Harry's Wedding Cake: A Sweet Royal Treat

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding cake was a lemon and elderflower cake, created by London-based baker Claire Ptak. The cake was a departure from traditional royal wedding cakes, which are usually fruit cakes. Ptak used 200 Amalfi lemons, 500 organic eggs, 10 bottles of elderflower cordial from the Queen's Sandringham estate, 44 pounds of butter, flour, and sugar to create the confection. The cake was described as a perfect balance of sweet, tart, and ethereal flavours, with a light sponge and a pure citrus taste. The entire cake was estimated to cost over $62,000 and served 600 guests at the wedding reception.

The cake was a lemon and elderflower flavour

The cake was crafted by London-based baker Claire Ptak, owner of Violet Cakes. Ptak created a lemon elderflower masterpiece, incorporating 200 Amalfi lemons, 500 organic eggs, 44 pounds of butter, 44 pounds of flour, and 44 pounds of sugar. The cake was a lemon sponge, drizzled with elderflower syrup, and filled with Amalfi lemon curd. The outside was coated in buttercream, scented with lemon juice and zest, and adorned with fresh flowers.

The cake consisted of three separate pieces: one two-tier wedding cake and two single-tier cakes, all decorated with 150 fresh flowers, including British peonies and roses. This modest creation differed from the traditional multi-tiered royal wedding cakes, such as the eight-tier cake served at Prince William and Kate Middleton's wedding in 2011.

The lemon and elderflower flavours combined to create a unique taste experience. The elderflower added a subtle, winy note to the citrusy lemon, resulting in a cake that tasted like "a warm spring breeze over the garden at Windsor Castle." The light and airy sponge, the pure citrus taste of the Amalfi lemons, and the delicate buttercream all contributed to a well-balanced and delightful dessert.

The choice of flavour also held a special significance for the royal couple. The elderflower cordial used in the cake was made from elderflowers that came from one of the Queen's private homes, the Sandringham estate in Norfolk. This added a personal touch to the cake, honouring the Queen and incorporating a local ingredient.

It was created by baker Claire Ptak

Ptak is an American-born baker who grew up in California. She is known for her dedication to organic ingredients and low-intervention baking. She first connected with Meghan Markle when Markle interviewed her for her lifestyle blog, The Tig. Markle wrote that Ptak's bakery served "delightful treats that have garnered a cult following in the UK and beyond".

Ptak created a lemon elderflower cake that incorporated the bright flavours of spring. The cake was covered with buttercream and decorated with fresh flowers. It consisted of three separate pieces: one two-tier wedding cake and two single-tier cakes, all adorned with 150 fresh flowers, including British peonies and roses.

The cake was a departure from the traditional top tier of British wedding cakes, which is usually a Christmas-style fruit cake. Ptak's cake was a lemon sponge, soaked in elderflower syrup, and layered with "very tart" Amalfi lemon curd. The whole cake was coated in a "very sweet" Swiss meringue buttercream, laced with elderflower cordial. Ptak described the flavour as a balance of sweet, tart, and ethereal.

The creation of the cake required six bakers and took five days to prepare in the kitchen at Buckingham Palace. The cake was then transported to and assembled at Windsor Castle.

The cake was covered in buttercream and decorated with fresh flowers

The royal wedding cake of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle was covered in buttercream and decorated with fresh flowers. The couple chose to depart from the tradition of a fruitcake, which is typical for British royal weddings, and instead opted for a lemon and elderflower cake. This flavour was chosen to reflect the spring season, with elderflower also paying homage to Queen Elizabeth II, as the liqueur is made from elderflowers on one of her private estates.

The cake was created by London-based baker Claire Ptak, owner of Violet Cakes. Ptak was given complete creative freedom by the Duchess of Sussex, who was already familiar with the baker's work, having interviewed her for her lifestyle site, The Tig, in 2015. In a statement, Ptak said she was delighted to have been chosen, citing shared values with the couple, such as a focus on "food provenance, sustainability, seasonality, and... flavour".

The cake was covered in buttercream, specifically elderflower Swiss meringue buttercream, and adorned with 150 fresh flowers, including three types of peonies and roses. The peonies were chosen as they are the bride's favourite flower. The buttercream was described as "very sweet", providing a balance to the tartness of the lemon curd and the elderflower. The cake was assembled at Buckingham Palace and then transported to and finished at Windsor Castle.

The buttercream-covered cake, adorned with fresh flowers, was presented in a non-traditional way, with a unique display of two single-tiered cakes and one two-tiered cake, stacked atop royal silver and gold footed bowls and trays. This presentation style was approved by the couple, who were excited to continue celebrating their nuptials with this unexpectedly talked-about element.

It cost around $70,000 to make

The wedding cake of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle cost a small fortune. The total cost for the cake was around $70,000, which is a generous budget for an entire wedding. The royal wedding was a lavish affair with a star-studded guest list that included Oprah Winfrey and James Corden, so everything had to be top-notch. The cake was created by Claire Ptak, the owner of East London-based bakery Violet Cakes. Ptak used high-quality, organic, and local ingredients, including 200 Amalfi lemons, 500 organic eggs from Suffolk, 10 bottles of Sandringham Elderflower Cordial, 44 pounds of butter, 44 pounds of flour, and 44 pounds of sugar. The cake was a lemon and elderflower flavour, a departure from the traditional fruit cake typically served at royal weddings.

The $70,000 price tag for the cake can be attributed to the top-end ingredients used, as well as the shipping costs for getting Amalfi lemons from the Italian coast to London. The cake also required a team of six bakers and took five days to prepare in the kitchen at Buckingham Palace.

In addition to the main wedding cake, Ptak and her team created several other tiers that were sliced in the back, providing enough cake for the 750 guests at the reception. The actual cakes on display were donated to a charity the day after the wedding.

The cost of Harry and Meghan's wedding cake is a reflection of the high standards and attention to detail that were evident throughout the royal wedding celebration. It also highlights the importance of using high-quality, organic, and local ingredients, as well as the time and expertise required to create such a spectacular dessert.

The cake was displayed, but guests ate slices from other tiers

The wedding cake of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle was a lemon and elderflower masterpiece created by London-based baker Claire Ptak. The cake was a departure from the traditional fruit cake typically served at royal weddings, with the couple opting for a spring-inspired cake adorned with fresh flowers. While the cake on display was undoubtedly stunning, it was not actually served to the guests. Instead, Ptak and her team created several other tiers that were sliced and served to the 750 guests in attendance. These slices were prepared in advance to ensure that there would be enough cake for everyone, but a miscommunication resulted in them being put back into the fridge, and they had to be quickly brought to room temperature before being served.

The cake that was displayed consisted of three separate pieces: one two-tier wedding cake and two single-tier cakes, adorned with 150 fresh flowers, including British peonies and roses. The cake was presented in a non-traditional way, stacked atop royal silver and gold footed bowls and trays. This unique display emphasised different heights and sizes, making it a truly spectacular sight.

The actual cake that guests ate was just as delicious as the one on display. Ptak combined 200 Amalfi lemons, 500 organic eggs, 10 bottles of elderflower cordial from the Queen's Sandringham estate, 44 pounds of butter, 44 pounds of flour, and 44 pounds of sugar to create the perfect blend of sweet, tart, and ethereal flavours. The cake was a lemon sponge, drizzled with elderflower cordial and layered with "very tart" Amalfi lemon curd. The entire cake was then coated in Swiss meringue buttercream, creating a "very sweet" and perfectly balanced dessert.

The decision to serve a different cake to the guests was a practical one, as there would not have been enough time to cut and serve slices from the display cake to all 750 attendees. The display cake was donated to a charity the next morning, ensuring that it did not go to waste. This unique approach to the wedding cake is just one example of how Prince Harry and Meghan Markle broke with tradition to create a wedding that reflected their own personal style and values.

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