Meghan Markle's Wedding Cake: A Citrusy Delight

When Meghan Markle and Prince Harry tied the knot in 2018, they celebrated with a wedding cake that broke with tradition. Instead of the usual fruit cake, the royal couple opted for a lemon and elderflower cake. Created by London-based baker Claire Ptak, the cake was a unique and refreshing take on the traditional wedding confection. With its light and airy sponge, local and organic ingredients, and delicate floral flavours, the cake was a perfect reflection of the spring season in which the wedding took place.

The cake was lemon and elderflower-flavoured

The light and fragrant batter was crafted by London-based baker Claire Ptak, owner of Violet Cakes. Ptak created a lemon sponge cake, soaked in elderflower syrup and layered with a tart Amalfi lemon curd. The cake was coated in a sweet Swiss meringue buttercream, also infused with elderflower. The result was a perfectly balanced bite, with the citrus and floral flavours complementing each other beautifully.

The ingredients for the cake were carefully sourced and of the highest quality. Ptak used 200 Amalfi lemons, 500 organic eggs, 44 pounds of butter, 44 pounds of flour, and 44 pounds of sugar. The star ingredient, however, was the 10 bottles of Sandringham Elderflower Cordial, adding a royal touch to the cake.

The cake was presented in a non-traditional way, consisting of one two-tier cake and two single-tier cakes, adorned with 150 fresh flowers, mostly British peonies and roses. The overall display was more modest in size compared to other royal wedding cakes, reflecting Meghan and Harry's desire to make their wedding unique and personal.

The lemon and elderflower cake was a labour of love, taking six bakers five days to prepare in the kitchen at Buckingham Palace. The final product was a stunning and delicious creation, costing around $70,000. It was a true showstopper at the royal wedding, a perfect blend of elegance and flavour.

It was created by baker Claire Ptak

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's wedding cake was created by baker Claire Ptak, owner of Violet Cakes in London. Ptak is a California native who, like Markle, is passionate about organic ingredients and low-intervention baking. The former actress interviewed Ptak for her lifestyle blog, The Tig, several years before the royal wedding.

Ptak's focus on sustainability and seasonality aligned with the couple's vision for their wedding cake. Inspired by their spring wedding date, they opted for a lemon and elderflower cake, a departure from the traditional fruit cake typically served at royal weddings. The elderflower flavour was a nod to Queen Elizabeth II, as the liqueur is made from flowers harvested at one of her private homes.

The cake was a collaborative effort, with Ptak creating six options for the couple to taste and select. The final design consisted of two single-tier cakes and one two-tier cake, adorned with 150 fresh flowers, including peonies and roses. The cake was assembled at Buckingham Palace and then transported to Windsor Castle for the wedding.

Ptak described the flavour profile of the cake as a balance of sweet, tart, and ethereal. The lemon sponge was soaked in elderflower cordial, with layers of lemon curd and elderflower Swiss meringue buttercream. The result was a light and refreshing cake that captured the essence of a British summer.

The royal wedding cake received widespread attention and was praised for its unique flavour combination and elegant design. It showcased Ptak's talent for creating deeply flavoured cakes that are neither dry nor overly soaked, adorned with fresh flowers and soft swirls of buttercream.

The cake was decorated with 150 fresh flowers

The wedding cake of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle was adorned with 150 fresh flowers. The flowers were predominantly British peonies and roses. The cake was a lemon and elderflower flavour, created by baker Claire Ptak, who was given complete creative freedom by the couple. The cake was a departure from the traditional fruit cake typically served at royal weddings.

The flowers were placed on a cake that was modest in size compared to other royal wedding cakes. It consisted of one two-tier cake and two single-tier cakes, displayed on gold ornate stands from the royal family's collection. The cake was covered in a swiss meringue buttercream frosting, which was created using 10 bottles of Sandringham Elderflower Cordial, an ingredient that paid homage to the Queen.

The elderflower flavour was a nod to the spring wedding date, with the fresh flowers adding to the spring-inspired look. The flowers were placed on the cake by Ptak and her team, who assembled the cake at Windsor Castle on the morning of the wedding. The entire process of creating the cake took five days and required six bakers.

The fresh flowers were an important part of the cake's design, adding a touch of elegance and romance to the celebration. The flowers complemented the white exterior of the cake, creating a stunning visual display. The combination of the fresh flowers and the buttercream frosting resulted in a cake that was both beautiful and delicious.

It cost around $70,000

The wedding cake of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle cost a small fortune. Experts place the total cost for the cake at around $70,000, which is a generous budget for an entire wedding. The royal wedding cake featured top-end ingredients, and the finished product was a stunning and delicious masterpiece.

The cake was created by London-based baker Claire Ptak, who was delighted to be chosen for the task. Ptak shares the same values as the royal couple regarding food provenance, sustainability, seasonality, and flavour. She used only organic and local ingredients in her cakes, which resonated with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.

The lemon and elderflower cake required 200 Amalfi lemons, 500 organic eggs, 10 bottles of elderflower cordial, 44 pounds of butter, 44 pounds of flour, and 44 pounds of sugar. The cost of the ingredients and the labour-intensive process of creating the cake contributed to the high price tag.

The cake was a unique and refreshing choice for a royal wedding, as most royal wedding cakes are traditionally fruit cakes. The light and spring-inspired flavour, along with the stunning design and fresh flowers, made it a perfect choice for the couple's special day.

The royal wedding cake served 600 guests, and each slice was estimated to cost about $100. The cake was presented in a non-traditional way, with two single-tiered cakes and one two-tiered cake displayed on royal stands. The entire process of making the cake took five days and required six bakers working in the kitchen at Buckingham Palace.

The cake was displayed on gold ornate stands

The wedding cake of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry was displayed on gold ornate stands. The couple chose to break tradition in several ways, including the flavour and design of their cake. The cake was displayed on three separate pieces: one two-tier wedding cake and two single-tier cakes, all covered in 150 fresh flowers, mainly British peonies and roses. The stands were from the royal family's collection, adding a touch of royalty to the unique cake display.

The cake stands were not the only aspect of the wedding cake that deviated from tradition. The cake itself was a lemon and elderflower flavour, a departure from the typical fruit cake chosen for most royal weddings. The light and refreshing flavour was inspired by the couple's spring wedding date. The cake was also relatively more modest in size compared to other royal wedding cakes, with a two-tiered cake as the tallest piece.

The gold ornate stands complemented the cake's stark white exterior of elderflower Swiss meringue buttercream. The stands added a touch of elegance and opulence to the cake display, enhancing the overall presentation. The stands were carefully chosen to showcase the cake's beauty and uniqueness, reflecting the couple's desire to make their royal wedding their own.

The use of gold ornate stands also tied into the overall theme and decor of the wedding. The royal wedding was a lavish and star-studded affair, with guests including Oprah Winfrey and James Corden. The gold stands added a touch of glamour and sophistication to the cake display, aligning with the elegance and grandeur of the event.

The cake stands, along with the unique flavour and design of the cake, contributed to the memorable and talked-about element of the wedding. The cake not only tasted delicious but also presented a visually stunning display, thanks in part to the elegant and regal gold ornate stands. The stands elevated the cake both literally and figuratively, making it a focal point of the celebration.

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