Christmas wreath cake

Method

• step 1

  Make sure the cake has completely cooled, remove from its tin and peel off the baking parchment. Use an 8cm round cookie cutter to cut a hole through the middle of the cake, pushing down as far as you can, then cut all the way down using a small sharp knife. Carefully remove the centre by lifting the cake and pushing the smaller cake up through the middle (you may need to get someone to help you with this). Keep the smaller cake to decorate and give as a gift (see 'goes well with').

• step 2

  Spread a little runny icing around the edges of a cake board or stand and invert the large cake on top.

• step 3

  On a clean surface dusted with icing sugar, roll out 100g marzipan into a long rectangular strip, about 8 x 20cm. Trim the edges, then use this piece to line the central hole of the cake. Trim away any excess. Roll out the remaining marzipan to a circle large enough to cover the cake – use a piece of kitchen string to help you check. Melt the apricot jam in a small pan with 1 tbsp water, then sieve and brush a little all over your cake. Use the marzipan to cover the cake, then trim any excess from the bottom and the centre.

• step 4

  In a large bowl, mix the royal icing sugar with enough water to make a thick, spreadable icing. Use the food colouring to dye it a rich leaf-green colour. Working quickly, spread the icing all over your cake – don’t worry about being too neat as most of the icing will be covered. Break the fondant icing into 2 lumps and dye different shades of green. Roll the icing out and cut out lots of holly shapes with cutters. Use a little runny icing as glue to stick the holly leaves all over the top of the cake. Put a big red bow at the top to finish the look.