2 teaspoons glycerine (If you leave this out the icing will be very hard when dry)
Method:
Beat the egg whites till frothy. Now gradually beat in about half of the icing sugar a little at a time using a wooden spoon.(A mixer adds to many air bubbles).
Add the lemon juice and glycerine, then beat in the rest of the sugar. Beat till really smooth and thick. If it is too runny add more sugar as it will run off the cake otherwise! Thicker icing is needed to be piped with an icing nozzle, for the cake top you need soft peaks.

Whether you ice the top or sides first is a matter of personal preference.You will need a palette knife to apply it. You need something with a long, flat blade. If you don't have a palette knife, I have found that a long plastic ruler works as well. If you keep a jug of boiling water at your side too, to dip the blade into now and then, this will help to make the icing smooth. Try not to add much water though as this too can spoil the icing.The best method is to roughly spread the icing on the top(or sides)first then the other part, and finally draw the blade across in one even stroke to finally smooth the surface.
An ordinary iced cake needs two coats of icing, allowing it to dry in between. If it is not as smooth as you'd like on the top apply a third final thinner coat.
An alternative is to not worry about getting a smooth surface, and instead "roughing up" the surface by using the knife to pull out peaks all over. this looks effective in scene type cakes, where you add small figures of trees, snowmen or santas. If you cant buy them they can be modelled in coloured marzipan.
Leave the cake uncovered for at least 24 hours before decorating in your chosen manner.

Fiona's Place
Back to an Irish Christmas

	You will need: 250g/8 oz/1/2 lb butter 250g/8 oz /1/2 lb soft brown sugar 4 lightly beaten eggs 315g/10 oz plain flour 10ml/2 level teaspoons mixed spice (recipe below) .Sieve the flour and spice together 250g/8 oz seedless raisins 250g/8 oz sultanas 125g/4 oz chopped cherries 125g/4 oz chopped walnuts 160-240 ml/8-12 tablespoonsful Guinness Method: Cream the butter and sugar together. Gradually beat in the eggs with 1 or 2 tablespoonsful of the flour, to stop it curdling. Fold in flour and mixed spice. Add raisins, sultanas, cherries and nuts and mix well. Stir in 4 tablespoons Guinness and mix to a soft dropping consistency. Add more Guinness if necessary.Turn into a 7 inch round cake tin. Bake in a moderate oven 325 F/160 C/ Gas 3 for 1 hour. Reduce heat 300 F/150 C/ gas 2 and cook a further 1 1/2 hours. Cover top of the cake with a piece of foil to prevent burning. When you remove it from the oven prick the top with a skewer all over and pour on 4-8 tablespoons Guinness . When cool pour over3-4 tablespoons brandy if liked. Can be frozen if required. Also keeps very well and does not need to" mature" before being used. It can be iced with almond paste and royal icing if needed. I use this cake every year for our Christmas cake and it always works well. It was also used for my Wedding cake.
	Mixed Spice 30 g / 1 oz ground nutmeg 30 g / 1 oz cinnamon 15 g / 1/2 oz ginger 8 g / 1/4 oz ground cloves Method: Mix well and store in an airtight jar or tin. (Keeps indefinately).
	Marzipan or almond paste This amount makes 450g / 1 lb enough to cover one 18 cm / 7 inch circular cake, or one 15 cm / 6 inch square cake. You will need: 100g / 4 oz caster sugar 100g / 4 0z icing sugar (powdered sugar) 200g / 8oz ground almonds 1 teaspoon lemon juice 1 egg or 2 egg yolks, beaten Method: Combine the sugars and ground almonds and make a well in the centre. Add the lemon juice and enough egg or egg yolk to mix to a firm but manageable dough. You will need to use your hands for this. Turn onto a lightly sugared surface and knead till smooth.It can then be wrapped in polythene of foil and stored for 2-3 days before use. It can be used for decorations as well as covering cakes and can be coloured with food colouring and moulded into shapes such as animals, flowers or leaves. (For white marzipan use 2 egg whites instead of the yolks.)
	To cover the cake The same method is used for both square and round cakes. You will need: The right amount of marzipan for the size of cake. Apricot jam (sieve out the lumps and heat it gently in a small saucepan. You will need about 4 tablespoonsful) A cake board large enough for the cake to sit on.( I have been known to cut out a large circle of heavy cardboard and cover it twice in tin foil securing it carefully underneath with sticky tape. This works well and is great if the cake is to be a gift.) Place about half the marzipan onto a lightly sugared work surface. Roll it out into a circle that will just be big enough for the top of the cake.(To get a better "edge" it is often a good idea to ice the bottom of the cake rather than the top. If the top is too domed cut a thin slice off it.) The marzipan should be about 1 cm or 1/2 inch thick approx. Brush the top(or bottom) of the cake with the warmed apricot jam. Use a pastry brush. Don't make it too thick or the jam will leak through the marzipan and spoil the icing later. Now place the cake, jam side down onto the marzipan and cut carefully aroud it. Lift the cake and smooth the top. Now take the cut off pieces of marzipan and knead them with the rest of the marzipan. Get a piece of string and carefully hold it around the cake to measure the length of the side. Make a knot to mark it. Measure the height of the side in a similar way. Roll out the marzipan into a long thin strip, using the string to check now and then so you get the right size. The idea is to waste as little as possible of the marzipan when you trim. Now paint the side of the cake with the jam . Lift the cake onto its edge and carefully roll it along the strip, pressing the marzipan on as you go. Where the marzipan meets itself trim it neatly so you have a neat join. You can use your fingers to smooth the edges. Place the cake carefully on the cakeboard. Leave the cake uncovered in a cool place for at least 48 hours before applying royal icing.
	Royal icing This make enough to ice a round 20 cm /8 inch cake or a square 18 cm / 7 inch cake You will need: 3 egg whites 675g / 1 1/2 lbs icing sugar (powdered) 2-3 level teaspoons lemon juice 1- 1 1/2 teaspoons glycerine (If you leave this out the icing will be very hard when dry) Method: Beat the egg whites till frothy. Now gradually beat in about half of the icing sugar a little at a time using a wooden spoon.(A mixer adds to many air bubbles). Add the lemon juice and glycerine, then beat in the rest of the sugar. Beat till really smooth and thick. If it is too runny add more sugar as it will run off the cake otherwise! Thicker icing is needed to be piped with an icing nozzle, for the cake top you need soft peaks. Whether you ice the top or sides first is a matter of personal preference.You will need a palette knife to apply it. You need something with a long, flat blade. If you don't have a palette knife, I have found that a long plastic ruler works as well. If you keep a jug of boiling water at your side too, to dip the blade into now and then, this will help to make the icing smooth. Try not to add much water though as this too can spoil the icing.The best method is to roughly spread the icing on the top(or sides)first then the other part, and finally draw the blade across in one even stroke to finally smooth the surface. An ordinary iced cake needs two coats of icing, allowing it to dry in between. If it is not as smooth as you'd like on the top apply a third final thinner coat. An alternative is to not worry about getting a smooth surface, and instead "roughing up" the surface by using the knife to pull out peaks all over. this looks effective in scene type cakes, where you add small figures of trees, snowmen or santas. If you cant buy them they can be modelled in coloured marzipan. Leave the cake uncovered for at least 24 hours before decorating in your chosen manner.