Royal Wedding Cake: William And Kate's Delicious Choice

The wedding cake of Prince William and Kate Middleton, now the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, was a spectacular three-foot-tall, eight-tiered traditional fruit cake, weighing 220 pounds. The cake was designed by Fiona Cairns, a renowned cake baker and designer, and featured intricate handcrafted details, including the couple's monogram and 17 types of flowers symbolising the four nations of the United Kingdom. The cake stood proudly in the Picture Gallery of Buckingham Palace, where it was displayed before being served at the wedding breakfast and sent out as gifts. In addition to the main cake, Prince William also had a chocolate biscuit cake, known as Tiffin cake, which was a favourite treat of his from his childhood visits to his late grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II.

The cake was designed by Kate Middleton

Kate Middleton's vision for her wedding cake was clear: it was to be romantic and informal, not ostentatious or grand. This was in keeping with the cake's relatively modest size compared to other royal wedding cakes, such as Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip's nine-foot cake, or Princess Diana and King Charles's five-foot-one cake.

Fiona Cairns, the cake designer, emphasised that Kate Middleton played a significant role in the design process. In an interview, she said, "In many ways, I would say that Kate designed her wedding cake because she knew very clearly what she wanted and did not want. The ideas came from her, we had meetings with her, and the brief was from Kate."

The cake was also designed to be in line with royal tradition. Fruitcake is a traditional choice for English wedding cakes, and it is also a longstanding tradition to give fruitcakes as gifts during the holidays. The cake was covered in marzipan and a sugar paste base icing, a departure from the traditional royal icing.

The process of designing and creating the cake was a collaborative effort between Kate Middleton and Fiona Cairns, resulting in a stunning and memorable confection that adhered to royal traditions while reflecting the personality and style of the bride.

It was made by Fiona Cairns

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's wedding cake was made by Fiona Cairns, a cake baker and designer in England. Cairns was approached to bake the royal wedding cake just a few months before the big day, but she had years of experience creating incredible sweets, including fruitcakes, which gave her plenty of confidence in the task.

Cairns' journey in the world of baking began in 1985 when she made her first fruitcakes as Christmas gifts for her friends. The following year, her husband, Kishore Patel, proposed starting a cake business, and Fiona Cairns Ltd. was born.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's wedding cake was a grand three-foot-tall, eight-tiered fruitcake, weighing a whopping 220 pounds. The cake was adorned with intricate 900-plus handcrafted details, including the couple's monogram and 17 types of flowers symbolising England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales, as well as lily of the valley to convey "sweetness and humility."

The cake was intentionally more modest and smaller than other royal wedding cakes, as the couple desired a romantic and informal structure. Cairns revealed that Kate had a clear vision for the cake, and they had several meetings to discuss the design, which Cairns described as an architectural project. The cake was assembled over three days by a team of six people, and then driven to Buckingham Palace, where it was displayed in the Picture Gallery.

In addition to the main cake, there was also a chocolate biscuit cake, which is said to have been William's favourite treat when visiting his late grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II. This cake was prepared by master chocolatier Barry Colenso in partnership with The McVitie's Cake Company.

It was a three-foot-tall, eight-tiered fruitcake

The wedding cake of Prince William and Kate Middleton was a three-foot-tall, eight-tiered fruitcake. It was designed and baked by Fiona Cairns, a renowned cake maker and designer based in England. Cairns described the process of creating the cake as an architectural project, and it certainly lived up to that description. The cake was not only impressive in height but also in width, measuring one metre wide—a true testament to its grand structure.

The cake was intentionally more modest in height compared to other royal wedding cakes, such as the nine-foot cake at Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip's wedding or the five-foot cake at the wedding of Charles and Diana. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge opted for a more understated approach, and the result was a stately and elegant creation.

The cake featured intricate handcrafted details, with over 900 individual elements crafted from ivory sugar paste. Each of the eight tiers was adorned with the couple's monogram and a variety of floral designs. The flowers symbolised England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales, including the lily of the valley to represent "sweetness and humility". The floral motifs also mirrored those in Kate's veil and bouquet, creating a cohesive and thoughtful theme throughout the wedding.

The cake took three days to assemble and weighed a substantial 220 pounds. It was displayed in the Picture Gallery at Buckingham Palace, where its impressive size ensured it held its own in the grand space. The cake was not just a dessert but a true work of art, reflecting the architecture and detailing of its surroundings.

In addition to its visual splendour, the cake also adhered to the traditional fruitcake flavour often chosen for English wedding cakes. However, the couple put their own twist on the icing, opting for a softer sugar paste base instead of the traditional royal icing. This unique touch made the cake even more memorable and special.

It featured 900 handcrafted sugar details

The wedding cake of Prince William and Kate Middleton, now the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, was a stunning confection that stood out not only for its impressive size but also for its intricate handcrafted sugar details. Each of the 900-plus sugar details that adorned the cake was crafted by hand, showcasing the exceptional talent and dedication of the cake designer, Fiona Cairns.

Cairns, a renowned cake baker and designer, was approached just a few months before the royal wedding to create this masterpiece. She had previously made cakes for the royal family, including Prince Charles and Princess Diana, and her expertise in creating incredible sweets gave her the confidence to take on this once-in-a-lifetime challenge.

The cake itself was a traditional fruitcake, a classic choice for royal weddings. However, it was the decoration that truly set it apart. Each of the eight tiers featured a different floral design, incorporating 17 different flowers and leaves. These included the lily of the valley, Irish shamrock, English rose, Scottish thistle, and Welsh daffodil, symbolising the four nations of the United Kingdom.

The sugar details also extended to the couple's monogram, which was prominently displayed on the cake. The intricate craftsmanship of the sugar decorations added a level of elegance and sophistication to the cake, making it a true work of art.

Creating the 900 handcrafted sugar details was undoubtedly a labour-intensive process, requiring precision and attention to detail. Each petal, leaf, and intricate curve of the monogram would have been meticulously shaped and placed to ensure a flawless finish. The all-white design, as requested by the Duchess, further emphasised the elegance and purity of the cake's decoration.

The cake's display in the Picture Gallery at Buckingham Palace added to its grandeur. Standing at three feet tall and weighing 220 pounds, the cake's impressive size ensured it held its own in the grand setting. The architectural design of the cake, inspired by the Picture Gallery itself, created a stunning visual impact that wowed guests and has left a lasting impression, with the cake still considered one of the most incredible designs to date.

It cost $80,000

The wedding cake of Prince William and Kate Middleton, now the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, cost $80,000. The cake was a three-foot-tall, eight-tiered fruitcake, weighing 220 pounds. It was designed and baked by Fiona Cairns, a renowned cake baker and designer in England. Cairns was approached just a few months before the royal wedding, which took place on April 29, 2011, and she and her team of six people spent three days assembling the cake.

The cake featured intricate handcrafted details, including the couple's monogram and 17 types of significant flowers, such as the English rose and the Scottish thistle, representing the four nations of the United Kingdom. The sugar paste decorations on the cake were all crafted by hand, with over 900 individual elements. This attention to detail and the labour-intensive process of assembling such a large cake contributed to the high cost.

The cake was displayed in the Picture Gallery at Buckingham Palace, and its size was chosen to fill the space without being dwarfed by the grand surroundings. The cake was described as modest compared to other royal wedding cakes, such as the nine-foot-tall cake at Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip's wedding.

In addition to the main wedding cake, there was also a separate chocolate biscuit cake, known as Tiffin cake, which was a favourite treat of Prince William's when visiting his late grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II. This cake was created by master chocolatier Barry Colenso in partnership with The McVitie's Cake Company.

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