Lemon Elderflower Whipped Cream Cake for the Royal Wedding

This coming weekend is a big one—not only does it mark the start of Shavuot, but Saturday the 19th is the day Prince Harry and Meghan Markle get hitched! If you’ve been wondering how you can mark both occasions with a single dish, look no further than my simplified take on the royal wedding cake.

Harry and Meghan will be celebrating their nuptials with a lemon elderflower royal wedding cake (baked, in their case, by Claire Ptak of London’s Violet Bakery), and so can you. Loaded with fresh citrus, aromatic elderflower, and pillowy clouds of whipped cream, this dairy-tastic cake is a deliciously different way to treat yourself this Shavuot.

Elderflower has long been a favorite flavor of mine—like my beloved rhubarb, I acquired a taste for it in England—and I’m hoping the fact that it’s the chosen flavor of the royal wedding will give it the boost it needs to finally make it onto the American foodie radar.

But what, you might be asking, is elderflower? Elderflowers are small, white flowers that grow on elderberry bushes. The plant is common throughout the UK and Northern Europe, though it is also present in parts of North America. The flowers are most commonly made into cordial or syrup (or liqueur—think St. Germain), which can then be used in baking, for making drinks, or to flavor whipped cream.

Taste-wise, I think the flavors that come closest to it are fresh green grape, and perhaps, lychee. Even if you don’t think of yourself as a fan of florals, it’s worth a try—it’s very different from your culinary roses and lavenders.

P.S. While we’re on the subject of the royal wedding, did you know I’m also a wedding blogger? Well, I am! I’m the features writer for Smashing The Glass, the world’s largest (and, in my totally unbiased opinion, best) Jewish wedding blog. If you ever find yourself in need of wedding inspo, or if you just really like weddings, check it out.

The recipe below is adapted from this one from the Seattle Times.

Lemon Elderflower Whipped Cream Royal Wedding Cake

For the cake

8 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for the pans

1 cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest

3 large eggs, at room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

½ teaspoon salt

2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

2/3 cup whole milk

½ cup elderflower cordial, plus more as needed

For the filling

1 cup heavy whipping cream

2 tablespoons elderflower cordial

For the cake

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Grease 2 9-inch cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper rounds.

Place the granulated sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer or handheld electric mixer. Mix the lemon zest into the sugar.

Add the butter and beat on medium-high speed for about 3 minutes, or until the mixture is fluffy and light.

Meanwhile, lightly whisk together the eggs, vanilla extract, and salt in a liquid measuring cup.

Reducing the mixer speed to low, gradually add the liquids to the butter-sugar mixture until fully incorporated.

Whisk together the flour and baking powder in a separate bowl, then add half of it to the butter mixture. Beat on low speed until just combined, then add the milk. Beat on low speed until well incorporated.

Add the remaining flour; beat on low speed until fully combined. Divide equally among the cake pans and smooth the tops with an offset or flexible spatula.

Bake on the middle rack for 20 to 25 minutes, until the top of each cake layer springs back to the touch. The edges will be very lightly browned and starting to pull away from the sides of the pans.

Cool in the pans for 15 minutes, then run a round-edged knife or offset spatula around the inside of the pans to release the layers. Invert onto a wire rack and peel off the parchment paper. Use a pastry brush or silicone brush to apply the elderflower cordial.

For the filling

Pour the heavy whipping cream into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with balloon-whisk attachment or use a handheld electric mixer. Beat on high speed until stiff peaks form. Beat the cordial in.

To assemble

Spread a generous layer of whipped cream across one of the layers. Top with the second layer. Brush the remaining whipped cream across the top layer, and, if you like, on the sides. If you like, garnish with fresh berries.

The assembled came can keep for 2 days in the refrigerator.

Sources: “Here’s how to make your own version of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s royal wedding cake,” Becky Krystal (Seattle Times, April 28, 2018); “A Trip To Ikea And $5 Is All You Need To Get In On The Food Trend Meghan Markle Loves,” Amy Grief (Chatelaine, March 28, 2018)