The Best Royal Cakes

Here’s how to make the very best royal cakes…

Eton Mess Traybake

This fabulous recipe courtesy of Guylian and Catrin Komor @Fwdge is decorated with gold leaf and simply made to add this extra touch of regal glam to your table.

Pictured top

Ingredients

• 200g salted butter
• 200g granulated sugar
• 200g self raising flour
• 4 large eggs
• 4tbsp milk
• ½ tsp baking powder
• 300g raspberries
• 400ml double cream
• 50g meringue nests
• ½ vanilla pod
• 3tbsp raspberry jam
• 10 Guylian Belgian Chocolate Sea Shells

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/Gas 4. Mix the butter and sugar together in a large bowl until soft and creamy. Beat in one egg at a time, stirring well before adding the next. Fold in the flour, baking powder and milk, then combine to make a thick batter.
2. Line a 25cm square baking tin with parchment paper. Pour the cake batter in and sprinkle over half of the fresh raspberries. Bake in the centre of the oven for 30 minutes, until the cake is golden brown and cooked through. Allow to cool completely.
3. Whip the cream to soft peaks before adding in the beans of the vanilla pod. Stir well, then spread the cream over the cooled sponge cake, making a well in the centre of the cream to hold the fresh fruit and jam.
4. Thin the jam with 2tbsp just boiling water, then drizzle the sauce over the whipped cream. Crumble over the meringue pieces and arrange with the remaining fresh raspberries, forming a mound in the centre of the cake.
5. Chill until ready to serve – then top with a dusting of icing sugar and the Guylian Belgian Chocolate Praline Sea Shells to finish!

Illusion Sandwiches 

Another recipe courtesy of our friends at Guylian, this time in collaboration with Dominic Franks @dominthekitchen. Is it a cake? Is it a sandwich? In any case, it’s scrumptious!

Ingredients

For the Victoria Sponge Sandwich and the Chocolate Sponge Sandwich:

• 6 large free-range eggs
• 450g sugar
• 450g butter
• 450g self-raising flour
• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons vanilla paste

For the Carrot Cake Sandwich:

• 175g light muscovado sugar
• 175ml sunflower oil
• 3 large eggs (lightly beaten)
• 140g grated carrot
• 100g raisins
• 1 teaspoon poppyseeds
• grated zest of 1 large orange
• 175g self-raising flour
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon

For the fillings:

• 300ml double cream
• 50g cream cheese
• 150g butter (room temperature)
• 200g icing sugar
• The zest of one lemon
• Half a carrot – peeled and finely grated
• Strawberry jam
• Apricot jam

Method

For the Victoria Sponge Sandwich and the Chocolate Sponge Sandwich:

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/Gas 4/fan 160C.
2. Grease and line two 2lb loaf tins
3. Cream together the butter and sugar in a large bowl until pale and fluffy (a stand-mixer will make light work of this)
4. Add three eggs and half the flour and beat until smooth, then add the last three eggs and the rest of the flour and beat again until smooth and light, add the vanilla and beat one final time
5. Now pour half the cake batter into one of the loaf tins and smooth off the top, then add the 2 tablespoons of cocoa to the remaining batter and beat well, then pour this into the second loaf tin
6. Bake both cakes for 35-40 minutes until golden brown and a skewer inserted comes out clean, then set aside to cool

For the Carrot Cake Sandwich:

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/Gas 4/fan 160C.
2. Grease and line one2lb loaf tins
3. Tip the sugar into a large mixing bowl, pour in the oil and add the eggs. Lightly mix with a wooden spoon. Stir in the grated carrots, raisins, poppyseeds and orange rind.
4. Mix the flour, bicarbonate of soda and spices, then sift into the bowl. Lightly mix all the ingredients – when everything is evenly amalgamated, stop mixing. The mixture will be fairly soft and almost runny.
5. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 40- 45 minutes, until it feels firm and springy when you press it in the centre.
6. Cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then turn it out, peel off the paper and cool on a wire rack.

For the fillings:

1. In a large bowl, whip the double cream to a very thick consistency, then divide it in half.
   2. To one half stir in the cream cheese, lemon zest and grated carrot and this will give you the carrot cake filling. Set aside the rest of the double cream for the chocolate cake filling.
2. In another large bowl, make a buttercream icing by beating the butter till soft and creamy, then add the icing sugar and beat again till soft and smooth, this will give you the classic sponge filling.
3. Now you have all your cakes, you can begin to assemble the ‘sandwiches’. You should be able to slice your cakes with a bread knife and treat them just like a loaf of bread but it may help to pop the cakes into the fridge for an hour before doing this. Then you simply slice all the cakes and fill them like you would as if making a sandwich.

Marble Cupcakes

A yet another one by Gyulian – created with Katie Deacon @Iheartkatiecakes. They’re so simple to make but look extremely impressive – fly the flag high with these uber delicious treats!

Ingredients

For the Chocolate and Vanilla Marble cupcakes:

• 175g unsalted butter (at room temperature)
• 175g caster sugar
• 3 large, free-range eggs
• 175g self-raising flour
• 1tsp baking powder
• 2tbsp cocoa powder
• 2tbsp whole milk
• 1tsp vanilla extract

For the frosting:

• 250g unsalted butter (softened)
• 350g icing sugar
• 50g cocoa powder
• 1tsp vanilla extract
• 2–4tbsp milk

For the Finishing Touch:

• 16 Guylian Chocolate Sea Shells (to decorate)
• Union Jack cupcake toppers

Method

For the Chocolate and Vanilla Marble cupcakes:

1. Preheat the oven to 170C and line 2 12-hole cupcake trays with 16 small cupcake liners.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer, add the butter and sugar and mix on a medium speed for 5 minutes until the butter is light and creamy.
3. Sift the flour and baking powder together and set aside. Turn the mixer down to a low speed and crack the eggs in one at a time.
4. Once the eggs are fully incorporated add half of the flour and mix to combine, add the milk and vanilla extract followed by the remaining flour and mix again.
5. Remove half of the cupcake batter to another bowl and add the cocoa powder. Stir to combine.
6. Using two spoons, fill the cupcake liners by adding small spoonsful of vanilla and small spoonsful of chocolate batter to each liner until 2/3 full.
7. Use a cake skewer or a small knife to marble the two batters together and bake for 20 minutes or golden brown and springy to the touch.
8. Allow the cupcakes to cool in the tin for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

For the frosting:

1. To make the frosting, first mix the butter in the bowl of an electric mixer until pale and soft.
2. Add the icing sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla extract and 2tbsp of the milk.
3. Turn the mixer on low and gradually increase the speed. Whip for 5 minutes, if the frosting looks too stiff add a splash more milk until you reach a nice piping consistency.
4. Once the cupcakes have cooled, fill 4 piping bags, fitted with an open star nozzle with the chocolate, vanilla and coloured frosting and pipe a cute swirl on each cake.
5. If you don’t have any cupcake nozzles, you can spread the frosting on each cake using an offset spatula.

For the Finishing Touch:

1. Top each cake with a Guylian Chocolate Sea Shell and a cute Union Jack flag.

Royal Lemon & Pistachio Cake

Utterly scrumptious, light, fluffy and so-so-so-pretty! Courtesy of our friends at Bonne Maman.

Ingredients

• 6 large eggs
• 360g unsalted butter, softened
• 360g golden caster sugar
• 90g ground almonds
• 30g ground pistachio nuts
• 270g self-raising flour
• Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon

To Decorate

• 300ml double cream
• Bonne Maman Raspberry and Bonne Maman Wild Blueberry Conserves
• Mixed berries, fresh herbs, and icing sugar to decorate

Method

1. Heat the oven to 180°C, 160°C fan, gas 4. Line the base and sides of 3 x 20cm, straight-sided cake tins with baking paper.
2. Put all the cake ingredients in a large bowl and beat together with an electric whisk until smooth and very creamy. Divide the mixture evenly between 3 tins.
3. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Leave to cool.
4. Whip the cream until it is just thickened, don’t overwhip. Put one sponge layer on a serving plate. Spread generously with Wild Blueberry Conserve. Add half the cream and spread to within 2cm of the edge.
5. Repeat with the second sponge and the Raspberry Conserve.
6. Top the last sponge with mixture of fresh fruit and herbs. Dust with icing sugar and any left over pistachio crumbs.
7. Layer up the cake, add a length of bunting and some Jubilee decorations. Keep chilled in the ‘fridge and serve within an hour.

Royal Cupcakes

Delicious, rich sponge, creamy vanilla frosting and fresh and crisp touch of fruit – here are the ultimate red, white and blue cupcakes. Courtesy of Bonne Maman.

Ingredients

• 50g unsalted butter, softened
• 150g golden caster sugar
• 1 large egg
• 100ml buttermilk
• 50ml vegetable oil
• 1tsp vinegar
• 145g plain flour
• 1tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 4tsp cocoa
• 2tsp red food colouring paste or gel

For the Frosting

• 300g icing sugar, sieved
• 50g unsalted butter, softened
• 125g full fat soft cheese
• 12tbsp Bonne Maman conserve, e.g. Strawberry & Wild Strawberry and Wild Blueberry

Method

1. Line a cupcake tin with 12 large cases.
2. Heat oven to 180°C 160°C fan, gas 4.
3. Put the butter and sugar in a bowl and beat with an electric whisk until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in the egg, buttermilk, oil and vinegar.
4. Add the flour, bicarb and cocoa with a large pinch of salt and beat everything together until smooth. Lastly beat in the red food colouring, adding extra if needed to produce a deep red mixture.
5. Spoon the mixture into the cupcake cases and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
6. Meanwhile make the frosting. With the electric whisk, gradually beat the icing sugar into the butter. Add all the soft cheese and beat together for a good 5 minutes until light and fluffy.
7. Pipe or spread the cold cupcakes with a ring of the frosting. Spoon the conserve into the centre and decorate with sugar crowns.

And, when you don’t feel like baking, here’s a host of gorgeous cakes available to buy now…