Introduction

Create a charming winter scene on your cake with this delightful Snowman Friends cake decoration. Using marzipan, regal icing, and a few simple decorations, you can bring a festive touch that will impress family and friends.

A round cake covered with smooth light blue icing stands on a white cake stand. The bottom edge of the cake has a white textured layer designed to look like snow drifts. On top of the cake, two small snowmen made from white fondant sit, each made of three stacked balls with little details: the left snowman has a red scarf, black eyes, and small stick arms; the right snowman has a green knitted hat, a smiling face, black button-like eyes and mouth, and tiny star-shaped buttons down its front. The background shows soft purple and white tones, with blurred lights creating a cozy atmosphere. The cake is on a white marbled surface. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Ingredients

85g apricot jam
100g sifted icing sugar, plus extra for dusting
750g marzipan
2kg ready-to-roll regal icing
Blue, brown, orange and green food colouring
85g desiccated coconut
A few whole cloves
3 strawberry laces

Instructions

Step 1: Melt the apricot jam, then sieve it. Brush a little evenly over a 23cm cake to help decorations stick.
Step 2: On a surface lightly dusted with sifted icing sugar, roll out the marzipan into a circle large enough to cover the cake. Hang it over your rolling pin, then carefully drape it over the cake and smooth it down the sides. Trim any excess from the bottom.
Step 3: Colour the regal icing with a little blue food colouring. Brush the marzipan-covered cake with more apricot jam, then cover it with the blue icing using the same draping method. Trim the base neatly.
Step 4: Roll two-thirds of the remaining regal icing into a long, thin sausage on an icing sugar-dusted surface, measuring it to go around the cake. Roll it out to about 5cm wide and trim one edge straight and the other into a wiggly edge.
Step 5: Keep the trimmings and shape half into two wobbly circles for snowmen to sit on. Brush the strip, circles, and cake base with runny icing (100g sifted icing sugar mixed with a splash of water). Scatter desiccated coconut over these pieces, pressing gently to stick.
Step 6: Beginning at one end, wrap the coconut-covered strip around the base of the cake. If it’s difficult, use two half strips and more coconut to hide joins.
Step 7: Roll the remaining regal icing into two large balls, two medium balls, and two small balls. Assemble these into two snowmen by slightly squashing the pieces together. Brush cocktail sticks with brown food colouring and insert for arms.
Step 8: Insert whole cloves into one snowman for buttons. Colour some strip trimmings orange and shape small carrot noses around pointy ends of cloves. Make tiny holes for the noses with a clove, apply runny icing to the holes, and stick on noses firmly.
Step 9: Using a black or brown writing icing pen, dot eyes and smiley mouths onto the snowmen. Mark tiny holes with a cocktail stick first to help keep the icing precise and in place.
Step 10: Colour regal icing trimmings green for a woolly hat. Shape a hat with a thumb dip for the head, add a small ball on top attached with runny icing, and wrap a thin strip around the base. Use a cocktail stick to add woolly markings and texture.
Step 11: Knot the strawberry laces at one end, then tightly plait a 10cm length and knot again. Snip the ends to create tassels about 1cm long. Wrap the plaited scarf around the neck of the other snowman.
Step 12: Place the wobbly coconut-covered islands on top of the cake, then carefully set a snowman on each island to complete your snowy cake scene.

Tips & Variations

Use a piece of kitchen string to measure the icing strips for a precise fit around your cake.
For added sparkle, lightly dust the coconut with edible glitter before attaching.
If you don’t have regal icing, fondant icing can be a good substitute with similar results.
Try different food colours for hats and scarves to create unique snowman outfits.

Storage

Store the decorated cake in a cool, dry place, covered loosely with a cake dome or in a cake box. Avoid refrigeration as it can cause condensation on the icing. The cake decoration will keep well for up to 3 days. If needed, bring to room temperature before serving.

How to Serve

The image shows a round cake covered in smooth light blue fondant with a white snowy border around the bottom edge that looks like soft snow. On top are two small snowmen made of white fondant; each snowman has three round layers stacked, with the smaller one wearing a red scarf and the larger one wearing a green hat. The snowmen have small black eyes, mouths, and buttons, with tiny stick arms. The cake is displayed on a white cake stand, placed on a white marbled surface. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I use fondant instead of regal icing for the snowmen?

Yes, fondant works similarly and is a good alternative if regal icing isn’t available. It can be rolled and shaped just as easily for your snowmen and decorations.

How do I prevent the marzipan from drying out?

Apply the apricot jam as a glaze before covering the cake with marzipan; this helps seal in moisture and provides a tacky surface for the marzipan to stick to, preventing drying and cracking.