Decorate your Christmas cake

To decorate
If the cake is slightly raised on
top, use a sharp serrated knife to
trim it to a flat surface. Turn upside
down and place on a cake stand.
Heat the apricot jam and allow to
cool slightly. Stir until smooth and
spoon over the surface of the cake.
Knead the marzipan on a work
surface that has been dusted lightly
with sifted icing sugar. Once the
marzipan is smooth and pliable, roll
into a ball, then roll out with a rolling
pin until it forms a circle the same
size as the top of the cake.
Roll the marzipan around the
rolling pin. Unroll carefully onto the
cake and trim the edges so that it
fi ts neatly onto the top of the cake.
Brush the surface with warm water.
Knead and roll out the fondant
icing in the same way, keeping the
surface dusted with icing sugar.
Roll over the rolling pin, lift over the
cake and unroll over the marzipan.
Smooth out with your hands and trim
the edges to fit.
Chocolate stars
Melt the chocolate, pour into star-shaped
moulds and leave to set. Remove
from the moulds and brush
the surface with a little melted
chocolate. Sprinkle with coloured
sugar crystals and add a few silver
balls. Allow the chocolate to set.
Place the chocolate stars around
the edge of the cake, securing them
with melted chocolate.
6 Tie a wide organza ribbon
around the cake and place a few
more chocolate stars around the
base of the cake platter.