - pop it in the fridge for an hour or two. :-)
marywea,
Nov 12, 10:27pm
I haven't made Christmas cakes for a few years but when I did I iced with brandy butter icing. Thinking about it this year,as it has so much butter, how long will it keep in summer weather out of the fridge? Does the brandy keep it OK? Not a question I have mused about before, and there certainly isn't room in most fridges over the Christmas period.
icequeen2,
Nov 13, 8:40am
I havnt kept in the fridge before, kept ok. If i wanted to ice with the buttercream then fondant, is it too soon yet?
kiwibubbles,
Nov 14, 5:17am
ooooh so its possible to use buttercream as a layer between the fruit cake and the fondant? cos i dont like almond paste either! i quite like the idea of brandy buttercream! recipe anyone?
deanocam,
Nov 14, 5:36am
x1
I use this one from the Edmonds "Classics" cookbook:
Butter Icing For Christmas Cake
175 g butter, sofened 500 g Icing Sugar 3 tblsp wine or brandy 2 tsp vanilla essence
Cream butter with sifted icing sugar: add brandy or wine and vanilla.Beat well.This will keep well in the refirgerator.
kiwibubbles,
Nov 14, 6:36am
soooooo spread this over the top of the cake, then let it go hard, then put fondant on top? how long until the butter icing goes hard? and how thick does the layer of butter icing need to be?
kcak,
Nov 15, 12:52am
I use the butter cream icing with brandy in it. I spread it thickly over the cake and then 'rough it up' using a spatula, so that it looks like newly fallen snow. It keeps for ages and looks pretty good with a few Christmas decorations on top.You don't use fondant etc with this.
wildflower,
Nov 15, 3:01am
That sounds good, I love the fondant icing but it all helps to make the cake expensive by the time you buy both white and almond.Maybe I'll do this this time around:)
kiwibubbles,
Nov 28, 1:59am
back to this - when putting fondant on buttercream, how do you make the fondant stick to the butter cream?
grandma,
Nov 28, 2:02am
I haven't any brandy - has anyone tried wine (as per the Edmonds Cookery Book) in their butter icing?How would sherry go?
toxious,
Nov 28, 9:41pm
when I do my cakes, I put a thick layer of buttercream on the cake then followed by fondant.I wouldn't let the buttercream go hard first....then the fondant wouldn't stick.I've always put it on after putting on the buttercream and smooth it all out.Yum!
grandma,
Nov 29, 8:53am
Bumping for some advice re using sherry or wine in butter icing in place of brandy.
kiwibubbles,
Nov 29, 9:47am
i think sherry would be ok...? its a liqueur like brandy....... you could always make some butter cream, take out a little bit and mix with a few drops of sherry to see if you like the taste, before doing the whole lot
grandma,
Nov 29, 8:10pm
Yummy - sounds like a good idea kiwibubbles - why didn't I think of that before?
kiwibubbles,
Dec 15, 8:15am
just decorated my cake - used brandy buttercream then fondant on top! Hope it comes out ok :)
iamkat,
Dec 15, 10:24am
you dont have to use almond icing - I have often just used 2 layers of the white fondant - depending on whether people want the yellow white contrast I have been known to put a couple of drops of yellow colouring and kneaded it in and also have flavoured the bottom layer of fondant with lemon. I wouldnt use butter icing on a cake that is to be kept as butter goes off after a while and rancid butter is the pits - mind you I really dont like butter at the best of times. but if you must use brandy as it will help stop fermentation as it is very high in alcohol content compared to sherry which is very sweet and has a lot lower alcohol content.
grandma,
Dec 15, 7:28pm
Thanks iamkat - I have bought a small bottle of brandy - just for the icing purpose of course!
kiwibubbles,
Dec 17, 5:03am
omg the brandy buttercream is divine!!!!!! nom nom nom nom
lynja,
Dec 17, 5:13am
i have only ever used almond paste with brandy butter icing on top. LOTS of brandy. i dont keep it in the fridge and it is always fine. i just add brandy until i get the correct consistancy. i do extra to have with christmas mince pies too
amy,
Nov 26, 1:11am
after you put almond icing on a christmas cake do you have to cover over it with fondant?
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