I was pleasantly surprised by my secret pal at work with a very neat book on cake deocrating. I am assuming it is a British or European book, since it had lots of cakes and fruitcakes covered in marzipan and what surprised me the most, royal icing. The cakes are beautiful, however, I was wondering how much that technique is used, and if it is used to ice a cake, does it still harden up like royal icing flowers do? I couldn't imagine serving a cake covered in a hard icing like that!

I'm not knocking it - they are very pretty cakes - I've just never had a cake made that way before! I've only been doing this for about 10 months, so I certainly don't know every technique out there - just thought I'd see what the general consensus was on this one!

Thanks,
Kim

I have never heard of that? Interesting to find out though

I cover our Christmas cake (rich fruit) with royal icing every year, it's just what a lot of people do in the UK! You add glycerine to the royal icing which stops it drying out into a slab of concrete, but it is still crunchy, and you must have a layer of marzipan on the cake first (rolled like fondant). Getting a cake smooth with royal icing is extremely difficult and takes many thin layers over days of work, which is why I go with the rough snow peak effect every time! Here's a cake of mine with royal:

Ironically, they (British, Carribean and South Africa) use it to ice and decorate... the RI also serves as a protective crust- they are beautiful but a bit trouble to eat ... the routine is just like the fondant... eat the cake and leave the "crust"

bonjovibabe - I don't see the picture

This is so intresting - I wonder if you used a denser cake like pound it crunchyness would not stand out so much

I am from England and i have just made my first royal iced cake(we have to at college). It is very hard and takes forever to get the coating right. It is consider more of an art now days and i would say it isnt popular. The royal iced coating tends to crack into pieces when cut so its not that good for serving. But i agree they are very pretty but i never plan to make another as long as i live!!!!

I think it depends on the type of cake you're using, I'm pretty sure that cakes covered in Royal icing are stuff like fruit cakes, I don't think it's something that would work well on American cakes.
If I remember right I think some British bakers add something to keep it from getting rock hard too.

I have never heard of this, how intreseting. Now I need to try it just to see. I guess it makes sense as we cover cookies in RI so why not cake. Ok the curiousity is getting to me, thanks for posting this.

very interesting................

Here is a link to a few pic's of royal icing cakes. Its the 5th lot down from the top

http://www.squires-exhibition.co.uk/home/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=64&Itemid=60

I was also wondering that. I am making a Wizard of Oz themed cake for my son's bday party and was unsure of using to much royal on the top. I suppose it can be done, I just wonder about the flavor combinations.

Wow! I can't believe it takes DAYS to ice a cake in royal icing! I am somewhat relieved though that they add glycerine to the icing to soften it up a bit.

BabyC1985 - your lamb cake is adorable! I suppose the benefit is getting a porcelain-like cake and details like that and in the link you provided.

I think I'm a buttercream girl through and through!