On Monday, I sorted out all these ingredients and utensils ......
....... ready to ice the Christmas cake
first I heated some apricot jam
and brushed it over the cake
I kneaded the icing and put it on a board dusted with icing sugar
I rolled out the icing, trying to keep it roughly circular
I rolled the icing carefully round the rolling pin
the icing is a bit bigger than the cake ........
........... so that I could use the trimmings to decorate the cake
I cut out stars using a cookie cutter .............
....... and arranged them on the top of the cake
I don't like marzipan, so I added these wonderful marzipan fruits, made by my friend Lorraine, for Malcolm and other marzipan lovers
then I got carried away and added some sparkly ribbon!
finished with a ribbon rose
I sat the cake on the lid of the cake box
then covered it to keep it fresh for the few days until Christmas
I wish I could give you all a slice - but I'll think of you as I tuck into it!!