COVERING SPONGE CAKE WITH MARZIPAN AND COLOURING MARZIPAN

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Permalink Reply by Tracy Deadman on September 10, 2012 at 4:45am

Hi Mandy,
Marzipan is really easy to work with. I've recently done a cherry Madeira covered in marzipan and to make it stick to the sponge I brushe the sponge in warm sieved apricot jam first of all. You can colour marzipan with your usual paste colours and dusts, although it does tend to be a little stickier than sugar paste. The lady I made my cake for hates sugar paste and wanted poured fondant instead over the marzipan. I was a bit scared but learnt something new in the process.
Hope it all goes to plan :) Tracy x

Permalink Reply by Mandy Nel on September 10, 2012 at 5:15am

thanku :-)

Tracy Deadman said:

Hi Mandy,
Marzipan is really easy to work with. I've recently done a cherry Madeira covered in marzipan and to make it stick to the sponge I brushe the sponge in warm sieved apricot jam first of all. You can colour marzipan with your usual paste colours and dusts, although it does tend to be a little stickier than sugar paste. The lady I made my cake for hates sugar paste and wanted poured fondant instead over the marzipan. I was a bit scared but learnt something new in the process.
Hope it all goes to plan :) Tracy x

Permalink Reply by Katy Nott on September 10, 2012 at 6:43am

Yep Mandy, I'm with Tracy.  Marzipan does get a little sticky, but you can reduce that by dusting it in icing sugar while you work with it.  imo, it works just the same as fondant (but tastes even yummier - I love marzipan).  As Tracy says, definitely use the warmed, sieved (must be sieved or you'll get lumps in your marzi), apricot jam on the sponge to help marzi stick.  Don't stress about it, it will be fine. 

Permalink Reply by Mandy Nel on September 10, 2012 at 7:42am

thank you gals - you sure do imbue me with confidence :-)

Permalink Reply by art deco cakes by galidink on September 10, 2012 at 9:32am

 you can do it just like fondant and color it the same way , i did rose' with it , they came ot fine , i mixed it with white chocolate clay !!

Permalink Reply by Mandy Nel on September 10, 2012 at 9:39am

I'm sure that the other night on one of the food network challenges (an old one for sure) that Bronwen Weber was doing her character in marzipan and the commentator said that she prefers working with marzipan because it takes the folds easier and is easier to manipulate than fondant/modeling chocolate - so after reading all your comments, I am a brave brave soldier and will give it my best shot!  Thank you kindred spirits :-)

Permalink Reply by Katy Nott on September 10, 2012 at 9:59am

My mum used to do quite a lot with marzipan Mandy.  This, of course, was some 40-50 years ago, before fondant was a twinkle in someone's eye.  And she could work wonders with it.  Petit fours and marzipan fruits (exact replicas, hand painted with limited supplies of food colouring) were her speciality.  So yes, it is easy to work with - as long as you don't eat most of it along the way................

Permalink Reply by art deco cakes by galidink on September 10, 2012 at 10:06am

see!!! katy is rite , ,  use it just like fondant ! yes maybe you will find it easyer ! i thinkits a little more pricey to cover a cake with! ?

 

Permalink Reply by Mandy Nel on September 11, 2012 at 2:15am

Thanks gals - I have covered a few fruit cakes with marzipan and in fact did two this morning for a friend (she baked the cake and gave me the marzipan and fondant to help her cover the cakes cause she has arthritis and cannot do the kneading and rolling any more) - and I think it will work - what I do like about it is that if it gets a bit of a tear you just kinda pinch it right - no way I could do that with fondant :-)  So thank you for the advice - I will give it my best shot and of course post a pic or two :-)  You all rock xox