I wanted to try covering a fondant covered cake in royal icing. Ir ead about this in one of my books and want to try it. Anyone have any tips before I try it? I've only ever used royal icing for making flowers, I've never covered a cake in it. I was hoping it might mask the taste of the fondant a bit? Any ideas?
Yup covering the fondant covered cake in royal icing. I am reading The International School of Sugarcraft Book Two and it shows cakes covered in royal icing. In another book I have they cover the cake in marzipan and then royal icing. I don't think either of them actually say fondant but that's what I had on hand so I thought I would try it. Does it sound like a bad idea? Would you just frost in royal right on the cake? It looks so pretty and smooth in the book....
IF you don't like the flavour of fondant, then don't use it.
I have heard of covering a cake in marzipan, then royal, but not the fondant.
My mom used to use a 7minute icing that was a Royal.
It crusted over, but stayed soft on the inside and she applied it directly to the cake.
It was made of egg whites beaten with cream of tartar, then a hot sugar syrup was added while beating the egg whites.
It is the only frosting I ever ate growing up and it was light and flavourful!
If you want that recipe, I would be happy to post it.
Oh, and by the way, if you flavour your fondant, use a flavouring oil or an emulsion and knead it in. I used an alchohol based extract and it completely ruined the texture of my fondant.
I don't mind a little fondant, I have a pail of Virgin Ice which is better than the Wilton stuff and I do need to use it up. I have found a lot of people still pick most of it off though. But I love the look of a fondant covered cake....so pretty!
couturiere I would love to try your Mum's recipe thank you for offering to share it, sounds delicious!
I will have to shop around for the oils I don't have any on hand but thanks for the tip becuase that is exactly what I would have done and spoiled the entire batch!
7-minute Frosting
2 large egg whites
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
Make frosting:
In top of a double boiler off heat or in a large metal bowl with a hand-held electric mixer beat together frosting ingredients until combined. In double boiler or in bowl set over a saucepan of boiling water beat mixture on high speed until it holds stiff glossy peaks, about 7 minutes. (Depending on mixer and weather, this may take longer.) Remove top of double boiler or bowl from heat and beat frosting until cool and spreadable.
Frost cake
This recipe I saw on Epicurous.com is similar to my moms -- But, It sounds a little easier. I will look hers up and post it as well.
Here is my mom's recipe.
Mom's Fluffy Seven-Minute Icing
In a saucpan
Combine-- 1 cup sugar
1/3 cup water
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/8 teaspoon salt
Bring to a boil, stirring constantly until sugar dissolves.
In a Mixing BowL
Add--2 egg whites
and begin beating, slowly adding the hot syrup as you go.
Beat constantly at high speed until very stiff peaks form and mixture has a very glossy sheen. (About seven minutes)
Beat in 1 teaspoon vanilla.
Ices the tops and sides of two 8-9 inch layer cake or a 10inch tube cake.
A lot of English and European recipes do involve covering a cake (usually a fruitcake - not my favortie but that's beside the point) in marzipan to seal it and then covering the cake in either fondant or royal icing after the marzipan has dried a few days to get the oil out of it. I don't think you'd want to use the fondant INSTEAD of the marzipan. The marzipandried very hard and seals the cake up totally so it pretty much can stay fresh for a week or more before being cut. If you plan to use the royal icin gover the marzipan, the oils from it may soften the royal after a few days or you'll have to serve the cake with something to break the royal icing up before you can cut into it. Either way really doesn't sound extremely appetizing to me, but to each his/her own.
Chris
This would be very sweet and I would think very sickly to taste. The International school of sugarcraft books are originally from the UK where we do cover fruitcake in marzipan and icing. The cake is usually a very dark rich fruitcake. It is sealed in the marzipan to prevent it discolouring the royal icing. Also the almond taste of the marzipan helps to cut through the richness of the cake and the sweetness of the royal icing. You would not get either of these effects from fondant and this is not something I would recommend trying.
p.s. covering the fruitcake in marzipan is nothing to do with keeping the cake fresh. The rich fruitcakes we use are made several weeks if not months in advance. The longer they are kept the more the flavours mature and the better the cake tastes.
I have posted the recipe under the title of English Fruitcake
fruitcakes here also are made months in advance. my aunt made her christmas fruitcakes in september when all the fruit and nuts were available. then she covered the cakes in cheesecloth and into a tim, and every month until the holidays she'd pour a cup or more of brandy over it and put it back in the tin. we never covered them with anything or decorated them, but frtuicakes themselves keep just about forever.
My kids are running around like nuts right now and it sounds like I need a 'shot' of your fruitcake! Whoo- Wheeee....
* Never drink & decorate *
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