OK, we might not know what Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s wedding cake will look like yet, but we can at least get an idea of how it might taste.
In what was a departure from the traditional royal wedding cake (fruit, if you were wondering), Kensington Palace announced that Harry and Meghan had chosen “a lemon elderflower cake that will incorporate the bright flavours of spring. It will be covered with buttercream and decorated with fresh flowers.”
And in more exciting news, the cake is to be made by Violet bakery in London whose head baker is none other than a Kiwi!
Timaru born Izaak Adams has been working for the bakery for two years and specialises in bespoke flower topped cakes.
One of Izaak Adams’ wedding cake creations. We’re imagining something like this for Meghan and Harry’s cake – albeit on a much larger scale!
Elderflower is a quintessential British flavour that adds a delicate fragrance to desserts and drinks.
The easiest way to incorporate it is elderflower cordial, found in most large supermarkets in the cordial aisle.
It’s also perfect in a gin and tonic!
So, if you’re hosting a royal wedding viewing party at home and want to impress your guests, or if you simply want to add a touch of royal flavour to your everyday life, this recipe will knock your friends and family’s socks off.
Cheat’s lemon and elderflower buttercream cake
Serves 10
Prep time 15 minutes
Cook 10 minutes + standing
Ingredients
460g packet round double unfilled sponge cake
½ cup elderflower cordial
¼ cup water
2 tbsp lemon curd
2 tbsp desiccated coconut
6 mini meringues
toasted coconut flakes and white chocolate curls, to serve
Buttercream
250g butter, softened
3 cups icing sugar, sifted
Cheat’s lemon and elderflower buttercream cake.
Method
1. Halve both sponge layers horizontally. You only need three cake layers (reserve remaining layer for later use). Arrange cake layers on a tray and use a toothpick to poke holes randomly into the surface of each cake (this will help absorb the syrup).
2. In a small saucepan, combine cordial and water on medium. Bring to a simmer. Simmer on low 5 mins until mixture is reduced to ½ cup. Brush hot syrup over cakes. Set aside 15 mins to absorb.
To make the buttercream
3. In the large bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter until as pale as possible. Gradually add icing sugar until incorporated. Set aside a third of the buttercream.
4. Place one sponge layer on a plate, cut-side up.
5. Top with half the lemon curd, spread over half the buttercream and sprinkle with half the coconut. Top with another sponge layer and repeat with curd, buttercream and coconut. Finish with a final layer of sponge, cut-side down.
6. Spread top with reserved buttercream and decorate with meringues, coconut flakes and chocolate curls.
Et voilà! Enjoy!
