Page 91 - All About History 58 - 2017 UK

How to make… Did

you know?

The Duke of Edinburgh cut
the 227-kilogram cake with his
ceremonial sword, which was
THE QUEEN’S a wedding present from his
new father-in-law,
King George VI.

WEDDING CAKE
FIRST CLASS FRUITCAKE LONDON, UK, 1947

ueen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Ingredients
Edinburgh mark their platinum wedding For one 30cm cake tier
anniversary on 20 November. Their O 400g currants
Qmarriage at Westminster Abbey 70 O 560g raisins
years ago was followed by a reception at O 840g sultanas
O 3 tablespoons rum
Buckingham Palace. Even in the opulent
O 3 tablespoons brandy
palace ballroom, the royal wedding cake O 1/2 orange (juice)
stood out. Nine feet high, it was made up O 2 oranges (zest)
of four tiers of fruitcake, decorated with O 375g unsalted butter
O 225g brown sugar
both families’ coats-of-arms, the couple’s
O 150g caster sugar
monograms, sugar-iced figures depicting their O 4 tsp vanilla essence
favourite activities, and military insignias. O 12 eggs
However, the towering treat was put O 450g self-raising flour
together during a time of post-war austerity, O 1tsp bicarbonate of soda
O 1 tsp ground cloves
when food rationing was still in force in
O 1 tsp ground cinnamon
Britain. So, to make the elaborate cake, O 2 tbsp black treacle
Commonwealth nations gave ingredients
as wedding gifts, including Demerara sugar
from Trinidad, butter, almonds and frozen
eggs from the Australian Girl Guides, and rum
and brandy from South Africa. The following
recipe is for a fruitcake similar to that which
the royal couple would have enjoyed.

METHOD

01 Begin your royal wedding cake by mixing all
of the dried fruit with generous measures of
brandy and rum. Leave for at least 24 hours 04 Gradually whisk in the eggs, adding one at a 07 Bake the cake for around 4.5 hours, rotating a
(or up to a week!) so that the fruit absorbs the time, until it’s well combined and then in a few times in the oven (to ensure an even bake)
liquid. Add the juice of 1/2 an orange at the end separate bowl sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda until a skewer comes out clean from the middle
of the soaking time. and spices together. of the cake.

02 When it’s time to start baking, being by setting 05 Fold the wet ingredients and dry ingredients 08 Leave it for two minutes before removing
your oven to 160ºC/325ºF. Then take a 30cm/12” together, and then combine with the soaked the cake from the tin, and then leave it to
round baking tin and double-line it with baking fruit and treacle. Mix well to ensure everything completely cool down on a wire rack.
parchment on the inside as well as the outside of is well combined.
the tin. Make a small parchment lid to place on 09 To complete your royal wedding cake, you
top, and set aside. 06 Transfer your cake mix to your double-lined can repeat this recipe to bake multiple tiers.
baking tin and smooth out the surface of the Thanks to the alcohol content the cake keeps
03 In a large bowl, beat your butter, sugars and mixture. The layers of greaseproof paper very well, so you can focus on planning your
vanilla essence together until light and fluffy and will protect your cake from burning over the elaborate sugar craft decoration and building a © Getty Images
then beat in the orange zest. long cook time. masterpiece fit for a princess.

Did you have a go? Send us pictures of your royal wedding cake /AllAboutHistory @AboutHistoryMag
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