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Why would this technique be used?

post #1 of 10
2/10/12 at 10:32am
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Why would someone want to cover a cake covered with marzipan, then with RI? Wouldn't that make the cake darn near impossible to slice?
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post #2 of 10
2/10/12 at 10:41am
Because that's how it's usually done, especially in the UK. Been done that way for years. The royal icing has several layers and apparently it doesn't get rock hard. I believe now they do marzipan with a layer of fondant, but royal icing is very traditional.

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post #3 of 10
2/10/12 at 11:20am
its an old traditional way of covering fruit cakes. it dates back to before fondant. you leave the cake for a few days so the marzipan can harden and then you have a very sturdy base for the RI coats to go on and it wont crack.. then several layersof RI is added over a few days. this is why the technique is mainly done on fruit cakes
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post #4 of 10
2/10/12 at 9:50pm
The marzipan also evens out the bumps in the fruit cake so that the fondant or RI can be done very smoothly. If covered in RI, there's usually some glycerin added to the royal so that it cuts easily.

Rae
I love you, but your emergency is not my crisis!

They say that a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, but it is not one half so bad as a lot of ignorance.--Terry Pratchett (b.194
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They say that a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, but it is not one half so bad as a lot of ignorance.--Terry Pratchett (b.194
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post #5 of 10
2/11/12 at 7:32am
May I jump in with a ques as well? Why the need to cover the marzipan with either fondant or RI? Why can't marzipan be the final coat? Is it because marzipan can't be colored?
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post #6 of 10
2/11/12 at 8:08am
Marzipan can definitely be colored. I do it all the time. It can do anything fondant can do, but it tastes better.

Marzipan is a thick barrier for a fruit cake, sealing in the moisture. I think cakes are again covered in fondant because the marzipan itself is kind of yellowish and most people want a white wedding cake. Plus, marzipan has a lot of oil from the almonds and royal icing decorations wouldn't hold up very long.

I have several books where it shows cakes with just a covering of marzipan. There's one in Martha Stewart Weddings and it's actually very pretty. I think it's the cherry almond cake.

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post #7 of 10
2/11/12 at 10:58am
Thanks for starting this topic. Very informative!
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post #8 of 10
2/11/12 at 1:08pm
Colette Peters mixes marzipan and fondant sometimes. It makes a lovely product with a slight ivory tint. She calls it "Marzifon" when discussing it with clients.

Rae
I love you, but your emergency is not my crisis!

They say that a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, but it is not one half so bad as a lot of ignorance.--Terry Pratchett (b.194
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I love you, but your emergency is not my crisis!

They say that a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, but it is not one half so bad as a lot of ignorance.--Terry Pratchett (b.194
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post #9 of 10
2/11/12 at 2:52pm
May I jump in with a ques as well? Why the need to cover the marzipan with either fondant or RI? Why can't marzipan be the final coat? Is it because marzipan can't be colored?
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post #10 of 10
2/11/12 at 3:01pm
I answered your post above.

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