An Elegant filigree cake inspired by a Colorado Christmas

I normally wait until after Thanksgiving to start Christmas decorating, however royal icing decorations may be stored in an airtight container indefinitely.

I wanted to give you time to create your royal icing trees.

The cake (I chose a Madeira cake) is covered with a thin layer of marzipan and fondant.

For the shape of the cake I used a hexagon pan and placed the cake on a square cake board covered with fondant.

Filigree Christmas Cake:

Each tree panel was piped on both sides, if you want a more delicate look pipe only one side (keep in mind the tree will be very fragile).

Materials:

• 1-recipe Madeira cake, fine below
• 1- recipe royal icing
• Water
• Fondant
• Marzipan

Equipment:

• Parchment paper cornets, cones
• 1 disposable plastic piping bag (without a tip cut to #3 tip size),  or a sandwich bag with the bottom cornrer cut to # 3 tip size
• 1.5 tip, or you may use the just the cone with a small whole, PME or Bekenal
• #0 artist brush
• Scriber tool, PME
• Mini spatula, K
• Holder or damp rag, PME
• Holly leaf plunger and cutter, PME
• Snowflake cutter,KB
• Dampened paper towel
• Filigree tree template
• Masking tape
• Cellophane
• Parchment or tracing paper
• Icing sugar (to snow the cake)
• Eye dropper, for adding water to Royal icing

Visit Shop 5th Avenue Cakes for supplies

5th Avenue Cake Designs Madeira cake recipe

Pipe your trees prior to baking and coving your cake. As I mention before you can pipe the trees a month prior and

store them for when you are ready to use them. I place bubble wrap over food safe parchment paper to prevent breakage.

You will only need two consistencies for the royal icing

The filigree tree: Run down soft-peak

The filled Trees: Run down run out and run down soft-peak.

A 10-inch square cake board covered in fondant and wrapped with a blue ribbon around the edge.

Dust your cake with a blue shimmer, and pipe a little round of royal icing balls in groups of three.

Add your holly leaves and snowflakes with a drop of royal icing.

Sift icing sugar over the cake to look like snow.

After your filigree trees have dried place a small round of flower paste (gumpaste) in the centre of your hexagon cake

and pipe a thin line of royal icing (off peak consistency ) following the bottom of the tree and GINGERLY attach. Allow to dry for several hours.

Add the side trees to each side of the cake, starting with one side tree in the middle, and adding two side trees to the middle tree.

If you need more trees add one at a time to each side.

Watch the video below to learn how I created these delicate filigree and royal icing tress.

If you need a refresher on royal icing consistencies watch Working with Royal Icing

Trouble shooting tip, given by Dawn Parrott :

If you watch your icing (not the nozzle) you will be able gauge the pressure and speed needed!

Have fun and I would love to see your filigree royal icing art!