Meghan and Harry Select ‘Culinary Gem’ in Hackney to Make the Royal Wedding Cake

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have chosen Claire Ptak’s Hackney bakery, Violet, to make the wedding cake for their celebrations on the 19 May this year.

A statement released by Kensington Palace today said:

“For their wedding cake Prince Harry and Ms. Meghan Markle have chosen pastry chef Claire Ptak, owner of London based culinary gem Violet Bakery.”

The couple have requested a lemon elderflower cake to “incorporate the bright flavours of spring.” The cake will be covered with buttercream and decorated with fresh flowers. “They are very much looking forward to sharing this cake with their wedding guests on May 19th,” the announcement said.

Ptak, like Markle, was raised in California and formerly worked under Alice Waters, as pastry chef, at Chez Panisse in Berkeley.

Ptak said: “I can’t tell you how delighted I am to be chosen to make Prince Harry and Ms. Markle’s wedding cake. Knowing that they really share the same values as I do about food provenance, sustainability, seasonality and most importantly flavour, makes this the most exciting event to be a part of.”

After moving to London, Ptak first worked at the iconic Southwark gastropub, The Anchor and Hope, before staging at both St. John and Moro. She subsequently started her own business, which began as a Saturday market stall on Broadway Market, in east London. She would bake from home. She opened Violet Bakery in 2010, with what she says is “a focus on using high quality, seasonal and organic ingredients in her cakes.” Ptak also works as a food stylist and food writer — she released The Violet Bakery Cookbook in March 2015.

Markle once interviewed Ptak for her former lifestyle website TheTig.com where she celebrated food and travel, and featured interviews with friends and role models to discuss philanthropy and community.

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