Alternative to Christmas Cake

Our answer

Nigella's Chocolate Christmas Cake can be iced in a traditional manner (with a layer of marzipan and then a coating of either royal icing or soft ready rolled fondant icing), though as the cake can sink a little in the centre you will get a flatter surface for decorating if you turn the cake upside down before applying the marzipan - the flat bottom makes a perfect top!

A yule log is also a good alternative choice for a chocolate lover during the festive season. Whilst the icing is a chocolate buttercream you can certainly let rip with the decorations and holly if you are so inclined. A slightly less traditional cake would be the Chocolate Guinness Cake in Feast (p286). If you make double the quantity of the cream cheese frosting then you can apply a layer of frosting to the top and sides of the cake and form it into peaks (similar to snow) and decorate accordingly.