What Is A Good Time Scale For Decorating A Wedding Cake?

by Gill
(Northumberland)

Our fruit cakes are maturing nicely. Can you give me timeline of when to marzipan, how long to leave before fondant icing, and when to assemble? Thank you.

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Answer:

One of the benefits of having a fruit cake for your wedding is that it allows you a lot of time to bake, feed, and decorate your cake.

Once your fruit cakes are finished maturing, at least one to several months, marzipan can be applied up to 3 weeks before the wedding date without suffering any ill effects if stored properly. Apply a thin layer of glaze over the cake, usually apricot jam, which will help it stick to the cake. Allow at least 24 hours after applying your marzipan layer before applying your fondant to allow for drying.

Fondant can be applied up to 5 days before the wedding date. To rehydrate your marzipan layer brush on a thin layer of sherry, brandy or boiled water. This helps adhesion and preserves the layers by preventing air getting in between.
Apply your fondant then store your cake in a cake box in a cool, dark place.

 

To avoid damage to the cake it is safest to cut all the dowels before the day, but assemble at your venue the morning of the wedding. Depending on your cake design you can insert the dowels and assemble it at home, then take it apart for transportation and reassemble at the venue.

Hope that helps!

Image credits:
Wedding cake: © Allihays | dreamstime.com