<p>Okay, we are preparing to embark on another creative project – a fancy cake, using marzipan as the “frosting.”</p>
<p>Has anyone done this? It seems we would need a dense cake under the marzipan, something sturdy enough to withstand being “wrapped” by the marzipan.</p>
<p>The end product will be a flying saucer shaped cake. We hope.</p>
<p>Any advice appreciated, especially in terms of what cake to use, preferably something chocolate.</p>
<p>Locally, we call that a Princess Cake. We have a baker who does them so well, that I would not dare try this myself. Here is a link with advice!
[Princess</a> Cake Recipe : : Food Network](<a href=“http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/gale-gand/princess-cake-recipe/index.html]Princess”>http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/gale-gand/princess-cake-recipe/index.html)</p>
<p>My advice is to get Rose Levy Beranbaum’s book The Cake Bible. Her recipes are superb, and she gives formulas for adapting some of the basic ones to virtually any size pan. Her chocolate butter cake recipe for wedding cakes is one such, and delicious.</p>
<p>My limited experience with marzipan or fondant…</p>
<p>Are you sure that it is marzipan? Marzipan is a combination of ground almonds and sugar, and it has a strong almond flavor. It is somewhat difficult to work with on a large scale, i.e., covering an entire cake because it can become quite dry. Typically, it is used for garnish elements - flowers and designs. A whole covering of fondant would be pretty overwhelming. It is also quite expensive - amazingly so!</p>
<p>Fondant is a more common covering for decorative cakes because it is much more pliable and forgiving. It’s basically sugar, so it has a very neutral flavor. If you watch any of the cake decorating shows on the Food Channel, they usually use fondant to create fantastic shapes and designs. Either product can be rolled and shaped with the hands, and the heat caused by the friction of working the material is very helpful. </p>
<p>In terms of the actual cake - usually a heavy, dense cake, such as a gateau or pound cake is best.</p>
<p>The story behind this is that I looked for a bakery to make this cake.</p>
<p>The price quoted (using fondant) was $350 plus $75 for delivery.</p>
<p>My husband then volunteered to make the cake, so I did some research and discovered that fondant is made using gelatin and glycerin, among other ingredients.</p>
<p>Of course fondant gives that smooth appearance that is needed to render a flying saucer in pastry, but then I recalled a recipe (for princess cake) that used marzipan for a similar effect.</p>
<p>Since my daughter likes marzipan and this cake is for her graduation, I then pursued the marzipan idea.</p>
<p>I have ordered a hemisphere baking pan for this project - do you think I could successfully bake a pound cake recipe in such a pan?</p>
<p>In the UK birthday cakes have a very thin layer of marzipan then covered in fondant, the cake is like a pound cake though a little lighter. I have at last found a European bakery that will make this type of cake. My D’s are happy : )</p>
<p>I love princess cake, but it’s much easier to cover the cake smoothly if it doesn’t have the whipped cream on the outside. A dense cake, like a pound or fruit cake, is also more forgiving for an amateur baker than a sponge.</p>
<p>Fondant has its place, but I dislike the fact that although it’s technically edible, no one over the age of 5 will actually want to eat it. So to me, it’s kind of a cop-out; you might as well wrap the cake in colored plastic. I actually like to eat marzipan, though a little goes a long way.</p>
<p>Contrary to myth, fondant can actually be good. The first time I ever made a wedding cake for someone, I made the fondant myself from scratch, and used lemon juice in it. The fondant was thin, tender, and lightly lemony, not sickly sweet. The cake inside was a white butter cake, brushed with Framboise syrup, with tart raspberry buttercream filling (two layers split to make four).</p>
<p>Whatever you do, never use Wilton fondant. It’s awful. (Although you can add lemon juice to it also, which definitely helps.) There are other brands out there which are probably better, but I’ve never used them so I can’t testify to it.</p>
<p>I like marzipan, but I’ve never used it for covering a cake. I understand that it dries out quite badly and quite quickly. (You might want to consider making fondant and adding almond flavoring instead…)</p>
<p>Again, speaking as someone who has made many elaborate tiered and decorated cakes, all from scratch, I suggest that you consult The Cake Bible.</p>
<p>Regarding the cake shape, don’t overlook the possibility of baking layers in a conventional pan and then carving them. A nice, rich butter cake or a pound cake would work for that.</p>
<p>Yes, it’s also called the Princess Cake here. Love it. It’s the specialty of a local German bakery shop.</p>
<p>I was at a wedding last weekend where the entire gorgeous cake was covered in fondant. The fondant was delicious, as was all the rest of the food and wine at the event. This particular fondant, I think, had milk powder in it, because it gave my milk-allergic husband an allergic reaction.</p>
<p>In England we put marzipan on Christmas fruit cake (yes dense would describe the texture). usually you put a layer of jam (to help it stick to the cake), usually apricot if my memory serves me right. Then royal icing goes on top of the marzipan. I haven’t really heard of marzipan on something like pound cake, though I don’t see why not. I think there is a type of easter cake that has marzipan.</p>
<p>For an awkward shape I am wondering if a fondant might be easier to handle. With the Christmas cake we usually roll a circle to put on top then, then roll a long rectangle to cover the sides. it is not necessarily pretty, but is covered with royal icing. I am trying to imagine trying to drape marzipan over a flying saucer shaped cake. It sounds - not easy.</p>
<p>darn, now I want cake.</p>