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Let-it-glow Christmas Cake Recipe

★★★★★

4.9 from 89 reviews
  • Author: Sophie
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: Serves 10-12 1x
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Description

Create a festive and visually striking Let-it-Glow Christmas Cake featuring a moist fruitcake base layered with zesty apricot jam and topped with a bright orange-flavored royal icing. Decorated with delicate doily cones shaped like trees and a gold star, this cake can be illuminated with LED tealights for a magical holiday centerpiece.

Ingredients

Scale

For the Cake Base

  • 1 x 22cm round Suits-all Christmas cake (prepared separately)

For the Apricot Jam Layer

  • 140g apricot jam
  • Zest of 1 orange

For the Icing

  • 3 large egg whites
  • 2 tsp orange juice
  • 1 tsp orange blossom water
  • 1 tbsp liquid glucose
  • 750g icing sugar, sifted

For Decoration

  • A few doilies in different sizes and colours
  • Small piece of gold card or foil from chocolate (for star decoration)
  • Sticky tape (to secure doily cones)
  • LED tealights (optional, for illuminating the cake)

Instructions

  1. Slice the Cake: Using a sharp, serrated knife, carefully slice your Christmas fruitcake in half horizontally to create a top and bottom layer.
  2. Prepare Apricot Jam Spread: In a small bowl, mix the apricot jam with the grated zest of one orange until well combined. Spread this mixture evenly over the surface of the bottom half of the cake.
  3. Make the Icing: In a large mixing bowl, beat the egg whites together with the orange juice, orange blossom water, and liquid glucose using an electric whisk. Gradually sift in the icing sugar while continuing to beat until stiff peaks form and the icing can hold its shape firmly.
  4. Assemble the Cake: Spread a thin layer of the prepared icing over the apricot jam on the bottom cake layer. Carefully place the top half of the cake back on, then generously swirl and spread the remaining royal icing thickly over the top, creating texture and height.
  5. Create Doily Trees: Using scissors, cut a slit from the edge to the center of each doily, then roll each doily into a cone shape and secure with sticky tape at the seam.
  6. Decorate the Cake: Arrange the doily cones upright on top of the iced cake to resemble a winter scene of trees. Cut a star from the gold card or gold-covered plain card, and stick it atop one of the doily trees for a festive finishing touch.
  7. Optional Lighting: For a glowing effect, use LED tealights placed underneath the doily cones. Make sure the base of each cone is wide enough to cover the lights completely and trim doilies if needed to allow light to shine through. Press the LEDs gently into the icing to create flat spots for stable placement. Remove the lights while the icing hardens to avoid damage.

Notes

  • The Suits-all Christmas cake base needs to be baked separately before assembling this decorated cake.
  • Use LED tealights only as a safe, flameless lighting option to illuminate the cake.
  • Make sure the royal icing is stiff enough to hold its shape for the decoration and light placement.
  • Adjust the size of doily cones if you want more or less light to shine through for the glowing effect.
  • Prepare the cake in advance to allow time for the icing to harden before adding light decorations.
  • Prep Time: 30 minutes
  • Cook Time: 0 minutes (assembly only, cake pre-baked)
  • Category: Dessert, Holiday Cake
  • Method: No-Cook
  • Cuisine: British

Keywords: Christmas cake, festive cake, royal icing, apricot jam, holiday dessert, doily decoration, glowing cake, orange zest cake, celebration cake

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Find it online: https://cookwithsophie.com/let-it-glow-christmas-cake-recipe/