No sooner had I posted my predictions for Spring food trends 2018, Meghan and Harry announced that their wedding cake was going to be made with lemon and elderflower!

So not only am I going to call it and say that Champagne Twist is the social media network to get accurate predictions in regards to anything food, arts and crafts, I’m now going to reveal my version of the wedding cake.  Enjoy!

Lemon and Elderflower Cake (aka the Sussex Violet Cake)

Ingredients:

For the cake

• 8oz butter, softened
• 8oz golden caster sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 8oz self-raising flour, sifted
• zest of 2 unwaxed lemons

For the glaze

• 1 tbsp elderflower syrup or cordial (I used Ikea but would also recommend Belvior)
• juice of 1 lemon
• 3 tbsp granulated sugar (reserving 1 tbsp for decoration)

plus fresh edible flowers such as violets, roses, elderflowers, for decoration.

I used violets in tribute to Violets Cakes and the creator of the original Royal Wedding cake for Meghan and Harry, now the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.  In a nod to the wedding couple, I also renamed my version of the cake the Sussex Violet cake.

Method:

For the cake –

1. Preheat the oven to gas mark 4.
2. Line a 20cm round tin with parchment paper.
3. With a food mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until pale in colour, and light and fluffy in texture.
4. Add the eggs one at a time, beating in the sugar-butter mix in between.
5. Fold in the flour and lemon zest until well incorporated.
6. Pour the batter into the prepared cake tin, and place on the middle shelf of the video.
7. Bake for 45-55 mins. To test if the cake is baked, use a skewer and poke it through the middle of the cake. It should come out clean when removed.
8. When baked, remove from the oven and set aside. Add the glaze at this point (instructions below) still in the tin.
9. Carefully remove the cake from the tin and place on a wire cake rack to cool completely.

For the glaze –

1. While the cake is still hot, mix the syrup, granulated sugar and lemon juice together in a small bowl.
2. Poke a few holes at random intervals through the top of the cake, with a skewer.
3. With a teaspoon ‘feed’ the cake with the glaze, making sure to cover the entire top of the cake. The glaze should soak through quickly and will leave a sugary crust.  Leave the cake in the tin for about 10 mins.
4. Carefully remove the cake from the tin and place on a wire rack to cool completely.
5. When the cake has completely cooled, sprinkle the reserved granulated sugar on top, and scatter violets or your edible flowers of choice on top. Serve with a cup of tea, perhaps Wedding Blend from Fortnums or Clipper’s mint and green tea.

Congratulations Meghan and Harry.