How to make Royal Icing for a Christmas Cake

Fresh off the back of the festive season, I thought I’d share my favourite, fail-safe recipe for Royal Icing for a Christmas Cake! 

This is my go-to Royal icing recipe for the past few years, although the actual Christmas cake I use is legendary and is my Mum’s, and it’s about a million years old. One of my favourite memories growing up in the 80s and 90s was having a ‘stir up’ Sunday, usually in October half term holiday, making the Christmas cake and storing it away, before getting it out of the newspapered-up cake tin in December to ice it. You can’t go wrong with this Christmas cake royal icing recipe, and it’s got that perfect balance of drying well yet without breaking your teeth (always good!).

On top of the cake and on the royal icing I also like to use our family’s vintage Christmas cake decorations in the form of a Father Christmas and donkey, a deer, little Christmas house and a ‘Merry Christmas’ mini sign, plus some cool little trees that I purchased from Amazon! I personally prefer a vintage/ class effect for decorating a Christmas cake, but many might prefer more modern decoration for their one, and there are plenty of different types of decorations that you can buy from Amazon, Etsy, and many lovely independent stores and online shops. 

The History of Royal Icing on Christmas Cakes

With delicate peaks, a milky-white hue and an airy consistency, royal icing is the quintessential traditional Christmas cake icing, often serving as a structural element in festive decorations. This ‘stiff icing’ or ‘snow white icing’, as it was once known and has a snowy effect, was immortalised in royal title in Britain in the early 19th century. Modern colloquial varieties date its origins as a confection to Queen Victoria’s reign, who, according to historian Harry Mount in his book Amorie in 2012, ‘had royal icing applied to her wedding cake in 1840, thus effectively naming it’. Since then, the practice of decorating Christmas cakes with royal icing has become more widespread. The sugar-coated surface symbolised purity and elegance, all qualities associated with the monarchy. Prepared from beaten egg whites, granulated sugar and sometimes lemon juice, royal icing is a ‘stiff’ confection, its consistency created through the addition of extreme amounts of sugar. This makes it perfect for piping and intricate design work. It was also chosen because of its ability to withstand the long and arduous demands of the holiday season; royal icing hardens as it dries, allowing the product to be stored for weeks after manufacture in a crisp, dry finish. This characteristic was ideal for those seeking to stockpile for the long Christmas holiday period (and I can totally get on board with a traditional recipe that also withstands kids and can be stored easily!).

So, without further adieu, let’s get to the perfect royal icing recipe, which you can use on either a round cake or square cake, it really doesn’t matter…

Christmas Cake Icing – You will need

• 3 Egg Whites
• 600g Icing Sugar
• 1 Tsp Glycerine
• 1 Tsp Lemon Juice
• Almond paste made from ground almonds, or cooled apricot jam to spread over the cake and to go under your icing
• A large bowl to mix it in
• Palette knife (you don’t need a rolling pin for this kind of icing)

Instructions

1. Whisk the egg whites by hand or in a mixer such as a Kitchen Aid until lightly whipped.

2. Add the sifted icing sugar a few shakes at a time, whisking continuously until all has been added.

3. Add the glycerine and lemon juice.

4. Continue whisking together until the icing is thick and forming stiff peaks whilst also looking shiny and smooth. You want this to be at room temperature – too hot or too cold and it won’t spread or fluff up well on top of your cake. 

5. Prepare a clean work surface ready to ice your cake. Use a palette knife to spread the white icing over the top of your Christmas fruit cake, as well as over the sides of the cake (once you have added your almond paste). For a snowy, festive look as opposed to smooth icing or fondant icing, you can make little peaks with a teaspoon or fork on the top and side of the cake too.

6. Leave the cake and the icing to firm up somewhere in a cool, dry, dark place for 24 hrs for best results before cutting and eating.

Why do I need almond paste under my Royal Icing?

I like to use some almond paste to create a smooth base for the royal icing on our Christmas cake. Here are some reasons why it can be good to use (obviously ignore this if anyone has a nut allergy within the family, you could use cooled apricot jam instead).

Moisture Barrier: Almond paste (marzipan) seals the moisture in the cake from the icing. Without this layer, the royal icing can absorb the moisture from the cake and dry out, or possibly even crack. The paste keeps the centre of the cake lovely and soft.

Makes the Icing Smooth: Because almond paste fills all the nooks and hollows, it provides an even, perfectly level base for the royal icing. Christmas cakes, especially fruitcakes, tend to be fairly bumpy with nuts and dried fruits, and almond paste evens out those bumps so that the icing can look perfect.

Protects the colour: Because cakes have natural oils in them, especially fruitcakes, over time the oils can creep into royal icing and cloud and discolour it. A layer of almond paste is used as a barrier to protect the colour, keeping the icing bright white. 

Adds Flavour: Using almond paste can help to add even more flavour to a rich fruit cake, as it helps contrast with the sweetness of the icing, as well as the richness of the cake itself with a subtle, nutty flavour. I personally love the taste of almonds, but I know that not everyone is keen!

Using almond paste underneath will give your cake the perfect professional finish on the outside, and it will help the cake to last all season, topped with your lovely royal icing!

There you have it, my perfect royal icing recipe for your Christmas cake! This can be enjoyed in the run up to Christmas to share with friends and cup of tea or coffee, on Christmas Eve with family and friends, or to cut up and hand our slices on your Boxing Day party. This has always been a family favourite of ours, and as someone who absolutely adores Christmas and Christmas traditions, there is always something special about a classic recipe that the whole family can enjoy throughout the festive season!

Enjoyed this seasonal recipe? Make sure you take a look and have a read of some more of my other blog posts that cover more Food, baking and dessert recipes! Plus our cake for Christmas from another year, and these delicious vegan mince pies by Becky!

Becky

Meet the award-nominated UK lifestyle blogger behind Spirited Puddle Jumper – a mum of three living in South East London! Becky shares the real ups and downs of family life, parenting tips, and lifestyle inspiration, proving that being a mum doesn’t mean you stop being fun or having other interests! Follow along for honest insights into UK family life and opinions on a whole range of topics, from travel and food, to beauty reviews, home and DIY, business and health and wellness.