Ingredients

• FunCakes Mix for Sponge Cake Deluxe 500 g
• FunCakes Mix for Royal Icing 250 g
• FunCakes Mix for Buttercream 300 g
• FunCakes Soft Pearls Medium Black
• FunCakes Sugar Paste Bright White 1.3 kg
• FunCakes Sugar Paste Denim Blue 700 g
• FunCakes Food Colour Gel Brown
• FunCakes Flavour Paste Lebkuchen (Gingerbread)
• FunCakes Food Colour Gel Pink
• FunCakes Edible Glue
• FunCakes CMC - Tylo Powder
• FunCakes Bake Release Spray
• 380 ml water
• 375 g soft unsalted butter
• 8 eggs (ca. 400 g)
• Apricot jam

Supplies

• FunCakes Decorating Bags 41 cm
• Wilton -Perfect Height- Rolling Pin 22,5cm
• Wilton Standard Adaptor/Coupler
• Wilton Basic Turntable
• Wilton Taartzaag / Cake Leveler -25cm-
• Wilton Decorating Tip #003 Round Carded          
• Wilton Decorator Preferred Deep Round Pan Ø 20 x 7,5cm          
• Wilton Comfort Grip Spatula Curved 22,5 cm
• Wilton Recipe Right Non-Stick Cooling Grid -40x25 cm
• Karen Davies Silicone Mould - Cable Knit by Alice
• Karen Davies Silicone Mould - Chunky Knit
• Karen Davies Silicone Mould - Chunky Rib           
• Patisse Cookie Cutter Gingerbread Men Set/5   
• Patisse Cake Side Scraper 20cm
• FMM Dab-a-Dust Dusting Pouch
• Culpitt Floral Wire Silver
• PME Snowflake Plunger Cutter set/3
• PME Heart Cutters Set/3
• PME Wooden Lolly Sticks 

Make the sugar paste gingerbread figures and snowflakes at least a day in advance.

Step 1: Color the sugar paste

Color 1.3 kg of FunCakes Sugar Paste Bright White as indicated below:

• 500 grams brown
• 500 grams light pink
• 150 grams dark pink
• Leave the remaining fondant white

Store the sugar paste in ziplock bags to prevent drying out.

Step 2: Make the sugar paste gingerbread figures

Sprinkle cornstarch over the Karen Davies Mold Knitted Border and shake off the excess each time before filling the mold with sugar paste. Press the brown sugar paste into the mold and remove it. Extract two large gingerbread figures. Use the same mold with the dark pink sugar paste, cutting out a gingerbread figure to use for a dress and a hat. Attach these to one of the gingerbread figures using edible glue.

Step 3: Make the royal icing

Prepare 250 grams of FunCakes Mix for Royal Icing as indicated on the package. Transfer it to a piping bag with an adapter and tip #003. Pipe a decorative border around the gingerbread figure's dress. Use this to decorate the other figures and to attach pearls.

Let the gingerbread figures dry for a few days on a piece of kitchen paper. Once dry, glue a popsicle stick behind them using royal icing to make them sturdy for inserting into the cake.

Step 4: Make the snowflakes

Roll out the white sugar paste and cut out snowflakes using the snowflake plunger cutter. Cut several silver wires in half, dip the ends in water-diluted royal icing, and let them air dry. Attach the other end of the wires with royal icing between two thinly cut snowflakes and let them dry.

Step 5: Bake the sponge cake

Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C for a convection oven) and grease the baking pan with baking spray. Prepare 250 g of FunCakes Mix for Sponge Cake as indicated on the package. Spread it in the baking pan and bake the sponge cake for about 30-35 minutes. Immediately after baking, transfer it to a cake rack and let it cool. Bake a second sponge using the same quantities.

Step 6: Make the buttercream

Prepare 300 g of FunCakes Mix for Buttercream as indicated on the package. Flavor it with FunCakes Lebkuchen Flavor Paste according to your taste. If the desired taste hasn't been achieved, add a bit more.

Step 7: Fill and cut the sponge cake

Cut both sponge cakes into two layers using a cake saw. Start and finish with a smooth bottom to ensure a neat and straight cake. Stack all layers with buttercream and apricot jam in between. Then, frost the cake with buttercream all around. Place the cake in the refrigerator and let it set.

Step 8: Make the fondant figures and hearts

Small gingerbread figures

Knead the brown sugar paste well and smoothly. Create a few strips of knitted fondant by pressing the brown sugar oaste into the Karen Davies Mold Knitted Ribbed Border. Cut out small gingerbread figures from these strips.

Small pink hearts

Knead the blue and light pink sugar paste well and create a few strips using the Karen Davies Mold Knitted Border. Cut out small hearts from a pink sugar paste strip.

Step 9: Cover the cake

Cut the blue sugar paste strips from the previous step in half and cover the bottom of the cake with them. Cut small gingerbread figures from light pink sugar paste strips and fill them with the brown gingerbread figures you created. Use these to cover the top part of the cake.

On top of the cake, place a blue strip in the middle and on either side, a light pink strip with a knitted pattern.

Step 10: Decorate the cake

Attach the small light pink hearts to the cake. Knead the white sugar paste and roll it out very thinly. Cut out snowflakes and attach some of them on top of the cake with edible glue.

Create a few braided strands with the dark pink fondant using the mold and attach them as a finishing touch on top of the cake. Before serving, insert the gingerbread toppers into the cake.

Step 11: Enjoy this delicious Knitted Christmas Sweater Cake in your cozy FunCakes Christmas sweater that perfectly matches!

This recipe is made possible by FunCakes