Decorating the cake
1 x 23cm Christmas cake (see recipe previous page) 125g unsalted butter 100g dark muscovado sugar 40g golden syrup 300g plain flour 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda 2 tsp ground ginger 3 egg whites 600g icing sugar 1½ tsp liquid glycerine 1 tbsp lemon juice 8 rosemary sprigs 4 cinnamon sticks A4 piece of paper, pencil and ruler baking paper flat oven tray
Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas mark 6. Using pencil and tracing or baking paper, cut out the templates using the guide below.
In a large saucepan, melt together the butter, muscovado sugar and golden syrup, then, off the heat, mix in the flour, bicarbonate of soda and ginger until a firm dough. Allow to cool for 1 min.
On a piece of baking paper, roll out the dough to approximately 1cm thick. Place the paper templates on the dough and cut out two of each shape. Remove the offcuts, leaving the shapes on the baking paper. Transfer the baking paper and shapes to the oven tray and bake for 8-10 mins until golden. If they have cooked unevenly, trim any edges to straighten when the gingerbread is still hot. Allow to cool completely.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk the egg whites for 1-2 mins until frothy and white. Add the icing sugar gradually, whisking while doing so.
Whisk on high for 5 mins until the mixture stays in peaks. Stir in the liquid glycerine and lemon juice.
Using a palette knife, completely cover the Christmas cake with the icing, while retaining approximately 4 tbsp of the icing. Trim the rosemary sprigs at both ends, then position them upside down in the icing, so they look like trees. Place the cinnamon sticks next to them to look like a pile of logs. Use the icing to stick the gingerbread house together, with the pentagon shapes forming the front and back of the house, and the squares forming the sides, then position it in the middle of the cake. Stick the two remaining rectangles on top of the house, as a roof, which slightly overhangs on all sides. The roof pieces should be attached lengthways, with one of the longest edges of each roof piece meeting at the apex of the roof. Top the roof with the remaining icing. Allow to set for 1 hr.