How to make Snowdome Christmas Cake

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1. You will need a cake board to make this design.
2. Cut one edge off of the cake about 3cm thick so that the cake can stand upright on the board.
3. Brush the cake all over with warmed apricot jam. Dust your hands and the work surface with a little icing sugar. Shape the marzipan into a ball, then roll out with a rolling pin into a circle large enough to cover the top and sides of the cake (about 34cm depending on the depth of your finished cake) Lift the marzipan over your rolling pin and then drape it over the top and sides of the cake, smoothing out the icing with the palm of your hand. Trim the edge with a knife.
4. To ice the cake. Reserve 150g of the Ready To Roll icing and wrap in cling film. Knead the remaining Ready To Roll icing with a little blue food colouring to give a pale blue shade. Roll into a smooth round ball, then flatten slightly. Dust the work surface with a little icing sugar and roll out the icing to a circle large enough to cover the top and sides of the cake (about 34cm depending on the depth of your finished cake) Lift the icing over your rolling pin and then drape it over the top and sides of the cake, smoothing out the icing and any creases or folds in the icing, with the palm of your hand. Trim the edge with a knife.
5. Roll out the remaining Ready To Roll icing and cut into 3 Christmas tree shapes and leave to dry on non stick baking parchment for as long as possible- ideally for 2-3 days in a warm dry place until firm.
6. Make up the royal icing as directed on the packet. Spread the cake board with a thick layer of icing and place the cake upright onto the board.
7. Place the remaining royal icing into a piping bag with a small plain writing nozzle (or snip the end of the bag). Pipe snowflake designs onto non stick baking parchment and leave for 2-3 days until firm , then slide off and attach to the cake with a dot of royal icing.
8. Pipe a little rope around the top edge of the cake, then pipe dots of snow on the cake and onto the trees. While still 'tacky' top the icing dots with silver balls. Finally, press the trees into the soft royal icing, in front of the cake and allow to set.

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