Rochelle Laing, Contributor
Christmas in Jamaica would not be the same without the popular fruit cake. However, you may opt for a delightful rum cake, cheese cake or even bread pudding instead.
The centrepiece of the Christmas day menu, the traditional fruit cake, is very versatile and it is easy to create. Usually the fruitcake is brushed with apricot jam then covered with marzipan and iced with royal icing or fondant. The apricot jam can be substituted with a light covering of butter cream.
For the less experienced, who still wish to decorate their cakes, I suggest the use of glacé icing. It gives you the same effect without the marzipan. However, for the finishing touches, whether it is royal, fondant or butter cream, the following can be used.
To coat your cake
Ingredients:
3 cups (388g) of icing sugar
3-41/2 tbs lemon or orange juice
Trim your cake so the edges, side and top are straight and levelled.
Method
1. Cut out a nine-inch cardboard and wrap with foil, tape the edges underneath.
2. Put the cake on the board.
3. Sift the icing sugar into a bowl. Gradually add lemon juice and beat well to form a consistency of a thick cream. Do not add too much liquid. Follow the same method for the flavouring. Set the cake on a cooling rack over a plate to catch the run off. Pour the glacé icing over it and allow the icing to run evenly over and down the sides so you will get a smooth finish.
OR
You can just cover the top of the cake in the white glace icing and finish it up in much the same manner.
Let the icing sit for about 45 minutes to harden, then lift the cake on to a suitable platter or cake stand.
Wrap a ribbon of your choice around the cake then tie a knot and a bow. The ribbon may go around the base of the cake or around the middle.
Sugaring fruits
Sugaring fresh fruits give an amazing appearance to your cake. The fruits are brushed with lightly beaten egg white adding a little water then sprinkled with fine granulated sugar. Dry for four to five hours on a rack. Fruits to be eaten should take powdered albumen instead of egg white. Try fruits such as grapes, plums, oranges, lemons, papaya, and pomegranates. Flowers can also be sugared and positioned on the cakes.
Nativity scene
Figurines are used to capture scenes of the season; on top of the cake or at the base. These scenes depend on what you would like to depict, baby Jesus in the manger, the three wise men, Santa going down the chimney or the reindeer pulling the sleigh. The choice is up to you.
Candles on the cake
Candles add such a lustrous glow to any affair. Place one tall candle on the cake and shorter candles on either side. Mask the area where the candle is inserted with pine leaves, tiny pine cones and tiny silver, gold or red bells. You can also try the Nativity scene here.
Christmas decorations
There is an abundance of Christmas ornaments everywhere now. Christmas balls and bells and drums can spill over the top of the cake and down the sides. Miniature gifts, wrapped in green and gold or just gold, should give you a fabulous finish.
Fresh flowers on cakes
Pine leaves can be used at the base of the cake to create a wreath around it. Make the wreath by adding pine cones and red ribbon. The pine cones can be sprayed gold to add a festive appearance to the arrangement. Poinsettias are a lovely addition to any Christmas cake decoration. The rich radiant red adds vibrancy to the display. Lay the poinsettias on top of the cake spilling them over the side. Add some small pine cones going around the cake. You could insert some green poinsettia leaves under the pine cone to form the contrast of brown against green.
Using nuts and fruits
If you choose not to use icing, your cake can still make a beautiful centrepiece. Melt some jam in the microwave and brush the cake. Arrange blanched almonds and green and red glace cherries on top of the cake and gently glaze without shifting their position. You can also use cinnamon sticks and cloves. Do not glaze them.
Or, substitute with synthetic flowers. They might be expensive but they can be reused if stored properly.
Rochelle Laing, pastry chef at A Likkle Slice of Heaven. Questions and comments may be sent to alikkleslice@yahoo.com, 981-3649, or 877-9329.<
