The fresh flavors of spring can still be with you even if you didn't get a invitation to the Royal Wedding!
The couple has chosen baker Claire Ptak, of London-based Violet Cakes, whose known for her simple buttercream cakes topped with fresh edible flowers. According to the palace’s announcement, the royal cake will be a “lemon elderflower cake that will incorporate the bright flavours of spring” and will have buttercream and fresh flowers for decoration.
Royal Inspired Wedding Lemon Elderflower Cake
Ingredients:
Cooking spray or butter, for greasing pans
4 cups all-purpose flour
4 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
4 large eggs, room temperature
2 large egg whites, room temperature
1 3/4 cups butter, room temperature
2 2/3 cups granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp lemon extract
3 tbsp plus 1 tsp lemon juice
2 1/4 cups whole milk, room temperature
Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease three 9-inch (23-cm) round cake pans with cooking spray.
In a large bowl, mix together flour, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, whisk together eggs and egg whites.
In a stand mixer, combine butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add beaten eggs a third at a time, mixing well after each addition and stopping to scrape down sides of bowl with a rubber spatula. Add vanilla, lemon extract and lemon juice. Continue to mix until combined.
Turn mixer to low speed. Alternate adding flour mixture and milk a third at a time. Mix until batter becomes thick and smooth, careful not to over mix.
Divide batter among cake pans, about 2 1/3 cups in each pan. Use an offset spatula to smooth batter to edges of pan. Gently tap pans on table to get rid of any excess air in batter.
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes on middle rack or until cake tops begin to develop a golden color and a toothpick inserted in cake centers comes out clean. For even baking, rotate pans at 15-minute mark.
Remove from heat and let cool for 10 minutes. Use a spatula to gently loosen the edge of cake from pan. Carefully turn cakes out on to a wire rack to cool completely. Remove parchment paper.
Elderflower Swiss Meringue Buttercream
This recipe will give you enough to make the crumb coat, a thin layer of buttercream to seal in the crumbs before adding a second decorative layer, though it may vary depending on how thick you apply the buttercream.
Ingredients:
2/3 cup egg whites, about 5 or 6 large eggs
1 2/3 cup granulated sugar
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
2 1/2 cups butter, softened and cut into small cubes (5 sticks)
1/4 cup (50mL) Elderflower liqueur
Fill a medium-sized pot with at least 2 inches water. On high heat, bring to a boil. Turn down heat to medium and reduce to a simmer. In a large heat-proof bowl, add egg whites, sugar, salt and cream of tartar. Place bowl over pot of simmering water making sure bowl does not touch bottom of pot. Add elderflower concentrate and continue to mix until well-incorporated. Stir constantly with a flexible spatula until sugar has completely dissolved and mixture reaches about 185 F, about 10 to 12 minutes.
Pour mixture into bowl of a stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment. Whisk at high speed for about 10 minutes, or until meringue doubles in volume and develops stiff peaks and a glossy appearance. With mixer still running, add butter a few cubes at a time to achieve a thick and creamy texture. Let cool completely before frosting.
Add edible flowers if you wish.
