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Big Crack in Iced Christmas Cake

post #1 of 10
1/5/12 at 7:46am
Thread Starter 
Hi. I made a Christmas cake, some weeks before Christmas. Followed all the correct storage guidelines. I apricot jammed it, marzipanned it and then left it a couple of days I think to harden it. I then covered it in fondant icing and decorated it and all was fine. I delivered it to my Mum early Dec and it was fine. Checked it a couple of days later and looked fine. Checked it again a few days after Christmas and a big crack in the icing has appeared and it looks as if the jam has started to ooze out of the cake - there is a golden sticky substance all around the cake board.
Anyone experienced this before? Why has it happened? What did I do wrong?!
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post #2 of 10
1/5/12 at 8:41am
did you roll the marzipan out on cornstarch or on powered sugar?
it sounds as if the apricot jam fermented under the maripan and that is now leaking out. This can happen if you used cornstarch instead of PS. It 1st causes an air bubble that burst, hence the craked icing and then leaks out gooey yellow stuff.
HTH
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post #3 of 10
1/6/12 at 1:33am
Thread Starter 
No, I used powdered sugar. Could this have still caused the jam to ferment? Did I use too much jam?
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post #4 of 10
1/6/12 at 2:25am
i have always used cornstarch, never PS, and never ever had this issue, i made 10 christmas cakes this year, and the same the year before with no issues. the only thing i can think of is that you may have used to much jam, i use a pastry brush and just lightly brush it on so it has a shiny look to it, but not enough so you can see that its got jam on there, if that makes sense :/
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post #5 of 10
1/6/12 at 3:43am
Hi, I have read that if you do not bring the apricot jam to a boil before brushing onto the cake that it can ferment and cause mould - could it be this?
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post #6 of 10
1/6/12 at 3:56am
using too much jam could cause the seeping, but it shouldnt have caused the crack. I agree with Caths cakes that you need to have a very thin layer of jam on, a brush works perfectly.

@ caths cakes if you google cornflour and fermentation you will see that there are several sites that states under certain conditions it can be problematic. I know a few ladies in our guild that had blow-outs because of cornflour and
marzipan. Maybe it because its summer over here during Christmas?

you should boil the jam before spreading it on the cake. I have not heard about it causing fermentation, but it can be the cause of mould growing on the cake.+
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post #7 of 10
1/6/12 at 9:02am
Dumb question ( as I have never used jam or marzipan) but when counting the days up is that not a long time for a cake to not be eaten? You delivered the cake to your mom's early Dec and after Christmas it was cracked?? So a month went by?( Forgive my ignorance but it just seems like a long time if I'm wrong then please ignore me).
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post #8 of 10
1/6/12 at 9:08am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Momofjaic

Dumb question ( as I have never used jam or marzipan) but when counting the days up is that not a long time for a cake to not be eaten? You delivered the cake to your mom's early Dec and after Christmas it was cracked?? So a month went by?( Forgive my ignorance but it just seems like a long time if I'm wrong then please ignore me).



a fruit cake can last for anything up to a year, some people keep it even longer. icon_smile.gif
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post #9 of 10
1/6/12 at 9:17am
a fruit cake can last for anything up to a year, some people keep it even longer. icon_smile.gif[/quote]

Ok I didn't realize it was a fruit cake icon_redface.gif
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post #10 of 10
1/11/12 at 7:26am
Thread Starter 
Thanks for the replies.
It looks like it might be something to do with the jam then? I really can't remember exactly what I did with the jam re: boiling, how much I put on etc... I did make some others as well which seem fine. I just am worried this will happen again when making something for a customer.
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