Easy Christmas Cake Decorating

Two members of the Good Food team share their favourite ways to spruce up a Christmas cake. Find a festive fruitcake or sponge recipe on bbcgoodfood.com

- Esther Clark And Liberty Mendez

ESTHER’S CHRISTMAS PUDDING CAKE

I often remember my undecorated fruitcake on Christmas Eve. I’m not the best cake decorator, and while it would be fine to serve my cake as is, there’s something special about a festive design. This easy option takes just 30 minutes to construct, and you’re left with a cake disguised as a cute-looking Christmas pudding. It’s simple enough for even the most novice cake decorators.

Christmas pudding cake

SERVES 12-15 PREP 30 mins NO COOK EASY

500g ready-to-roll white fondant icing icing sugar, for dusting

2 tbsp smooth apricot jam

1 x 20cm fruitcake red and green food colouring gels (check they’re vegetarian, if needed) edible gold leaf (optional)

1 Roll the fondant out on a surface lightly dusted with icing sugar to about the thickness of a £1 coin. Using the cake tin the fruitcake was baked in as a template, cut a 20cm circle from the fondant. Cut horizontally across the circle, about a third of the way down, in an undulating motion to create the dripping custard effect of your pudding design. Set aside, keeping the offcuts covered.