The Flavor Of Princess Diana's Wedding Cake Revealed

Princess Diana's wedding cake was a traditional fruit cake with cream cheese frosting. The cake was prepared by David Avery, the head baker at the Royal Naval Cooking School in Chatham, Kent. It took 14 weeks to prepare the layers of the official cake, including an identical twin held in emergency reserve. The cake was served to guests at the reception after the wedding, which took place at St. Paul's Cathedral in London on July 29, 1981.

The cake was a traditional fruit cake with cream cheese frosting

The wedding cake of Princess Diana and Prince Charles was a traditional fruit cake with cream cheese frosting. The cake was prepared by David Avery, the head baker at the Royal Naval Cooking School in Chatham, Kent. It took 14 weeks to prepare the layers of the official cake, including an identical twin held in emergency reserve.

The cake was a towering 5-foot-tall, multi-tiered centerpiece that weighed 225 pounds. It was adorned with the royal coat of arms of both the Prince and his family, the couple's initials, and a spray of roses, lilies of the valley, and orchids. The cake was decorated with a "sugared onlay" of the Royal Coat-of-Arms in gold, red, blue, and silver on top of a white icing base. It also featured a silver horseshoe and decorative borders along the top and bottom.

Following the royal tradition, slices of the fruitcake were given to the guests as keepsake souvenirs. Each cake was sliced and placed into individual monogrammed gift boxes. These slices were then put into larger, hand-painted boxes and finished with sugar paste icing to form the decorated layers of the cake. Guests received two slices of cake, one to eat and one for display as a souvenir.

The tradition of preparing cake slices in this manner goes back generations, as does the tradition of selling and collecting these literal slices of history. Over the years, slices from Princess Diana and Prince Charles's wedding cake have been auctioned or sold, with one slice selling for nearly four times its expected price. These slices of cake offer a glimpse into the grandeur and beauty of that wedding day, which captivated an estimated 750 million viewers worldwide.

It was 5 feet tall and weighed 225 pounds

The wedding cake of Princess Diana and Prince Charles was a towering, majestic creation. Standing at 5 feet tall and weighing a substantial 225 pounds, it was a true spectacle. This grand cake was not just a dessert but a work of art that reflected the grandeur and opulence of the royal wedding.

The cake, served at the wedding reception, was a traditional fruitcake, a flavour chosen to honour royal tradition. It was a fitting choice for a wedding that captivated the world, watched by an estimated 750 million people. The cake was not merely a delicious treat but also a symbol of the couple's respect for time-honoured customs.

The cake's impressive dimensions added to the sense of occasion. Standing tall, it served as a majestic centrepiece at the royal celebration. Its height and weight were carefully considered by the chef, David Avery, head baker at the Royal Naval Cooking School. Avery and his team dedicated 14 weeks to crafting this masterpiece, ensuring every detail was perfect.

The cake was adorned with intricate decorations befitting its grand scale. It featured both the Prince's and his family's royal coat of arms, as well as the couple's initials. Fresh roses, lilies of the valley, and orchids added a touch of elegance and a nod to nature's beauty. The cake was not just a dessert but a work of art, a delicious monument to the union of two souls.

The cake's size and weight also had a practical purpose. It needed to be substantial enough to provide slices for the numerous guests in attendance. Following royal tradition, guests received two slices of cake: one to eat and one to keep as a souvenir. These slices were carefully packaged in monogrammed boxes, placed within larger, hand-painted boxes, and finished with sugar paste icing.

The cake's impressive dimensions and intricate details made it a true showstopper. It stood tall, a sweet testament to the occasion, a delicious monument to the union of Princess Diana and Prince Charles. Its size reflected the magnitude of the event, ensuring it remained in the memories of those who witnessed it for years to come.

There were 23 official wedding cakes

Princess Diana and Prince Charles's wedding was a grand affair, with 23 official wedding cakes. The cakes were prepared by David Avery, the head baker at the Royal Naval Cooking School in Chatham, Kent. The couple's main cake was a five-tiered, 5-foot-tall fruitcake, weighing 225 pounds. It was adorned with the royal coat of arms of both the Prince and his family, the couple's initials, and a spray of roses, lilies of the valley, and orchids. The layers of the official cake took 14 weeks to prepare, including an identical twin held in emergency reserve.

The tradition of preparing cake slices for royal weddings goes back generations. Guests at royal weddings receive two slices of cake: one to eat and one for display as a souvenir. These slices are placed into individual monogrammed boxes, which are then put into larger, hand-painted boxes and finished with sugar paste icing to form the decorated layers of the cake.

The auction house, Dominic Winter Auctioneers, sold slices of Princess Diana and Prince Charles's wedding cake in 2021. One 28-ounce slice, which originally belonged to Moyra Smith, an employee of the Queen Mother, sold for £1,850, nearly four times its expected price. Another slice, which was part of the "Nigel Ricketts Collection," sold for £170 ($190). These slices of cake, over 40 years old, are a testament to the grandeur of the royal wedding and the enduring fascination with Princess Diana.

The cake was prepared by chef David Avery of the Royal Naval Cookery School

The cake was prepared by chef David Avery, the head baker at the Royal Naval Cookery School in Chatham, Kent. Avery and his team spent 14 weeks preparing the layers of the official cake, which stood at over five feet tall and included an identical twin held in emergency reserve.

The cake was a traditional fruitcake, soaked in spirits, and topped with cream cheese frosting. It was adorned with the royal coat of arms of both the Prince and his family, the couple's initials, and a spray of roses, lilies of the valley, and orchids.

Following the wedding, slices of the cake were placed into individual monogrammed boxes, which were then put into larger, hand-painted boxes and finished with sugar paste icing to form the decorated layers. These slices were given to guests as keepsake souvenirs.

The preparation and presentation of the cake followed a long-standing royal tradition, with slices of the cake being sold and collected as historical artefacts in the years following the wedding.

Slices of the cake were sold at auction in 2021 and 2024

Slices of Princess Diana's wedding cake have been sold at auction multiple times. In August 2021, a slice of the cake sold for $2,500, despite the auction house advising against eating it. The slice was likely from the side of a cake or the top of a single-tier cake, and was probably sent to Clarence House for the consumption of the Queen Mother's staff. It was decorated with a royal coat of arms, a silver horseshoe, and decorative borders.

In 2024, another slice of the cake sold for nearly four times its expected price at auction. The 28-ounce slab of traditional fruitcake, which was served at the wedding on July 29, 1981, sold for £1,850, despite being expected to fetch only £500. The buyer, luxury boat charterer Gerry Layton, stated that he planned to give the cake to charity after his death, adding that he would have to find a way to resist eating it.

The tradition of selling slices of royal wedding cakes as souvenirs dates back generations. In the lead-up to the wedding, the official cake took 14 weeks to prepare, and an identical twin was held in reserve. Guests at the wedding received two slices of cake: one to eat and one to keep as a souvenir. These slices were placed into individual monogrammed boxes, which were then put into larger, hand-painted boxes and finished with sugar paste icing.

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