I’m so excited about Christmas this year! The past 3 have been somewhat " different" with moving to Australia in 2011, having a hot Christmas in Sydney in 2012 and then moving home again in 2013! So 2014 is going to be full on!

I’m also hoping to be in my new house, so will be putting the new kitchen through its paces! I’m such a foodie, I already know I’ll be going over the top! I’m planning my Christmas cake design now. Always something less traditional than I teach at my Christmas cake classes, I’m thinking a snowflake made in a quilling effect of curled flower paste (seems to be a bit of a trend at the moment), and because I really don’t like marzipan (as much as I love how it makes a cake smooth for fondant coverage), my fruit cake will be covered with chocolate ganache before the fondant. I’m thinking like a large Fruit ‘n’ Nut chocolate bar heaven! At the same time as baking my Christmas cake, I start to get organised with the "Happy Christmas Teacher" presents. Here’s a tip which may save you some time and make great gifts for anyone really; Bake some fruit cake mixture in a cupcake / muffin pan, once baked and cool, turn out and keep upside down. On the top, paint a coating of apricot jam and add a disc of marzipan. Then pour a think consistency royal icing on the top and add a sugarpaste holly leaf . Voila! Mini Xmas pud cakes! Pop them in a cellophane bag, tie with a ribbon and you have cute little cakes to give as gifts!

Here’s wishing everyone a fantastically busy Christmas , with lots of wonderful cake orders!

About Victoria Forward
Victoria Forward has just returned to the UK after two years in Australia, and is setting up cake business "Victoria Sponge", in Buckinghamshire. She previously ran Let Them Eat Cake in the UK for six years providing celebration cakes / cupcakes, cake decorating courses and workshops. In 2012 she won the award for Best Presented Cupcake at the British Baker National Cupcake Championships. Victoria is married with 2 children.