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Christmas cake essentials

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Old Oct 16th 2025 | 7:38 pm
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Default Christmas cake essentials

Festive (ok bit early) help needed! Some friends very kindly brought me back from the UK a Ringtons (Since 1907) Rich Fruit Cake Mix Limited Edition!

Which is as I type in the oven - now of course I will need marzipan and icing to complete the 'same as mum used to make' final product, which I have never had in 25 years of living in Spain (OK did buy Iceland Spain version last year)

Had a quick look on the net and prices of marzipan are crazy and no ready-made icing! Anybody got any ideas where to buy...??
 
Old Oct 16th 2025 | 9:30 pm
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Default Re: Christmas cake essentials

Ready made icing 🤷‍♂️.............

Just buy some icing sugar from most supermarkets and follow the instructions!

Marzipan can probably be bought from Iceland stores.

Steve
 
Old Oct 16th 2025 | 10:05 pm
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Default Re: Christmas cake essentials

Originally Posted by spainrico
Festive (ok bit early) help needed! Some friends very kindly brought me back from the UK a Ringtons (Since 1907) Rich Fruit Cake Mix Limited Edition!

Which is as I type in the oven - now of course I will need marzipan and icing to complete the 'same as mum used to make' final product, which I have never had in 25 years of living in Spain (OK did buy Iceland Spain version last year)

Had a quick look on the net and prices of marzipan are crazy and no ready-made icing! Anybody got any ideas where to buy...??
Marzipan/almond paste is really easy to make and will probably be much cheaper than the ready-made stuff. All you need are ground almonds, icing sugar, caster sugar, eggs and almond essence. If you can all these things locally then you're sorted!
If you're interested then I can let you have my (well) tried and tested recipe.
When you say ready-made icing, do you mean fondant icing ie. the type you roll out or do you mean pre-mixed royal icing?
 
Old Oct 16th 2025 | 10:39 pm
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Default Re: Christmas cake essentials

Hola chocolate eclair - thanks for your useful reply - to be honest, I was hoping both marzipan and icing were available somewhere (I have never looked for them in my life), ready-made, and all I had to do was roll them out! I am a man, so looking for an easy solution for these inexperienced hands!
 
Old Oct 16th 2025 | 11:28 pm
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Default Re: Christmas cake essentials

Originally Posted by spainrico
Hola chocolate eclair - thanks for your useful reply - to be honest, I was hoping both marzipan and icing were available somewhere (I have never looked for them in my life), ready-made, and all I had to do was roll them out! I am a man, so looking for an easy solution for these inexperienced hands!

Could you get them from Amazon? Renshaw's does both marzipan and fondant icing.
You still have to stick the marzipan to the cake with apricot glaze (apricot jam and water heated together and passed through a sieve) so some cooking will be involved. I use vodka to stick fondant icing to the marzipan.
Being a man is no bar to being able to ice a cake . You may even enjoy having a new skill.
An alternative topping for a Christmas cake is to use whole roasted nuts on top. Apricot glaze to stick them on and to glaze.
I think there maybe some posts in the Food Thread in The Lounge about such things.
 
Old Oct 17th 2025 | 12:13 am
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Default Re: Christmas cake essentials

Amazon.es has plenty of both.
 
Old Oct 17th 2025 | 12:21 am
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Default Re: Christmas cake essentials

Yes, thanks all - Amazon to the rescue as always!
 
Old Oct 17th 2025 | 12:32 am
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Default Re: Christmas cake essentials

Originally Posted by Fred James
Amazon.es has plenty of both.
Hooray!
Originally Posted by spainrico
Yes, thanks all - Amazon to the rescue as always!
You're welcome.
Renshaw's does Ready-rolled Marzipan and Fondant Icing to make life even easier for you. I don't know how good they are. I have used Renshaw's fondant icing in the past but I prefer Saracino these days. However, Renshaw's will do a great job for you.
Happy cake decorating!
 
Old Oct 17th 2025 | 3:29 am
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Default Re: Christmas cake essentials

Oh and we require photos of the finished product !
 
Old Oct 21st 2025 | 9:07 am
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Default Re: Christmas cake essentials

Originally Posted by spainrico
Hola chocolate eclair - thanks for your useful reply - to be honest, I was hoping both marzipan and icing were available somewhere (I have never looked for them in my life), ready-made, and all I had to do was roll them out! I am a man, so looking for an easy solution for these inexperienced hands!
I am surprised you cannot find marzipan were you live.. Last week or so was Valencia day and the biggest thing is stuff made out of it... ie. vegetables, fruits, etc...
I have actually just seen blocks of the cr=p in a national supermarket today... baking section... I do not like it...
My woman makes it herself.. If she can do it, you can...
 
Old Oct 21st 2025 | 10:28 am
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Default Re: Christmas cake essentials

Originally Posted by growinspain
I am surprised you cannot find marzipan were you live.. Last week or so was Valencia day and the biggest thing is stuff made out of it... ie. vegetables, fruits, etc...
I have actually just seen blocks of the cr=p in a national supermarket today... baking section... I do not like it...
My woman makes it herself.. If she can do it, you can...
This whole thread is very strange!!!
Steve
 
Old Oct 26th 2025 | 10:20 pm
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Default Re: Christmas cake essentials

Müller has some decent sized blocks of marzipan. In fact, their Christmas food aisle is very similar to an English aisle. Still no crackers though
 

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