Meghan Marbles' Wedding Cake: Ingredients And Flavors

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding cake was a lemon and elderflower masterpiece created by London-based baker Claire Ptak. The cake broke with tradition in several ways, from its flavour to its size and decoration. This paragraph provides an introduction to the topic, touching on the cake's unique features and its creator, and sets the context for further exploration of the cake's design, ingredients, and symbolism.

The cake's spring-inspired flavour

The cakes' spring-inspired flavour was a refreshing and unique lemon and elderflower sponge. The elderflower syrup was made from flowers harvested at Queen Elizabeth's Sandringham Estate, adding a sentimental nod to Harry's royal roots. The light and modern flavour was chosen to reflect the couple's spring wedding date.

The Amalfi lemons, elderflower syrup, organic eggs, butter, flour and sugar were combined to create a fresh and fragrant batter. The lemon and elderflower flavours were balanced with a Swiss meringue buttercream frosting, adding a decadent touch to the cake.

The elderflower notes in the cake were a tribute to the Queen, with the elderflower cordial being made from flowers from one of her private homes. The choice of flavour was a departure from the traditional fruit cake often served at royal weddings, with the couple opting for a lighter and more modern option.

The spring-inspired flavour was also reflected in the decoration of the cake, which featured 150 fresh flowers, including British peonies and roses, creating an ethereal and elegant look. The cake was a stunning and unique creation, reflecting the couple's personal taste and style.

The cake's creator, Claire Ptak

The baker behind Meghan Markle's wedding cake, Claire Ptak, is a London-based baker originally from California. She owns the East London bakery Violet, which Markle had previously interviewed her for her lifestyle blog, The Tig. Ptak reportedly used to work as a pastry chef under Alice Waters at Chez Panisse in California before moving to London and working at the award-winning pub, The Anchor and Hope.

Ptak's bakery was chosen by the royal couple to make their wedding cake, a significant break from tradition. Instead of the customary fruitcake, Ptak created a light and bright elderflower and lemon cake. The cake was made up of four separate cakes on a tiered gold stand, covered in Swiss meringue buttercream and decorated with white peonies, roses, and green leaves.

Ptak described the experience of baking the royal wedding cake as "scary" due to the high expectations and attention. However, she felt that Meghan trusted her creative vision and allowed her a high degree of control over the final product. The cake is said to have cost the royal couple $70,000 and included 200 Amalfi lemons and 10 bottles of elderflower syrup from the late Queen's Sandringham estate.

Ptak's new cookbook, "Love is a Pink Cake: Irresistible Bakes for Morning, Noon, and Night," features a variety of recipes inspired by her California and England roots, including the cherry tomato focaccia, brown butter white peach cake, and marble cake. She also includes a helpful chart at the beginning, explaining specific ingredients for those baking in the UK or the US.

The cake's cost

The cakes cost $70,000, which is quite a hefty sum! But considering the ingredients and the labour that went into creating this culinary masterpiece, it's understandable. The cake was a grand affair, consisting of four large display cakes and enough bite-sized pieces to serve 800 guests. That's a lot of cake!

The ingredients used in the cake were of the highest quality and sourced from various places. The elderflower syrup, for instance, came from the late Queen's Sandringham Estate—a special touch that added a royal flair to the recipe. The recipe also called for 200 Amalfi lemons, ensuring a bright and citrusy flavour. And let's not forget the 500 organic eggs from Suffolk that were used in the batter.

The cake was crafted by renowned baker Claire Ptak, owner of the East London bakery Violet. Ptak's expertise and experience certainly contributed to the overall cost of the cake. She is known for her exceptional baking skills and has even published a cookbook, "Love is a Pink Cake," which features her delicious creations. Ptak's work has gained widespread recognition, and she has been interviewed by notable publications such as Tatler and Town and Country Magazine.

In addition to the ingredients and baker's fees, the presentation and decoration of the cake also contributed to its cost. The cake was adorned with fresh white peonies and roses, adding a touch of elegance and ethereal beauty. The flowers were carefully arranged to create a stunning visual display. Moreover, the cake was not a traditional tiered cake but was presented as four separate cakes on a tiered gold stand, giving it a modern and unique feel.

Overall, the cost of Meghan Markle's wedding cake reflected the high-quality ingredients, exceptional baking skills, and exquisite presentation that went into creating this one-of-a-kind confection. It was a cake fit for a royal wedding and certainly left a lasting impression on the guests and the world.

The cake's size and shape

The cake created for Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's wedding was made up of multiple cakes, with two single-tiered cakes and one two-tiered cake. The two-tiered cake was the tallest of the display, but overall, the cake was quite modest in size compared to other royal wedding cakes. The cakes were displayed on gold ornate stands from the royal family's collection.

The cake was covered in a decadent Swiss meringue buttercream, with 150 fresh flowers, mostly British peonies and roses, and green foliage. The two-tiered cake was Claire Ptak's favourite, as she described it as "so simple".

The cake was a sharp departure from the towering, traditional tiered cakes of royal weddings past. Instead, the cake was a modest, modern display, reflecting the couple's unique take on their wedding day.

The cake's icing

The cake was covered not in the usual royal icing, but in a decadent Swiss meringue buttercream. The buttercream was made by mixing butter and sugar, then adding milk, elderflower cordial, lemon zest, and juice. The buttercream was spread over the cake, with some left to drip down the sides. The cake was then decorated with white peonies and roses, and green leaves.

The process of making the buttercream began with combining the butter and 2 cups of the confectioners' sugar in a bowl. The mixture was then beaten on low speed, before increasing to medium-high speed. The sides of the bowl were scraped down, and the mixture was returned to medium-low speed while the milk was gradually added. Another 2 cups of confectioners' sugar were added, and the mixture was beaten on low speed for at least 3 minutes. The lemon zest, juice, and St-Germain were then added and beaten on low speed until incorporated. More confectioners' sugar was added until the right consistency was achieved—the frosting needed to be thin enough to spread but thick enough not to run off the cake.

The buttercream was not the only element of the cake that incorporated elderflower. The elderflower cordial was also used to soak the cake layers, with a pastry brush used to apply the cordial a total of four times, allowing a few minutes in between for absorption. The cordial itself was made by placing elderflower heads, lemon slices, and boiling water in a bowl, covering it with a tea towel, and leaving it to infuse overnight. The next day, the infusion was strained into a saucepan, and the juice of two lemons was added, along with sugar. The mixture was heated gently, stirring frequently, until the sugar dissolved, and then simmered for a few minutes until it reached 90C.

The cake was also filled with layers of lemon curd and cream. The lemon curd was made by mixing together eggs, sugar, lemon juice, and butter. The filling was made by pouring heavy whipping cream into a bowl and beating it on high speed until it could hold a firm peak. Half of the lemon curd was then gently folded into the cream, and the remaining curd was folded in. The bowl was then covered and placed in the refrigerator until it was ready to fill the cake.

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