Junior Rasmussen
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding cake was a lemon and elderflower sponge cake, breaking from the traditional fruit cake. The cake was created by London-based baker Claire Ptak and her team. It was covered in buttercream and adorned with fresh flowers, specifically white peonies and roses, and green foliage. The cake was not built in traditional tiers, instead consisting of two single-tiered cakes and one two-tiered cake.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Baker | Claire Ptak |
| Flavour | Lemon and elderflower |
| Number of cakes | 4 |
| Tiers | 2 single-tiered cakes, 1 two-tiered cake |
| Icing | Swiss meringue buttercream |
| Flowers | White peonies and roses, green foliage |
| Number of flowers | 150 |
| Eggs | 500 organic eggs from Suffolk |
| Lemons | 200 Amalfi lemons |
| Elderflower syrup | 10 bottles of Sandringham Elderflower Cordial |
| Cake cost | $70,000 |
What You'll Learn
The cake was a lemon and elderflower sponge
The cake was created by Claire Ptak, a London-based baker who owns Violet Cakes in London. Ptak was raised in California, where Meghan Markle is from, and the two had previously connected over their shared passion for food. In fact, Markle had interviewed Ptak for her lifestyle blog, The Tig, before she became a royal.
Ptak's cake was a masterpiece, featuring multiple cakes displayed on a tiered gold stand. The cake was covered in a decadent Swiss meringue buttercream and adorned with fresh flowers, including white peonies and roses, for an ethereal, garden-inspired look.
The creation of the cake was a labour of love, with Ptak and her team utilising the kitchens at Buckingham Palace to bake and ice the cake before assembling it at Windsor Castle on the morning of the wedding. The cake incorporated 200 Amalfi lemons, 500 organic eggs, butter, flour, sugar, and the special ingredient of 10 bottles of Sandringham Elderflower Cordial.
The result was a stunning and delicious cake that reflected the couple's unique style and taste, providing a sweet ending to their fairy-tale wedding.
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It was decorated with fresh flowers
The wedding cake of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle was a masterpiece of both taste and design. The happy couple chose to break with tradition and opted for a spring-inspired cake, adorned with fresh flowers.
The cake was decorated with 150 fresh flowers, featuring mostly British peonies and roses, as well as green foliage. The fresh blooms and leaves gave the cake an ethereal and garden-inspired look, complementing its light and refreshing flavour. The flowers added a touch of elegance and romance to the cake, reflecting the beauty and joy of the royal wedding.
The choice of flowers was carefully considered, with the blooms selected to symbolise love, beauty, and happiness. The peonies, for example, represented romance and prosperity, while the roses signified love and passion. The green foliage added a touch of freshness and elegance to the overall design.
The fresh flowers were carefully arranged on the cake, with each bloom placed to create a harmonious and visually appealing composition. The flowers were artfully scattered across the cake, with some cascading down the sides, adding texture and depth to the design. The result was a stunning display that delighted both the royal couple and their guests.
The use of fresh flowers on the wedding cake was a beautiful and unique touch, adding a natural and romantic element to the celebration. It was a departure from traditional royal wedding cakes, but it perfectly captured the essence of the springtime nuptials, creating a memorable and enchanting centrepiece for the royal wedding reception.
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The cake was covered in Swiss meringue buttercream
Swiss meringue buttercream is made with egg yolks and butter, creating a rich and creamy frosting. The process of making this type of buttercream is more complex than traditional buttercream, as it involves creating a double boiler setup and whisking the egg yolks to a specific temperature. The result is a silky and stable frosting that can be piped and decorated with ease.
The Swiss meringue buttercream provided a beautiful canvas for the fresh flowers that adorned the cake. The stark white exterior of the buttercream enhanced the vibrant colours of the blooms, creating a stunning visual contrast. The buttercream also added a layer of flavour that balanced the sweetness of the cake and gave it a subtle tang.
The choice of Swiss meringue buttercream was a departure from the traditional royal icing used on royal wedding cakes. However, it aligned with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's desire to incorporate their own personal touches into their wedding celebrations. The buttercream contributed to the modern and rebellious feel of the cake, while still maintaining a sense of elegance and sophistication.
The Swiss meringue buttercream was not only a delicious choice but also a practical one. It helped to preserve the freshness of the cake, ensuring that it remained moist and tasty. The buttercream acted as a barrier, locking in the flavours and textures of the sponge, and preventing it from drying out. This was especially important considering the cake was displayed at Windsor Castle for all to see.
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It was made by Claire Ptak
Ptak was selected to bake the royal wedding cake because she and Meghan Markle share many of the same values regarding food provenance, sustainability, seasonality, and flavour. In a statement, Ptak said she was delighted to be chosen to make the cake for Prince Harry and Ms Markle, and that they share the same values as her.
Ptak and her team baked the cake in the kitchens at Buckingham Palace, and assembled it at Windsor Castle on the morning of the wedding. The cake was a lemon elderflower cake, a departure from the traditional fruit cake typically served at royal weddings. It was covered in buttercream and decorated with fresh flowers. The cake was made with 200 Amalfi lemons, 500 organic eggs from Suffolk, and plenty of butter, flour, and sugar. The special ingredient was 10 bottles of Sandringham Elderflower Cordial, made from flowers harvested at Queen Elizabeth's private home.
The cake consisted of two single-tiered cakes and one two-tiered cake, displayed on gold ornate stands from the royal family's collection. The cakes were covered in Swiss meringue buttercream and adorned with 150 fresh flowers, mostly British peonies and roses. The cost of the cake was $70,000.
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The cake broke from royal tradition
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding cake broke from royal tradition in several ways. Firstly, they chose a lemon and elderflower-flavoured cake, instead of the traditional fruit cake. The cake was also not built in traditional tiers like Princess Kate and Prince William's eight-tiered cake. Harry and Meghan opted for a display of multiple cakes, with two single-tiered cakes and one two-tiered cake.
The cake was covered in Swiss meringue buttercream, rather than the usual royal icing. It was adorned with 150 fresh flowers, including British peonies and roses, and green foliage, giving it a spring-inspired or garden-inspired look.
The cake was created by London-based baker Claire Ptak, who was raised in California and owns Violet Cakes in London. Ptak had previously been interviewed by Meghan Markle for her lifestyle blog, The Tig. In a statement, Ptak said that she was delighted to be chosen to make the wedding cake, as she shared the same values as the couple regarding food provenance, sustainability, seasonality, and flavour.
The royal wedding cake is usually a tall, tiered cake that stands out for its grandeur. However, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's cake was quite modest in comparison, with the two-tiered cake being the tallest of the display. The cake was displayed on gold ornate stands from the royal family's collection.
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Frequently asked questions
The cake was a departure from the traditional royal wedding cakes, which are usually fruit cakes. Instead, the couple opted for a spring-inspired cake with a light and refreshing flavour of lemon and elderflower. The cake was covered in Swiss meringue buttercream and adorned with 150 fresh flowers, including British peonies and roses, and green foliage. It was presented as a beautiful display of multiple cakes, with two single-tiered cakes and one two-tiered cake, on royal gold stands.
The cake was made by Claire Ptak of East London bakery Violet. Ptak is a California native who was personally interviewed by Meghan Markle for her lifestyle blog, The Tig, before she became royalty. Ptak is known for her low-intervention, organic, and seasonal ingredients, and her moist sponge cakes with incredible fillings.
The cake is estimated to have cost $70,000. This is due to the care put into the recipe, sourcing local and organic ingredients, assembly, and decorating.
