Harry and Meghan have shown good taste credentials when it comes to cake. The royal couple’s annointed baker is Claire Ptak, owner of the Violet Bakery, one of London’s hippest bakery-cafes. For the last five days Ptak has been perfecting a three-layer elderflower and lemon cake in the kitchens of Buckingham Palace. Here’s the commoner’s version of this “ethereal” and “floral” delight…one you can knock up at home without the aid of six assistants.
- 6 medium eggs
- 100g natural yoghurt
- 50ml milk
- 450g softened butter
- 450g golden caster sugar
- 450g self-raising flour
- finely grated zest of 1 lemon, plus juice
- 3 tbsp elderflower cordial
For the icing
- 250g softened butter
- 300g full fat cream cheese
- 700g icing sugar
- finely grated zest of 1 lemons
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- Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Grease and line 3 x 20cm cake tins with baking parchment. Separately whisk the eggs, yogurt and milk. Beat the butter and sugar together in a large bowl, using an electric hand whisk. When you have a light and fluffy mixture, add the flour, the liquid in the jug and the lemon zest. Mix again until smooth. Divide the cake mixture between the tins, level the surfaces and bake for 40 mins
- Mix the lemon juice and elderflower cordial. When the cakes are cooked, poke all over with a cocktail stick then spoon the fragrant syrup over the cakes. Leave to cool in the tins
- To make the icing, beat the butter until smooth with an electric hand whisk. Add half the icing sugar and combine and then whisk again. Add the remaining icing sugar, cream cheese and lemon zest. Whisk again until smooth
- Stack the sponges with plenty of icing between each layer. Pile most of the remaining icing on top, then use a palette knife to spread it across the top and down the sides, covering the cake in swirls (as well as you can!) Add the final bit of icing to the top. Decorate with fresh flowers or a Harry and Meghan figurine
Photo credit: Sweet'n Small on Visualhunt.com / CC BY-NC-SA
