How Can I Stop The Top Of The Scented Citrus Cake From Crumbling When I Add The Icing?

Our answer

Nigella's Scented Citrus Cake (from AT MY TABLE is a moist gluten-free cake that is flavoured with orange, lemon and lime. Orange flower water adds an extra floral note. The cake is topped with a citrussy glacé icing.

We suspect that the icing was just a tiny bit too thick. When this happens you tend to need to use more pressure on the palette knife to spread the icing and it drags across the top of the cake. The icing needs to be thick enough to spread easily but not too runny, so you may need to add a drop or two extra of juice. If the top of the cake was slightly tacky before the icing was added then it is usually because the cake has been covered before it has fully cooled, meaning steam is trapped which causes the top of the cake to become moist. So if you are making the cake a little in advance, make sure it is completely cold before you cover it.